On August 8, 1950, the world welcomed Steve Wozniak — computer programmer, inventor, engineer, and philanthropist — in San Jose, CA. Affectionately known as "Woz" to many, he grew up as the son of an engineer employed at Lockheed.
Electronics captivated Wozniak from a young age, with ham radio sparking a particularly strong fascination. By the time he was in sixth grade, he had already earned his ham operator license.
During the 1970s, Woz pursued higher education at both the University of Colorado and the University of California. His academic journey was cut short, though, when he dropped out to accept a position as a calculator designer at Hewlett-Packard.
It was around this time that Wozniak crossed paths with Steve Jobs, who would become both a close friend and a business partner. The pair discovered they shared plenty in common, not least a mutual love of pranks. Together, they constructed an electronic device known as the "blue box," which they used to make long-distance calls toll-free. Wozniak himself has credited this project as a stepping stone to something far bigger. As he told Santa Clara Valley, "If we hadn't built blue boxes, there would have been no Apple."
Pooling together $1,300, the two friends funded the creation of their first single-board Apple I personal computer kit. They also unveiled the device at the Palo Alto-based Homebrew Computer Club and started selling circuit boards assembled during late-night sessions in their garage. Sales were sluggish at first — the boards weren't leaving the shelves as expected — until a $50,000 order came in from one of the local stores.
On April 1, 1976, Wozniak, Jobs and Ronald Wayne brought the first Apple computer into existence. Just two weeks later, however, Wayne departed the venture, selling his shares to his partners for $800. The company was officially incorporated on January 3, 1977, and on April 16 of the same year, the Apple II — another creation designed by Wozniak — made its debut.