Cisco

Cisco makes networking equipment and software. Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner, two Stanford staff members, founded it in 1984. The company is based in San Jose, California, and took its name from San Francisco.

Its routers and switches carry traffic for internet providers, companies and universities. Cisco later added security products, including firewalls and tools for identity and threat detection. The Webex service handles video meetings and calling.

A major acquisition was Splunk in 2024, which added tools for monitoring and analyzing machine data. Cisco also sells wireless equipment under the Meraki brand and runs a training and certification program. The CCNA certificate is one of the most widely held credentials among network engineers. Chuck Robbins has led Cisco since 2015. The company moved its focus from hardware toward software and subscriptions over the past decade. Cisco also buys smaller firms often, and it has trained millions of people through its Networking Academy program.