Who founded Panasonic?

Panasonic was founded on March 7, 1918, by Konosuke Matsushita, who was 23 years old at the time. After working as an apprentice to hibachi and bicycle makers and working for the Osaka Electric Light Company, Matsushita had come up with a design for a new kind of light socket.

Despite discouragement from his supervisor, Matsushita and his family tried to sell the devices out of their home. They even sold off some of their most valuable possessions to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Matsushita diversified his product offerings, eventually fulfilling an order for electric fan insulation plates. By the end of 1918, his company had grown to 20 employees.

The company survived World War II, simultaneously benefitting from a postwar abundance period and struggling to navigate the political aftermath. It also weathered various economic crises.

Today the company self-reported that it employed 257,533 people. Its 10-year vision includes various emerging technologies, from Internet of Things/robotics to energy.