Acer was founded in 1976 by Stan Shih (Chinese: 施振榮), his wife Carolyn Yeh, and

five others as Multitech in Hsinchu City, Taiwan. The company began with eleven
employees and US$25,000 in capital. Initially, it was primarily a distributor of
electronic parts and a consultant in the use of microprocessor technologies. It
produced the Micro-Professor MPF-I training kit, then two Apple II clones–the
Microprofessor II and III–before joining the emerging IBM PC compatible market and
becoming a significant PC manufacturer. The company was renamed Acer in 1987.

In 1998, Acer reorganized into five groups: Acer International Service Group, Acer
Sertek Service Group, Acer Semiconductor Group, Acer Information Products Group,
and Acer Peripherals Group. To dispel complaints from clients that Acer competed
with its own products and to alleviate the competitive nature of the branded sales
versus contract manufacturing businesses, the company spun off the contract
business in 2000, renaming it Wistron Corporation. The restructuring resulted in
two primary units: brand name sales and contract manufacturing. In 2001, the
company sold its manufacturing units BenQ and Wistron in order to focus resources
on design and sales.

Acer increased worldwide sales while simultaneously reducing its labor force by
identifying and using marketing strategies that best utilized their existing
distribution channels. By 2005, Acer employed a scant 7,800 people worldwide.
Revenues rose from US$4.9 billion in 2003[6] to US$11.31 billion in 2006.[7]

Acer's North American market share has slipped in the early 2000s, while its
European market share has risen.[8]

In the mid-2000s, consumer notebooks were almost the sole growth drivers for the PC
industry, and Acer's exceptionally low overheads and dedication to the channel made
it one of the main beneficiaries of this trend.[9] Acer grew quickly in Europe in
part by embracing the use of more traditional distribution channels targeting
retail consumers when some rivals were pursuing online sales and business
customers. In 2007, Acer bought Gateway in the United States and Packard Bell in
Europe, and became the third-largest provider of computers and the second largest
for notebooks, achieving significant improvement in profitability. Acer has strived
to become the world's largest PC vendor in the belief that the goal can help it
achieve economy of scale and garner higher margin.[10] However, such a reliance on
the high-volume, low-value PC market made Acer exposed when buying habits changed.

In September 2018, Acer spun-off its smart gadget unit GadgeTek Inc., which
produces Leap Beads, smart prayer beads that track mantras and footsteps.[11][12]

In 2019, Acer announced the esports social platform PLANET9.gg, which aims to
provide game analytics, community-organized competitions, and social experiences.
[13]

2013 re-organisation
In November 2013, chairman and CEO J.T. Wang and president Jim Wong both resigned
due to the company's poor financial performance. Wang had been reportedly due to
leave Acer at the end of the year and was supposed to have been succeeded by Wong.
Acer co-founder Stan Shih took over as board chairman and interim president after
the departure of Wang and Wong and began to search for new candidates to assume the
roles of CEO and president. On 23 December, Acer named Jason Chen, then the vice
president of worldwide sales and marketing at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing,
as its new president and CEO, effective 1 January.[14]

Acquisitions and joint ventures

In 1988, Acer acquired Counterpoint Computers.
In 1990, Acer acquired Altos Computer Corporation.
In 1993, Acer acquired the PC division of Commodore International.[15]
In 1997, Acer acquired Texas Instruments notebook computer business.
On 27 August 2007, Acer announced plans to acquire its US-based rival Gateway, Inc.
for US$710 million. Acer's former chairman, J.T. Wang, stated that the acquisition
completed Acer's "global footprint, by strengthening [its] United States presence".
[16] Included in this acquisition was the eMachines brand.
In January 2008, Acer announced that it had acquired a controlling interest of 75%
of Packard Bell.[17]
In March 2008, Acer acquired Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company E-TEN.
In 2009, Acer acquired 29.9% of Italian computer system manufacturer Olidata.
In August 2010, Acer and Founder Technology signed a memorandum of mutual
understanding to strengthen their long-term PC business cooperation.
In July 2011, Acer bought iGware Inc. (formally BroadOn)[18] for US$320 million.
The aim is to create Acer Cloud to enter cloud computing market.[19] iGware had
developed cloud software and infrastructure tools for devices. It had also notably
partnered with Nintendo on several projects.[20]
In September 2015, Acer acquired GPS cycling computer brand Xplova.[21]
In September 2015, Acer invested in robotics start-up company Jibo.[22]
In March 2016, Acer made an equity investment in grandPad, a provider of technology
solutions specifically designed for senior citizens.[23]
In June 2016, Acer's board of directors approved the establishment of a joint
venture with Starbreeze AB to design, manufacture, promote, market and sell StarVR
Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays.[24]
In 2016, Acer acquired wireless pet camera maker Pawbo.[25]
In 2017, Acer became the largest corporate shareholder of AOPEN Inc.[26]
Operations