On Apr. 19, 1937, Perkin-Elmer was founded by Richard Perkin, a banker and Charles Elmer, a court reporter and co-founder of the optical design and consulting company. Perkin raised U.S. $15,000 from family and Elmer added U.S. $5,000 to launch the partnership.

In 1944, Perkin-Elmer entered the analytical-instruments business, and in the early 1990s, partnered with Cetus Corp. to pioneer the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment industry.