Intel and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation have announced the passing of the company’s co-founder, Gordon Moore, at the age of 94.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger paid tribute to Moore and described how he defined the technology industry through his insight and vision. He emphasised how Moore was instrumental inspiring technologists and entrepreneurs across the decades.
“We at Intel remain inspired by Moore’s Law, and intend to pursue it until the periodic table is exhausted. Gordon’s vision lives on as our true north as we use the power of technology to improve the lives of every person on Earth. My career and much of my life took shape within the possibilities fueled by Gordon’s leadership at the helm of Intel, and I am humbled by the honor and responsibility to carry his legacy forward,” said Gelsinger.
In July 1968, Intel was founded by Gordon Moore and his longtime colleague Robert Noyce. Moore initially held the position of executive vice president until 1975, when he was promoted to president. He was later appointed as chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1979, which he held until 1987. After relinquishing the CEO role, he continued as chairman until he retired in 1997 and became chairman emeritus, retiring from the position in 2006.
Before founding Intel, Moore and Noyce were involved in the establishment of Fairchild Semiconductor, where they played integral roles in the initial commercial production of diffused silicon transistors, and later in the development of the world’s first commercially viable integrated circuits. Prior to this, they had worked together under William Shockley, the co-inventor of the transistor and founder of Shockley Semiconductor, which was the first semiconductor company in what is now known as Silicon Valley.
Upon starting their own venture, Moore and Noyce recruited Andy Grove, who would go on to become the CEO of Intel, as their third employee. Together, the trio built Intel into one of the world’s leading companies and were known as the “Intel Trinity,” leaving behind a lasting legacy.
Aside from his significant contributions in co-founding two of the world’s groundbreaking technology companies, Moore is also renowned for his prediction in 1965 that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would double every year. This prediction, now known as Moore’s Law, became famous in the tech industry.
Throughout his life, Moore had a strong commitment to philanthropy, with a particular focus on environmental conservation, scientific research, and improving patient care. Along with his wife of 72 years, he founded the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation in 2000, which has donated more than $5.1 billion to various charitable causes.
