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The Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) is a research and development organization with roots in Xerox, founded in 1970. Its research group is now part of SRI International’s Future Concepts division; the PARC name remains associated with SRI’s Palo Alto campus and its history of innovation.
What does PARC do?
PARC conducts research and development. Technologies associated with its work include Ethernet, laser printing, the Alto personal computer, graphical user interfaces, and ubiquitous computing. These are contributions identified by Xerox and SRI; they should not be taken to mean PARC originated every technology associated with modern computing.
SRI reports that PARC work on Ethernet, laser printing, and the Alto received three IEEE Milestone awards in 2024. That is the award count SRI reports, not a standalone measure of PARC’s overall impact. SRI’s current Future Concepts overview describes the organization and its work.
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How has PARC’s organization changed?
| Period | Institutional relationship | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 1970–2002 | Xerox | Xerox founded PARC in 1970. SRI dates its establishment as an independent company to 2002. |
| 2002–2023 | Independent company | PARC operated as an independent company after separating from Xerox. |
| 2023–2024 | Transfer to SRI | Xerox announced its donation of PARC to SRI on April 24, 2023. Xerox’s SEC filing says the transfer was completed on April 29, 2023. |
| 2024–present | SRI International | In January 2024, SRI said the PARC research group would become its Future Concepts division. SRI continues to associate the PARC name with its Palo Alto campus and PARC’s legacy. |
The dates and organizational descriptions come from Xerox’s donation announcement, Xerox’s 2025 annual report filed with the SEC, and SRI’s January 2024 division announcement.
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What happened to PARC’s patents?
Xerox retained the majority of PARC’s patents and gave SRI a perpetual license to use them, according to Xerox’s SEC disclosure. The donation therefore changed PARC’s institutional home without transferring the majority of its patents to SRI.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why is PARC often called Xerox PARC?
The name reflects PARC’s origins as a Xerox-founded research center and its long association with Xerox. PARC became an independent company in 2002, then joined SRI in 2023; in 2024, its research group became SRI’s Future Concepts division. SRI says the PARC name continues in connection with its Palo Alto campus and the organization’s legacy of open innovation.
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