Dell Computers: Michael Dell Before it became fashionable to start a tech company in your dorm room, Michael Dell did exactly that. In 1983, he began selling upgrade kits for PC's out of his dorm at UT Austin. A few months later he gave up his plan of being Pre-Med, and dropped out of school to focus on the PC business. At age of 27, he became the youngest CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. Today, Dell has sold more than 650 million computers. PLUS for our postscript "How You Built That," how Hannah England turned a common parenting problem into Wash. It. Later. — a water-tight bag for soaking soiled baby clothes before they stain.

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Dell Computers: Michael Dell

January 29, 201812:01 AM ET

Dell Computers: Michael Dell

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Before it became fashionable to start a tech company in your dorm room, Michael Dell did exactly that. In 1983, he began selling upgrade kits for PC's out of his dorm at UT Austin. A few months later he gave up his plan of being Pre-Med, and dropped out of school to focus on the PC business. At age of 27, he became the youngest CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. Today, Dell has sold more than 650 million computers. PLUS for our postscript "How You Built That," how Hannah England turned a common parenting problem into Wash. It. Later. — a water-tight bag for soaking soiled baby clothes before they stain.

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Michael Dell founded Dell Computers in 1984 in his dorm room. Connor Heckert for NPR hide caption

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Connor Heckert for NPR

Michael Dell founded Dell Computers in 1984 in his dorm room.

Connor Heckert for NPR

Special Series

How I Built This

For all new episodes, go to the How I Built This page on Wondery.com