Amazon

Amazon.com, Inc. was founded by Jeff Bezos in Bellevue, Washington. It started as an online bookstore but later diversified to sell a wide variety of consumer goods and digital content.

Amazon went public with an initial public offering (IPO) at $18 per share, raising $54 million. This offering marked the beginning of its journey as a publicly traded company.

Amazon Prime was launched, offering customers benefits like free two-day shipping for an annual fee. Over time, the service expanded to include streaming video, music, and other perks.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) was officially launched, providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments. AWS grew to become a significant revenue source for Amazon.

Amazon introduced the Kindle, an electronic reading device that changed the way consumers read books. The Kindle became immensely popular and led to the growth of the e-book market.

Amazon announced its conceptual drone-based delivery system called Amazon Prime Air. This initiative aimed to use drones to deliver packages to customers within 30 minutes of ordering.

Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion. This acquisition marked Amazon's major entry into the physical retail market, specifically in the grocery sector.

Amazon became the second public company in the world to reach a market capitalization of $1 trillion, following Apple. This milestone highlighted Amazon's significant growth and market influence.

Jeff Bezos announced the creation of the Bezos Earth Fund and pledged $10 billion to combat climate change. This initiative aimed to aid scientists, activists, and NGOs in their environmental efforts.

Jeff Bezos announced he would step down as CEO of Amazon in the third quarter of 2021. Andy Jassy, the chief of Amazon Web Services, was named as his successor.