Once upon a time, TI helped others to strike oil.
It still does.

Texas Instruments has devised dozens of landmark innovations over the years. But it all started in the oil fields in 1930. That’s when Geophysical Service Inc. pioneered a new way of searching the earth for hidden reservoirs of oil, applying revolutionary signal processing technology.

The entrepreneurial spirit, vision and innovation that served the company so well in oil exploration built a solid foundation for today’s Texas Instruments. TI might not be in the oil business anymore, but its technology still helps others to “strike oil”—to achieve incredible success—worldwide. The company’s more than 15,000 patents have empowered countless inventions that touch the lives of just about everyone, just about everywhere.

TI is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Having started in rough-and-tumble oil fields and grown up to become a high-tech powerhouse, TI is now known worldwide for combining real-world know-how with high-tech savvy.

Timeline now available for Computers & Software and Industrial Controls businesses

The invention of the integrated circuit ushered in a new era of vertical integration in a variety of end equipment markets. TI saw opportunities where it could productize its expertise in several markets, particularly computers, programmable industrial controls, and software.

Learn more about TI's Computers & Software and Industrial Control businesses under the Former Businesses menu of the timeline.