Salesforce is a global leader in cloud computing and customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Known for its pioneering role in cloud-based solutions, Salesforce enables businesses to manage customer engagement, sales, service, and marketing with cutting-edge tools.
The company’s robust platform and innovative approach have made it a cornerstone of modern business operations.
It has successfully expanded its capabilities through strategic acquisitions, solidifying its dominance in the technology sector.
Who Owns Salesforce?
Salesforce, Inc. is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRM.
Its ownership includes a mix of institutional investors, individual shareholders, and mutual funds. Some of the major institutional investors include BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and Fidelity.
The company has a decentralized ownership structure, where no single entity holds a controlling stake.
Salesforce’s commitment to shareholder value and long-term vision remains a driving force behind its continued success.
What Companies Are Owned by Salesforce?
Over the years, Salesforce has acquired several companies to enhance its capabilities and broaden its industry expertise. Below are some of the notable companies owned by Salesforce:
Tableau
Tableau is a leading analytics and data visualization platform that Salesforce acquired in 2019 for $15.7 billion.
Tableau strengthens Salesforce’s analytics offerings, allowing businesses to access and interpret large volumes of data for better decision-making.
Slack
Acquired in 2021 for $27.7 billion, Slack is a business communication platform designed for team collaboration.
Integrating Slack enables Salesforce to offer seamless communication tools alongside its CRM solutions, enriching workplace productivity.
MuleSoft
MuleSoft, a platform for building application networks, was acquired by Salesforce in 2018 for $6.5 billion.
Its integration capabilities empower organizations to connect data across multiple systems, ensuring unified connectivity within Salesforce’s ecosystem.
Heroku
Heroku is a cloud platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that supports modern app development.
Purchased in 2010, Heroku has become a fundamental part of Salesforce’s platform strategy, offering developers the tools needed to build and deploy scalable applications.
ExactTarget (Marketing Cloud)
ExactTarget, acquired in 2013 for $2.5 billion, specializes in email marketing automation.
It now forms the backbone of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, providing businesses with tools to personalize customer journeys across various channels.
Demandware
Acquired in 2016 for $2.8 billion, Demandware provides cloud-based e-commerce solutions.
This acquisition helped Salesforce establish Commerce Cloud, expanding its offerings into the e-commerce sector.
Quip
Quip is a collaborative productivity tool acquired by Salesforce in 2016 for $750 million.
It enables users to create documents, spreadsheets, and task lists in a shared environment, promoting teamwork and alignment.
ClickSoftware
ClickSoftware was acquired in 2019 for $1.35 billion. It specializes in workforce management and field service scheduling, enhancing Salesforce’s Field Service Lightning offering.
Pardot
Pardot is a B2B marketing automation platform that Salesforce acquired in 2013. It has become a critical component of Salesforce’s marketing automation tools, allowing businesses to streamline lead generation and nurture campaigns.
Buddy Media
This social media marketing platform was acquired in 2012 for $689 million. Buddy Media helps businesses enhance their social media presence by managing campaigns and tracking engagement more efficiently.
Evergage
Salesforce acquired Evergage in 2020 to bolster its customer personalization capabilities.
Evergage provides real-time personalization and data insights, furthering Salesforce’s focus on enhancing customer journeys.
When Was Salesforce Founded?
Salesforce was founded on February 3, 1999, by Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez.
The company was established with the vision of delivering software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to businesses.
Its innovative approach disrupted traditional software models, as it allowed customers to access its systems via the cloud, eliminating the need for costly on-premises infrastructure.
Who Is the CEO of Salesforce?
Marc Benioff serves as the Chairman and CEO of Salesforce. A visionary leader, Benioff founded Salesforce and has been instrumental in shaping its success.
He has a background in technology and philanthropy, building Salesforce into a world-leading CRM provider.
Benioff is also known for championing corporate responsibility through Salesforce’s 1-1-1 model, which dedicates 1% of equity, 1% of product, and 1% of employee time to charitable causes.
Where Is the Headquarters of Salesforce?
Salesforce’s global headquarters is located in San Francisco, California, USA. Its iconic headquarters, Salesforce Tower, is a defining feature of the city’s skyline.
Opened in 2018, the 1,070-foot tower symbolizes Salesforce’s innovative spirit and leadership in the technology space.
The headquarters serves as a hub for research, development, and management operations, with additional offices worldwide.
What Is the Annual Revenue of Salesforce?
For Q4 2024, Salesforce reported an annual revenue of approximately $34.857 billion.
The company’s consistent revenue growth underscores its successful expansion and ability to adapt to evolving market needs.
Salesforce generates income through multiple revenue streams, including its CRM software, cloud services, and consulting.
How Many Employees Does Salesforce Have?
Salesforce employs over 70,000 people globally. Its workforce is composed of professionals across various domains, including technology, marketing, customer support, and sales.
Salesforce has built a reputation for its progressive workplace policies, ranking among the best places to work.
It emphasizes employee diversity, inclusion, and personal growth, fostering a positive corporate culture.
Conclusion
Salesforce has established itself as a key innovator in cloud computing and CRM, driving digital transformation across industries.
Through strategic acquisitions of companies like Slack, Tableau, and MuleSoft, Salesforce has broadened its service offerings and strengthened its impact across multiple domains.
With its strong leadership under Marc Benioff, a state-of-the-art headquarters, and a commitment to innovation, Salesforce continues to shape the future of customer engagement and enterprise software.
Its contributions to the technology sector highlight its essential role in modernizing how businesses interact with customers.
FAQs
Is Salesforce a SaaS company?
Yes, Salesforce is a SaaS company. It delivers cloud-based software services to businesses, offering CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools that can be accessed over the internet. Salesforce’s subscription-based model allows organizations to manage sales, marketing, customer service, and analytics without relying on on-premise infrastructure.
What exactly does Salesforce do?
Salesforce provides cloud computing solutions primarily focused on CRM, enabling businesses to manage customer relationships, track sales, automate marketing, and streamline customer support. Its offerings include tools like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Commerce Cloud, along with platforms for analytics, app development, and team collaboration.
Is Salesforce an AI company?
While Salesforce is not solely an AI company, it actively leverages artificial intelligence through its platform called Einstein AI. Einstein integrates AI-driven insights and automation into Salesforce products, helping businesses predict customer behavior, personalize experiences, and optimize decision-making. Salesforce continues to invest in AI technologies to enhance its solutions across various industries.