the biography of bill gates

I just traveled halfway around the world to look at a toilet.

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Melinda French Gates
Children:	Three
Career highlights:	Microsoft, Gates Foundation

1955— Born Seattle, WA.

1973 entered harvard university., 1967 enrolled at lakeside school. first used computer., 1968 began programming with paul allen in the computer center..

This is the story of my life in four sentences:

I grew up in Seattle, Washington, with an amazing and supportive family. I dropped out of college to start a business with a childhood friend. I married Melinda and we started a family of our own. Now we’re working together to give our wealth back to society.

If you want to know more than that, the next few pages go into more detail. As you can tell from my picture here, there have been a few surprises along the way.

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. He grew up in Seattle, Washington, with an amazing and supportive family who encouraged his interest in computers at an early age. He dropped out of college to start Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen. He married Melinda French in 1994 and they have three children. Today, Bill and Melinda Gates co-chair the charitable foundation bearing their names and are working together to give their wealth back to society.

Bill grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. His dad, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney and one of the co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International.

Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. He grew up in Seattle, Washington, with a supportive family who encouraged his interest in computers at an early age. He dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Today, Bill chairs the Gates Foundation where he works to give his wealth back to society.

Bill grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. His late father, William H. Gates Sr., was a Seattle attorney and one of the co-chairs of the Gates Foundation. His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of the national United Way. Bill has three children.

1976 Changed company name to Microsoft.

1975–.

My time at Microsoft was amazing. When Paul Allen and I started the business, the idea of a personal computer was new and strange. We accomplished some things that people said could never be done, and we got to be part of a revolution in the way people live.

I’m passionate about Microsoft’s work and will always be involved with the company, including my role as a member of the board.

When Bill and Paul Allen started Microsoft, their vision of “a computer on every desktop and in every home” seemed farfetched to most people. Today, thanks to Microsoft and many other companies, that vision is a reality in many parts of the world, and personal technology is an integral part of society.

Bill is passionate about Microsoft’s work and will always be involved with the company, including his present role as a technology advisor.

1975 Started Micro-Soft with Paul Allen in Albuquerque, NM.

1979 microsoft moved to washington state., 1980 sold dos for ibm pc and retained the copyright., 1985 windows 1.0 launched., 1994 married melinda french., 1995 windows 95 launched., 2000 assumed role of chief software architect, as steve ballmer assumed role of microsoft ceo., 2001 the original xbox released., 2008 left his daily job at microsoft., 2014 stepped down as chairman. remained on the board and began serving as technology advisor., 2000 bill and melinda french gates officially established the foundation. they also announced the first round of gates millennium scholars, part of a $1 billion effort to help 20,000 young people afford college over the next two decades., 2002 the foundation completed efforts to help install 47,000 computers in 11,000 libraries in all 50 states. ninety-five percent of libraries have computers with internet access, up from 27 percent in 1996., 2006 warren buffett pledged the bulk of his wealth to the foundation., 2010 bill and melinda challenged the global health community to declare this the decade of the vaccines. the foundation pledged $10 billion over the next 10 years to help research, develop, and delivery vaccines for the world’s poorest countries., 2009 ted talk bill gates: mosquitos, malaria and education, 2013 bill helped launch a $5.5 billion effort to eradicate polio by 2018. india was certified polio-free by the world health organization, leaving only three countries that have never been free of the disease., 2015 bill announced the formation of the child health and mortality prevention surveillance network (champs), a network of disease surveillance sites in developing countries, to help prevent childhood deaths., 2017 the gates foundation committed $300 million to helping farmers in africa and asia cope with climate change., 2018 bill shared the stage with a beaker of poop at the reinvented toilet expo in beijing. his “co-star” helped draw attention to a serious problem that kills more than 500,000 people every year: poor sanitation., gates foundation, 2000–.

These days I’m focused full-time on the work Melinda and I are doing through our foundation. People are often surprised to hear me say that this work has a lot in common with my work at Microsoft. In both cases, I get to bring together smart people and collaborate with them to solve big, tough problems.

It’s quite gratifying to know that the foundation and its many partners are helping people all over the world live healthier, more productive lives.

These days Bill focuses most of his time on the work he and Melinda are doing through their foundation. People are often surprised to hear him say that this work has a lot in common with his work at Microsoft. In both cases, he gets to bring together smart people and collaborate with them to solve big, tough problems.

Bill is gratified to know that the foundation and its many partners are helping people all over the world live healthier, more productive lives.

These days Bill focuses most of his time on the work he is doing through his foundation. People are often surprised to hear him say that this work has a lot in common with his work at Microsoft. In both cases, he gets to bring together smart people and collaborate with them to solve big, tough problems.

Other Interests

“ ...once you’ve found a solution that works, catalytic philanthropy can harness political and market forces to get those innovations to the people who need them most.”.

In addition to the foundation’s work, Bill has separately taken on some projects to address issues that interest him personally, such as delivering clean energy to everyone who needs it.

In all his work—with the foundation and otherwise—he’s focused on what he calls catalytic philanthropy: investments in innovations that will improve life for the poorest. They’re solutions to problems where markets and governments underinvest.

2006 Bill helped launch TerraPower, a company that aims to provide the world with a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy.

2010 the giving pledge is launched, a commitment by the world’s wealthiest people to dedicate most of their wealth to philanthropy., 2011 children in kenya, nicaragua, and other countries get the first vaccine designed to prevent pneumonia in poor countries—thanks to a partnership of governments, pharmaceutical companies, and other key players. pneumonia is the biggest killer of children in the world., 2014 bill tried his hand at making a viral video with jimmy fallon. this has nothing to do with catalytic philanthropy–he just thought you might enjoy it..

2015 Bill spearheaded the formation of Breakthrough Energy to fund clean energy initiatives, avoid a climate disaster, and make sure that everyone on the planet can enjoy a good standard of living.

2017 bill teamed up with roger federer in the fourth annual match for africa, a charity tennis match that raises money for the roger federer foundation., 2018 bill joined forces with a group of philanthropists to create the diagnostics accelerator, a program aimed at finding a way to diagnose alzheimer’s earlier., 2019 bill joined long-time friend warren buffett to serve customers at dairy queen. it did not go well., 2019 the netflix documentary inside bill’s brain: decoding bill gates was released. the three-part series told the story of bill’s life from childhood through microsoft through his work today., 2020 the gates foundation committed about $1.75 billion to support the global response to covid-19., 2020 bill and rashida jones co-hosted a new podcast, “bill gates and rashida jones ask big questions.”, 2021 bill published his book how to avoid a climate disaster , proposing a plan to prevent the worst effects of climate change., a message from bill.

I feel very lucky to get to connect with so many extraordinary people. Whenever I have the chance, I set aside a few minutes to share what I’m learning here on the Gates Notes. Thanks for reading.

This is my personal blog, where I share about the people I meet, the books I'm reading, and what I'm learning. I hope that you'll join the conversation.

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Entrepreneurs

Bill Gates   Biography

William Henry Gates III , known in the world as Bill Gates, is a computer scientist, philanthropist and American businessman, known for being the creator of Microsoft with Paul Allen. He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, and is the son of William Henry Gates II and Mary Gates. He studied at the private Lakeside elite school in Seattle, where he began to show interest in computer science.

On April 4, 1975, while being a student at Harvard University, he founded the Microsoft Software Company along with his friend Paul Allen. A year later, he retired from the University to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, headquarters of ITS (Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems), to agree with that company the session of 50% of the language for Basic computers.

In 1979, Microsoft began to grow, and Bill Gates decided to move his company to Seattle. Around 1980, he met with the representatives of IBM, where he managed to sell them the MS-DOS operating system; as he still did not have it he bought it from a young programmer, IBM needed that operating system to be able to compete with Apple.

After a while, Microsoft bought the copyright of QDOS from Tim Paterson, who worked for Seattle Computer Products. Aware of the importance of the graphics environment that Apple had shown, Bill Gates , visited them to offer his help to improve their spreadsheets and other programs, obtaining an Apple-Microsoft alliance.

Under the management of Bill Gates , Microsoft legally got the technology of the graphic and mouse environment, brought to the market for Microsoft Windows, as a direct competitor of the Macintosh.

In 1992, President Bush recognized the importance of the work of Bill Gates by awarding him the National Medal of Technology.

Around 1983, Bill Gates revolutionized personal computing again with the introduction of the “mouse” and a new graphical interface called to replace DOS (Windows). That same year, his friend Paul Allen left Microsoft, due to health problems. During this time, the company focused on the promotion of multimedia supports, especially in the educational field. Gates’ talent had been revealed in multiple computer programs, whose use was spread throughout the world as basic languages ​​of personal computers; but also in the success of a flexible and competitive company, managed with heterodox criteria.

The constant innovations of Bill Gates began to contribute to the rapid diffusion of the use of personal computing, producing a transcendental technical evolution in the ways of producing, transmitting and consuming information.

In 1994, he acquired a manuscript of Leonardo Da Vinci for twenty-five million dollars and married Melinda French.

On June 16, 2006, Bill Gates made public his intention to abandon his daily duties at the head of Microsoft to dedicate himself completely to the foundation; and on June 27, 2008, he retired from his work in front of Microsoft, transferring control of the company to Steve Ballmer. Bill Gates devotes 70% of his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the other 30% to the company.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

Besides being a computer expert, Bill Gates and his wife created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, located in the city of Seattle, which was created in January 2000 when the Gates Foundation for Learning and the William Foundation joined H. Gates. The foundation is directed by Bill Gates’ father, William H. Gates and Patty Stonesifer.

In May 2006, the Bill Gates Foundation was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation. For the year 2004, the foundation developed a $ 200 million campaign to promote AIDS prevention in India; the largest grant program in a single country. The effort had promotional help from Hollywood stars. Microsoft, a company led by Bill Gates, employs many Indian engineers in the United States and has 1,000 employees in India.

Bill Gates is “Vegan” since 2008, the year he stopped directing Microsoft, he has participated in some projects to spread this lifestyle. In this sense, together with Peter Thiel (co-founder of the Paypal company), he has supported the creation of artificial eggs made from easy to grow plants.

SOME AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

• Indira Gandhi a la Paz Award received on July 25, 2009, in recognition of its contribution to the fight against AIDS granted to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Lasker Award, on September 9, 2013, in Washington, United States, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates were honored with one of the prestigious Lasker Awards, known as the Nobel Prizes of the United States, which annually reward advances in medicine.
• Bill Gates and his wife Melinda were awarded the Public Service Award for having initiated a “historical transformation in the way of perceiving the most worrisome health problems in the world and for having improved the lives of millions of people who are among the most vulnerable” This award was given to others in a ceremony on September 20 of the same year in New York, which was endowed with two hundred and fifty dollars.
• Medal of Freedom, on November 22, 2016, President Barack Obama, acknowledgment to Bill and Melinda Gates who with their foundations and initiatives have donated to charity to improve the quality of life and the future of the people.

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Luciano Benetton

Luciano Benetton Biography

Luciano Benetton (May 13, 1935) Born in Ponzano, Treviso, Italy. An Italian businessman and fashion designer, co-founder of the Benetton Group company, one of the most popular and important fashion companies in the world. After working for several years as a clerk in a clothing store, Benetton ventured as an entrepreneur selling the garments her sister made. When he won recognition, he created with his brothers the firm Fratelli Benetton (1965), with which he expanded and ventured into various commercial sectors linked to the world of fashion, such as perfumery. Under his command, the company became famous in the nineties for the publication of a series of controversial advertisements directed by Oliviero Toscani. He entered politics in the 1990s and left the company in charge of his son in 2012.

FAMILY AND BEGINNINGS

Born in an Italian province with an extensive textile tradition, Benetton had as a father a small businessman who died of malaria in 1945, having emigrated to Africa to work as a truck driver. Benetton, who at that time was only nine years old, left school to work and be able to support his mother and three sisters. He got a job as a clerk in a fabric and clothing store, where he stayed for several years. In 1955, a young twenty-year-old Benetton proposed to his sister, who at the time worked weaving clothes for a workshop, who worked together and created their own business, she would cook and sell her work in various stores.

With little money the two of them started their project and understanding that they had to sacrifice their comfort to grow, they sold some of their personal items, such as a bicycle, a guitar and other objects of little value, with which they collected the money to buy their first machine to knit. At that time, his sister Giuliana spent more than 18 hours in front of the machine, creating her first jerseys, which Luciano initially sold at the store she worked on and shortly thereafter began promoting them in other stores, gradually winning a clientele faithful. Determined to grow the business, Benetton created his own sample and presented it to various merchants in the town, in a short time getting his first large order, which consisted of 700 garments.

As the demand progressively increased, the brothers began to expand and hire more artisan employees, making themselves known in the region for their work and quality. Thanks to their hard work and the recompense they had, they founded in 1965 the commercial firm Fratelli Benetton, together with their brothers Gilberto and Carlo. The four brothers continued to work and publicize the brand, which in a short time became one of the best-known clothing companies in the country. By the end of the 1960s, the company opened its first headquarters abroad, establishing a store in Paris.

LUCIANO BENETTON’S PATH

After creating his signature Fratelli Benetton with his three brothers (Giuliana, Gilberto, and Carlo), Benetton took command of the company in 1974, at which time the company was known nationally and internationally. By the mid-1970s, the Benetton group was a multinational that had nine factories, five in its country and four abroad (Scotland, Spain, the United States, and France). Over the years the company continued to grow and to reach more than 1,300 stores abroad by the end of the 1980s. In addition to stores in the United States, Spain, France, and Scotland, they had stores in Bucharest (Romania), Prague (Czech Republic) and Budapest (Hungary). Each year the group sold more than seventy million garments and earned more than 152,000 million pesetas, trading on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York (Wall Street). These gains made him one of the most prominent textile sector entrepreneurs of the time, along with great personalities such as Amancio Ortega and Isak Andic.

Understanding that the business needed to diversify to continue growing, Benetton launched a bathroom line, created a perfume manufactured by Hermés and designed a financial holding company called Edizione, which diversified in infrastructure, beverages, food, real estate, and agriculture. In a short time Edizione bought Nordica, a renowned sporting goods and clothing company for it, with which it was not only established as one of the most relevant companies in Italy, but also as one of the most complete fashion companies in the world (casual clothes, sports clothes and work clothes, etc).

The company’s success was affected in the 1990s, with the publication of a series of controversial commercials directed by photographer Oliviero Toscani. In the ads you could see a newborn baby covered in blood, a nun kissing a priest and a family accompanying a dying young man with AIDS. Although the campaign was designed to make the viewer reflect on the importance of the other, human rights and miscegenation, the message was lost and the viewers were scandalized, criticizing the firm for the proposal. Criticism continued when Benetton appeared naked covering her private parts in a newspaper to announce the Clothing Redistribution Project campaign , a charitable operation that sought to collect used clothing and send it to the Third World.

Although he was harshly criticized for his campaigns and eccentricity, Benetton entered politics in 1992. He obtained a seat in the Senate as a member of the Italian Republican Party, however, his passage through it was overshadowed by the emergence of the investigation against him for the bankruptcy of Fiorucci. Leaving politics and focused on business, Benetton secured a large number of properties in Argentina, becoming one of the most important landowners in the country. By the end of the 1990s, the company had expanded, earning more than 300,000 million pesetas a year. In the new millennium, he included in his business his sons Alessandro and Rocco, who were in charge of the company at his departure in 2012 . The story of this renowned designer and businessman was collected in the Benetton autobiography, the color of success (1991).

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Biography

Louis Vuitton (August 4, 1821 – February 25, 1892) businessman and fashion designer. Founder of the leather goods brand Louis Vuitton. He was born in Anchay, France. His parents were Xavier Vuitton, a farmer, and his mother Coronne Vuitton, a woman who dedicated herself to making hats. At the age of 16, Louis gets a job as a trunk manufacturer, an occupation that allowed him to move to Paris.

In 1854, he opened a shop in Paris at number 4 on the rue Neuve-des-Capucines that would become one of the reference brands at the end of the 20th century. Subsequently, he served as luggage provider for Empress Eugenie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. His biggest goal in his life project was to create a leather bag workshop, he was passionate about the design of these items. So, with his savings, he opened the Atelier in 1859, a workshop of handmade leather bags and suitcases. This place was very symbolic and special for him because his child grew up there: Georges Vuitton, his mother was Clemence-Emilie Parriaux.

His workshop was very successful and popular because of the exclusivity of the designs and the quality of the materials used in his work, Vuitton became a benchmark for luxury leather goods. In 1885, he opened a store in London. At the time, he developed the Tumbler lock that made travel trunks much safer. In 1867, he won the bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Empress Eugenia de Montijo remained her best client, her support would be crucial for her commercial development.

Louis Vuitton died on February 5, 1892, while in Asnières-Sur-Seine, France. His son followed in his footsteps but did not continue with the company, which did not end because it was commanded by other people. Its success was such that decades later the company had 225 workers. In 1896, Louis Vuitton company designed the monogram canvas with which it differs from other brands. Georges patented the Louis Vuitton lock, a revolutionary and very effective system that could not be opened even by the great American illusionist Harry Houdini.

Peter Drucker

Peter Drucker biography

Peter Drucker (November 19, 1909 – November 11, 2005) writer, consultant, entrepreneur, and journalist. He was born in Vienna, Austria. He is considered the father of the Management to which he devoted more than 60 years of his professional life. His parents of Jewish origin and then converted to Christianity moved to a small town called Kaasgrabeen. Drucker grew up in an environment in which new ideas and social positions created by intellectuals, senior government officials and scientists were emerging. He studied at the Döbling Gymnasium and in 1927, Drucker moved to the German city of Hamburg, where he worked as an apprentice in a cotton company.

Then he began to train in the world of journalism, writing for the Der Österreichische Volkswirt. Then he got a job in Frankfurt, his job was to write for the Daily Frankfurter General-Anzeiger. Meanwhile, he completed a doctorate in International Law. Drucker began to integrate his two facets and for that, he was a recognized journalist. Drucker worked in this place until the fall of the Weimar Republic. After this period he decided to move to London, where he worked in a bank and was also a student of John Maynard Keynes .

Although he was a disciple of Keynes, he assured, decades later, that Keynesianism failed as an economic thesis where it was applied. Because of the ravages of Nazism and persecution of Jews, he emigrated to the United States, where he served as a professor at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, from 1939 to 1949 and simultaneously was a writer. His first job as a consultant was in 1940. He then returned to teaching at Bennington College in Vermont. Thanks to his popularity he received a position to teach in the faculty of Business Administration of the University of New York.

He was an active contributor for a long period of time to magazines such as The Atlantic Monthly and was a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. The quality and recognition of his writings assured him important contracts both as a writer and as a consultant with large companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Quickly and surprisingly his fortune grew. Drucker served as honorary president of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management.

In 1971, he obtained the Clarke Chair of Social Sciences and Administration at the Graduate School of Management at the University of Claremont. Now, at present Drucker is considered the most successful of the exponents in matters of administration, his ideas and terminologies have influenced the corporate world since the 40s. Drucker was the first social scientist to use the expression “post-modernity” something that caught the attention of this man is that he does not like receiving compliments. He was simple, visionary, satirical and vital.

Within his studies, he says that his greatest interest is people. His work as a consultant began in the General Motors Multinational Companies, from that moment begins to raise the theory of Management, Management trends, the knowledge society. Thanks to this theory he has published several books, these are consulted often and are fundamental for the career of business administrator. In his works, he deals with the scientific, human, economic, historical, artistic and philosophical stage.

He was founder and director of a business school that bears his name. For Drucker, it was beneficial that many of his ideas have been reformed because of the innovative way of thinking and analyzing business issues. Although approaches such as the knowledge society are the basis of the current company and the future is still maintained. He has published more than thirty books, which include studies of Management, studies of socio-economic policies and essays. Some are Best Sellers. The first book was The end of economic man (1939), The future of industrial man (1942), The concept of Corporation (1946). Later he published The Effective Executive (1985). He focused on personal effectiveness and changes in the direction of the 21st century. In 2002 the society of the future was published.

His first book caused much controversy because he talked about the reasons why fascism initiated and analyzed the failures of established institutions. He urged the need for a new social and economic order. Although he had finished the book in 1933, he had to wait because no editor wanted to accept such horrible visions. Now, Drucker has dealt with such controversial issues as individual freedom, industrial society, big business, the power of managers, automation, monopoly, and totalitarianism.

We must indicate that his analysis of the Administration, is a valuable guide for the leaders of companies that need to study their own performance, diagnose its failures and improve its productivity, as well as that of your company. Several companies have taken their approaches and put them into practice, such as Sears Roebuck & Co., General Motors, Ford, IBM, Chrysler, and American Telephone & Telegraph.

The consultant assured that there are some differences between the figure of the manager and that of the leader. For him, true leaders recognize their shortcomings as mortal beings, but they systematically concentrate on the essentials and work tirelessly to acquire the decisive competences of management. Actually, the contributions of this character in the world of administration and in the economic and social world have been significant. Drucker died on November 11, 2005, leaving a great legacy.

Paul Allen biography

Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953) entrepreneur, business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He was born in Seattle, Washington, United States. Allen attended Lakeside School, a private school located in Seattle, and became friends with Bill Gates , who was three years younger and shared a common enthusiasm for computers. His parents encouraged him from childhood to be curious and very dedicated to studying. At the age of 14, he became interested in computer science, scrutinizing computers internally and externally.

When the school was over, Allen went to the Washington State University, although when he had been studying for two years he decided to leave the school with his friend Bill Gates, who was studying at the prestigious Harvard University. Both felt that it was more useful to begin to devise commercial software for the new personal computers. At first, the brand was called Micro-Soft and was installed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first sale was in 1975, and they started selling a BASIC language interpreter. Allen had an impressive business spirit so he was instrumental in achieving a project that aimed to acquire an operating system called MS-DOS for $ 50,000.

Gates and Allen managed to supply the operating system for the new IBM PCs. As of this moment, the company suffered constant and ascending progress. Maybe young people would not imagine the scope that Microsoft could have. But after several years of work, effort, and progress Allen had to separate from Gates and leave the company because of a serious illness, Hodgkin’s disease, which did not allow him to perform his duties. Allen had to undergo several months of radiotherapy treatment and a bone marrow SDF transplant.

Once recovered, he returned to Microsoft in 1990, but at that time the fate of Bill was already cast: he was the richest person in the world. Although Bill never turned his back on him and placed him in an important management position. He started working on an idea that a few months later became a reality, this is Vulcan Ventures Inc. in Washington: a venture capital fund specialized in cable and broadband services. With this idea Allen has participated in more than 140 companies, the most prominent are Priceline, Dreamworks, GoNet, Oxygen, and Metricom.

The money he earns he invests it in a variety of issues, and one of them is in the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team. As a fan of this sport, he decided to invest more than 70 million dollars for that team in 1988. A short time ago, he invested 200 million dollars for the Seattle Seahawks. In short, he is one of the minority owners of the Major League Soccer team, and of the Seattle Sounders FC. One of his passions is music, specifically Rock and Roll. He also spends many hours playing the guitar in his professional recording studio installed in his house.

Allen has not only invested in sports and personal passions, but he has also funded the Museum Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in Seattle. He has done this because of his interest in extraterrestrial life. Like every philanthropist, he has founded several charitable organizations. Allen’s contribution to Microsoft gave him great momentum and it was very significant, he decided to retire in the year 2000. After this Bill Gates published in the official account a moving statement, where he acknowledged the contribution of Allen to the success of the company.

This made him a great strategic advisor. That year, he sold 68 million shares, but still owns 138 million, which makes up the bulk of his wealth. This is proven in the investments he has in more than 50 technology and entertainment companies. For example, Experience Music Project, Entertainment Properties Inc., Charitable Foundations, Vulcan Ventures Inc., First & Goal Inc., and Clear Blue Sky Productions are just some of them. He made a significant investment in young and promising companies in the Internet sector such as Priceline, Click2learn, and Netperceptions.

Unfortunately, he did not manage to invest in one of the most successful and profitable companies in the Internet sector and with a promising future: eBay.com. It is not a secret that Allen puts the eye and the signature, where the best opportunities reside. The experience and success of Allen in recent years, prove him as one of the best investors worldwide. Allen’s investment strategy focuses on companies with future technology. Allen says that the next boom will be in the interactive sector. Paul Allen appears on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world, in 2009 the first was his friend and fellow, Bill Gates , while Allen has something less than 17,500 million dollars.

Nik Powell biography

Nik Powell (November 4, 1950) businessman and co-founder of the Virgin Group. He was born in Great Kingshill, Buckinghamshire, England.  Powell studied at the Longacre School and then left school because his family moved to Little Malvern. Then, he entered a small Catholic high school called St. Richard’s. He always showed a great ability for mathematical questions and for writing. Then he attended high school at Ampleforth College a high school located in North Yorkshire. Upon graduation, he entered the University of Sussex. But a year later he retired and began operating a mail order company, a small record store, and a recording studio.

The intentions to grow were increased, so the partners established Virgin Records in 1972. Little by little, the record began to bear fruit until years later it was recognized as one of the main record labels in the United Kingdom. In the year 1992, it was sold to EMI. During this time, Powell and Stephen Woolley came together to start the project that had as its object the foundation of a production company called Palace Productions. She was responsible for the production of The Company of Wolves (1984), Mona Lisa (1986) and The Crying Game (1992). But, although they achieved great things, the company collapsed in 1992 due to a series of inconclusive contracts and debts.

Without leaving his dreams behind, Powell began working in the film industry this time with Scala Productions, responsible for the production of Fever Pitch, Twenty Four Seven, Last Orders, B. Monkey and Ladies in Lavender. Since then he has been the president of this company. Simultaneously accepted the position of director of the National School of Film and Television in 2003. This decision was very controversial and caused great controversy because there were many people from academia who claimed that Powell was not prepared for the position. For a few years, he received the support of his wife Merrill Tomassi, from whom he divorced.

Later he married the singer Sandie Shaw, Powell was very important in the relaunching of her artistic career. They had two children, Amie and Jack, and they divorced in the 1990s. The distinguished career in the media industry, first in music as a co-founder of Virgin Records and later as a producer of several award-winning films allowed Nik to handle with excellence the School and be welcomed and respected by his students, the above has also gained more popularity to the institution.

Nik has not left his close ties with the leaders of the music and film industry, and also served as a trustee of BAFTA, where he chaired the Film Committee. While chairing the NFTS, Nik has been responsible for a remarkable transformation of the School that has grown in infrastructure and in importance and quality. It has been recognized as one of the best film schools in the world and now he can welcome more students because its academic offer is wider: masters, diploma, certificates and short courses in the film, television and games industries.

In recent years, the school received its accreditation from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Being then an accredited institution of higher education. A few years ago the NFTS was equipped with two buildings and a new digital television studio 4K. The president of the School has extended and made public his thanks to the work of Powell, and to the great achievements that the students of this school have made. They have been winners of several awards, such as four Oscar nominations, seven BAFTA and 10 Cilect Global Student Film awards.

Many NFTS graduate students are working in the best film, television, and gaming industries in the United Kingdom. But, after 14 years under the direction of the school, Powell decided to retire from this position in June 2017. Although he resigned from his position, he affirmed that he will continue supporting everything he can to his beloved institution. Powell appeared on the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honors list. Powell received an OBE. His partner Richard Branson has also recognized his work and admires his work. He also works with novelist and screenwriter Deborah Moggach.

After his retirement he realized, against all odds, that if he could get ahead in the role of academic director of such a prestigious institution, he could also found Virgin, enter the world of cinema, among other things. During his time as director, he took great pains to expand scholarships for students who do not have the economic capacity, and also encouraged the entry of women into the institution. And finally, he was very efficient with financing from large film industries. Powell is an inspiring man and was an important figure for the NFTS.

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Biography of Bill Gates

Early life of Bill Gates

His father William Gates Sr was a senior lawyer, and his mother, Mary, served as an executive for a major bank. The family were wealthy but, remembering the challenges of the Great Depression, they encouraged their children to work hard and take nothing for granted.

Aged 13, Gates attended the private Lakeside school. It was here that Gates had his first introduction to computers. He taught himself to programme in Basic, making a simple ‘Tic-Tac-Toe’ game. Gates enjoyed the process of working with computers and arranged with a company Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to spend time on their computers – learning source code, such as Fortran, Machine Code and Lisp.

In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard, where he studied mathematics and computer science. However, Gates was more interested in pursuing his own coding, and when he saw an opportunity to found his own company, he dropped out of Harvard without finishing his course.

Bill Gates foundation of Microsoft

Altair 8800 computer

Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1976 when he formed a contract with MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) to develop a basic operating system for their new microcomputers. In the early days, Bill Gates would review every line of code. He was also involved in several aspects of Microsoft’s business such as packing and sending off orders.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1981

The big break for Microsoft came in 1980 when IBM approached them for a new BASIC operating system for its new computers. In the early 1980s, IBM was by far the leading PC manufacturer. However, increasingly, there developed many IBM PC clones; (PCs produced by other companies compatible with IBM’s). Microsoft worked hard to sell its operating system to these other companies. Thus Microsoft was able to gain the dominant position of software manufacture just as the personal computer market started to boom. Since its early dominance, other companies have struggled to displace Microsoft as the dominant provider of computer operating software. Programs like Microsoft Word and Excel have become the industry standard.

Bill Gates – Windows

Throughout his time in office, Bill Gates has been keen to diversify the business of Microsoft. For example, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer became the dominant web browser, although this was primarily because it came pre-installed on most new computers. In recent years, Internet Explorer has seen its market share slip.

One area where Microsoft has never been successful is in the area of search engines. MSN live search has struggled to gain more than 5% of market share. In this respect, Microsoft has been dwarfed by Google. Nevertheless, the success of Microsoft in cornering various aspects of the software market has led to several anti-trust cases. In 1998 US v Microsoft, Microsoft came close to being broken up into three smaller firms. However, on appeal, Microsoft was able to survive as a single firm. Although Microsoft was the dominant computer firm of the 1980s, and 1990s, they are now seen as an ageing and declining company – compared to the more dynamic Google and Apple.

Philanthropic Activities – Bill Gates

“This leads to the paradox, that because the disease (malaria) is only in the poor countries, there is not much investment. For example, there is more money put into baldness drugs, than are put into malaria. Now, baldness, it is a terrible thing [audience laughter] and rich men are afflicted, so that is why that priority is set.”

From 2008 Gates has worked full time on his philanthropic interests. It is estimated Gates and his wife Melinda have given away $28 billion via their charitable foundation – including $8 billion to improve global health.

Gates has said that he has no use for money, and will only leave a small percentage of his wealth to his children. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Gates states:

“I’m certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes,” he says, redundantly. “Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organisation and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world.” ( 1 )

His main areas of interest in philanthropy have been improving health, and in particular helping to reduce diseases, such as polio which affect young children. He has also given more focus on environmental issues. In 2015, he gave $1 billion to a clean energy project, as he sees supporting new ‘greener’ technologies as a way to help deal with global warming. Asked about the motivation of his giving, Gates replies:

“It doesn’t relate to any particular religion; it’s about human dignity and equality,” he says. “The golden rule that all lives have equal value and we should treat people as we would like to be treated.” – Gates

Bill Gates has often warned about the potential dangers of a global pandemic. In 2015, Gates gave a warning that the world is not ready for the next pandemic, which could lead to the deaths of millions of people. When COVID-19 became a threat to global health, Gates devoted time and money to co-ordinating efforts to provide a global vaccine. He spent millions of pounds in getting ready to mass-produce one of the many potential vaccinations.

“Humankind has never had a more urgent task than creating broad immunity for coronavirus. It’s going to require a global cooperative effort like the world has never seen. But I know we’ll get it done. There’s simply no alternative.” – Bill Gates, Twitter, 30 April 2020

He criticised the response of the US administration under Trump for being behind the curve and allowing the virus to spread, in particularly he criticised Trump’s decision to stop funding for WHO, in the middle of the pandemic.

Religion of Bill Gates

Bill Gates is not overtly religion and has not specifically stated he follows a particular belief system. He has expressed the view that he approaches life from a scientific point of view, though he has participated in services of the Catholic Church (which is wife attends).

Also, when asked whether he believed in God, Gates replied.

“The moral systems of religion, I think, are superimportant. We’ve raised our kids in a religious way; they’ve gone to the Catholic church that Melinda goes to and I participate in. I’ve been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that’s kind of a religious belief. I mean, it’s at least a moral belief.” – March 27, 2014. “I think it makes sense to believe in God, but exactly what decision in your life you make differently because of it, I don’t know.”

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Bill Gates”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , 25th Feb. 2015. Last updated 20 April 2020.

Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates

Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates at Amazon

Who is Bill Gates?

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116 Comments

Wow the world greatest in IT

• March 03, 2019 6:27 PM

Wow i want to be the real man just like u

• March 03, 2019 4:47 PM

AM STUDYING IT AND I REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE HIM HE REALLY INSPIRES ME I WISH

• February 08, 2019 11:52 AM
• By TREVOR MUFAYA

Wow,,, it has been my dream to become exactly a successful person like you… And make an amazing thing in the whole world, please if you may open doors for me to be like you,, I’ll be so greatful

• January 12, 2019 8:28 PM
• By Stephen mulwa

Wowwww Bill Gates opens the gate to my inspiration

• December 29, 2018 6:55 PM

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Bill Gates — Complete Biography, History and Inventions

• by history tools
• November 8, 2023

Bill Gates is one of the most iconic business leaders and influential technology pioneers of the modern digital era. As the co-founder of Microsoft, he helped bring the power of personal computing to millions of people worldwide and made computers an indispensable part of everyday life. This article explores Gates‘ upbringing, the growth of Microsoft, his philanthropic endeavors, and his lasting impact on technology and society.

Early Life: Shaping One of the Great Minds in Tech

Born on October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington, Gates‘ showed an early interest in computers. His parents William H. Gates Sr. and Mary Maxwell Gates created a competitive, encouraging environment. His father was a prominent lawyer while his mother served on various corporate boards. She helped choose the lakeside school Gates attended, which had access to computers in 1968, still a rarity at the time.

During 8th grade in lakeside, the Mothers Club donated $3,000 to purchase computer time for students. Gates and his fellow students, including Paul Allen who became Microsoft‘s co-founder, got hooked to programming. At 13, Gates even created a software program for scheduling classes and testing schedules for students.

Growing up among Seattle‘s blossoming tech scene, dominated by companies like Boeing, shaped Gates‘ ambition. He gained a reputation as the math and science whiz kid. Outside of computers, he also enjoyed sports like water skiing.

Gates‘ parents supported his interests, like his mother helping him get computer time from local companies. This early exposure instilled in Gates a belief that computers could change the world.

Dropping Out Of College To Pursue His Vision

In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard University, originally thinking he would follow his lawyer father‘s footsteps. But he remained more drawn to computing and skipped classes to spend time at the computer lab.

Then in late 1974, Popular Electronics magazine featured the MITS Altair 8800, considered the first personal computer that hobbyists could build at home. Gates immediately knew he and Allen could develop software for it. He called MITS and claimed he was working on a BASIC software program, convincing them to give him a chance. Gates and Allen then vigorously developed the interpreter in a few weeks, created a company called Micro-Soft, and licensed their software to run on MITS‘ hardware.

This success convinced Gates to leave Harvard in 1975 and join Allen in New Mexico where MITS was based. They relocated Micro-Soft to Bellevue, Washington the same year. Their first office had only three employees including Gates doing both software development and business management.

Gates oversaw the completion of software programming languages for various systems while handling Microsoft‘s business details. He proved to be a tough negotiator in licensing Microsoft‘s products even at this early stage.

By 1979, Microsoft had grossed over $2.5 million. But Gates still had even bigger ambitions.

Deal With IBM And Rise Of Microsoft

In 1980, IBM approached Microsoft since they needed an operating system for their upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC. Microsoft didn‘t have one but negotiated a deal to license them an operating system called 86-DOS owned by Seattle Computer Products. Microsoft adapted 86-DOS to create PC-DOS and later MS-DOS, designing it for any hardware so non-IBM computers could also use it.

This flexible licensing model was the opposite of IBM‘s restrictive approach and the key to Microsoft‘s future dominance. It paved the way for Gates to license MS-DOS to any computer manufacturer, enabling incredible growth for Microsoft. By 1987, one third of the world‘s computers were running Microsoft software.

Capitalizing on increasing user-friendliness of graphical interfaces, Gates spearheaded the development of the Windows operating system. Though initially just an add-on to DOS, Windows paired the GUI with multitasking capabilities. The first Windows release came in 1985 but it was the 1990s release of Windows 95 that truly propelled Microsoft into a household name.

Leveraging the success of Windows, Microsoft also created applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint as part of the Office productivity suite. By the early 1990s, Microsoft controlled 90% of the operating systems market and over 50% of the office suite applications market. Annual revenues soared from around $1 million in Microsoft‘s early days to $8 billion by 1994.

Leadership And Management Of Tech Juggernaut

Gates exhibited a driven, competitive spirit and intense work ethic as he built Microsoft. He became President in 1983 and CEO in 1986, remaining in that role until 2000.

Known for his sharp, intensely focused mind, Gates was respected and feared within Microsoft. He could be confrontational and blunt, grilling employees in meetings to force out original ideas. Gates looked for self-directed workers who shared his competitiveness. He was deeply involved in technical elements of product development, reviewing every line of code.

But he could also adapt based on feedback, like when colleagues convinced him to take a less combative approach to working with external partners. Under Gates‘ leadership, Microsoft captured 95% of the operating systems market share. But it drew scrutiny for monopolistic practices that Gates fiercely defended.

Gates mentored and elevated talented leaders including Steve Ballmer who eventually succeeded him as CEO in 2000, while Gates took the role of Chief Software Architect. He officially stepped down as Chairman in 2014, but remained a board member and technology advisor focused on product development until 2020.

Wealth Beyond Imagination And Turn To Philanthropy

Microsoft‘s astronomical success made Gates a billionaire by age 31. At one point in the late 1990s, his net worth exceeded $100 billion. He topped the Forbes richest people list for over a decade.

But he grew interested in how software could tackle inequity. After reading about rotavirus killing children in developing countries in 1997, Gates channeled more energy into philanthropy. In 2000, he stepped down from his day-to-day role at Microsoft and co-founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation alongside his wife, ex-Microsoft executive Melinda French.

The foundation quickly became the world‘s largest transparent private foundation. With Melinda, Gates pioneered a new hands-on model for philanthropic engagement, strategically investing their wealth in global health, poverty reduction, education and other causes.

Some highlight initiatives include:

• Donating over $1.75 billion towards COVID-19 relief
• Committing $300 million to develop new tuberculosis diagnostics and treatments
• Pledging $2 billion towards developing renewable energy solutions for developing nations
• Granting over $1 billion to improve high school education in the U.S.
• Distributing over 100,000 computers to 11,000 libraries across the U.S. and Canada

To date, Gates has donated $45.5 billion to the foundation. He also joined The Giving Pledge, vowing to give away most of his fortune.

Accolades And Continued Impact

Among other honors, Gates received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2005.

He has authored two books focusing on technology‘s role in business and society – The Road Ahead (1995) and Business @ The Speed Of Thought (1999). More recently in 2021, he published How To Avoid A Climate Disaster, supporting policies to eliminate greenhouse gases and investing $1 billion into climate change solutions through his foundation.

After retiring from day-to-day Microsoft involvement, Gates continues to shape technology and philanthropy. Though Bill and Melinda announced their divorce in 2021, they plan to co-lead the foundation. Gates also regularly participates in ask-me-anything forums on Reddit where users pose wide-ranging questions for him to answer.

Through his visionary leadership and generosity, Bill Gates embodies both the amazing potential and responsibilities of technology pioneers to change the world.

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Biography of Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft

He helped create the world’s largest PC software company

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Starting Microsoft

Finding success, perils of success, marriage and family, philanthropy.

Bill Gates (born Oct. 28, 1955) is the principal co-founder of Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest personal-computer software company and one of the largest and most influential technology companies in the world. Since he stepped down as chairman of Microsoft Corp., he has focused on and contributed billions of dollars to several charities, especially the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest private charitable foundation.

Fast Facts: Bill Gates

• Known For : Co-founder of Microsoft
• Also Known As : William Henry Gates III
• Born : Oct. 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington
• Parents : William H. Gates Sr., Mary Maxwell
• Published Software : MS-DOS
• Spouse : Melinda French Gates
• Children : Jennifer, Rory, Phoebe
• Notable Quote : "I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user."

Bill Gates (full name: William Henry Gates III) was born on Oct. 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, the son of William H. Gates Sr., an attorney, and Mary Maxwell, a businesswoman and bank executive who served on the University of Washington Board of Regents from 1975 to 1993. He has two sisters.

Gates wrote his first software program at 13 and in high school was part of a group, which also included childhood friend Paul Allen, that computerized their school’s payroll system and developed Traf-O-Data, a traffic-counting system that they sold to local governments. Gates and Allen wanted to start their own company immediately, but Gates' parents wanted him to finish high school and go on to college, hoping he eventually would become a lawyer.

In 1975 Gates, then a sophomore at  Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, joined Allen, who was working as a programmer for Honeywell near Boston, to write software for the first microcomputers, later called PCs. They started by adapting  BASIC , a popular programming language for large computers.

With the success of this project, Gates left Harvard during his junior year and, with Allen, moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, planning to develop software for the newly emerging personal computer market. In 1975 they started what Allen named Micro-Soft by combining "micro" from "microcomputers" and "soft" from "software." The hyphen later was dropped. In 1979, they moved the company to Bellevue, Washington, just east of Seattle.

Microsoft became famous for its computer operating systems and killer business deals. In 1980, Gates and Allen licensed an operating system called MS-DOS to IBM, at the time the world's largest computer maker, for its first microcomputer, the IBM PC. They were smart enough to retain the right to license the operating system to other companies, which eventually made them a fortune.

By 1983, the year Allen left the company for health reasons, Microsoft's reach had become global with offices in Great Britain and Japan and 30% of the world's computers running on its software.

A few years earlier, Gates had developed a partnership with Apple to work on some shared projects. Gates soon realized that Apple's graphics interface, which displayed text and images on the screen and was driven by a mouse, appealed to the average user more than Microsoft's text-and-keyboard-driven MS-DOS system.

He launched an ad campaign claiming that Microsoft was developing an operating system that would use a graphic interface similar to Apple's products. Called "Windows," it would be compatible with all MS-DOS system software. The announcement was a bluff—Microsoft had no such program under development—but it was sheer genius as a marketing tactic: It would encourage people using MS-DOS to wait for new Windows software releases instead of changing to another system, such as Apple's Macintosh.

In November 1985, nearly two years after his announcement, Gates and Microsoft launched Windows. Then, in 1989, Microsoft launched Microsoft Office, which bundled office applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel into one system.

All the while, Gates was defending Microsoft against lawsuits and Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice investigations of claims charging unfair dealings with computer manufacturers. Yet the innovation continued. Windows 95 was launched in 1995 and in 2001 Microsoft debuted the original Xbox gaming system. Microsoft appeared untouchable.

In 2000, Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO and was succeeded by Harvard friend and longtime Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer. Gates assumed the new role of chief software architect. In 2008 Gates left his "daily" job at Microsoft but retained his position as board chairman until 2014, when he stepped down as chairman but retained a board seat and began serving as technology adviser.

On Jan. 1, 1994, Gates married Melinda French, who has an MBA and a bachelor's degree in computer science and met him while she was working at Microsoft. They have three children—Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe—and live in Xanadu 2.0, a 66,000-square-foot mansion overlooking Lake Washington in Medina, Washington.

Gates and his wife founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the mission of improving the quality of life for people around the world, primarily in the areas of global health and learning. Their initiatives have ranged from funding tuition for 20,000 college students to installing 47,000 computers in 11,000 libraries in all 50 states. In 2005, Bill and Melinda Gates and rock star Bono were named Time magazine persons of the year for their charitable work.

According to the foundation's website, in 2019, the foundation had made nearly $65 million in grants by mid-April to recipients around the world. The foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Back when Bill Gates and Paul Allen announced their intention to put a computer in every home and on every desktop, most people scoffed. Until then, only the government and large corporations could afford computers. But within only a few decades, Gates and Microsoft had indeed brought computer power to the people.

Gates also has had an impact on millions of people throughout the world with his charitable efforts, especially with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and he has made large personal donations to a number of educational institutions.

• " About Bill ." Gatesnotes.com.
• " Bill Gates: American Computer Programmer, Businessman, and Philanthropist ." Encyclopedia Britannica.
• " Bill Gates Biography: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist ." Biography.com.
• " Awarded Grants ." Gatesfoundation.org.
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Bill Gates summary

Bill Gates , in full William Henry Gates III , (born Oct. 28, 1955, Seattle, Wash., U.S.), U.S. computer programmer and businessman. As a teenager, he helped computerize his high school’s payroll system and founded a company that sold traffic-counting systems to local governments. At 19 he dropped out of Harvard University and cofounded Microsoft Corp. with Paul G. Allen. Microsoft began its domination of the fledgling microcomputer industry when Gates licensed the operating system MS-DOS to IBM in 1980 for use in IBM’s first personal computer. As Microsoft’s largest shareholder, Gates became a billionaire in 1986, and within a decade he was the world’s richest private individual. Beginning in 1995, he refocused Microsoft on the development of software solutions for the Internet , and he also moved the company into the computer hardware and gaming markets with the Xbox video machine. In 1999 he and his wife created the largest charitable foundation in the U.S. In 2008 Gates relinquished day-to-day oversight of Microsoft in order to devote more time to charity work. He remained, however, the company’s chairman until 2014.

5 Things You May Not Know About Bill Gates

From his lavish purchases to how he met his ex-wife, Melinda, here are some facts about the Microsoft billionaire.

He demonstrated a staggering intellect as a kid

Gates plowed through the hefty World Book Encyclopedia set at age 8, but he left perhaps his biggest impression as an 11-year-old in his church confirmation class. Every year, Reverend Dale Turner challenged his pupils to memorize chapters 5-7 of the Book of Matthew – a.k.a. the Sermon on the Mount – and treated the successful ones to dinner atop the Space Needle. When Gates took his turn, Reverend Turner was stunned as the boy recited the approximately 2,000-word text with zero errors. While 31 of his classmates eventually got to chow down at the Space Needle Restaurant, Gates was the only one to deliver a flawless performance.

Microsoft was not the first business partnership between Gates and Allen

As computer prodigies at Lakeside High School, they wrote a payroll program for a company called Information Sciences Inc. Shortly afterward, they came up with an idea to streamline the process of measuring traffic flow. Under the existing format, a pressure-sensitive tube punched a sequence onto paper tape whenever a car passed, with the results later transcribed to computer cards. After scraping together $360 for a microprocessor chip, Gates and Allen developed their "Traf-O-Data" computer to read and analyze the paper tapes. Although the Traf-O-Data generally worked, the budding entrepreneurs realized they knew far more about building that type of machine than how to sell it. Allen has since pointed to that experience as a valuable lesson about the importance of a business model.

His career could have turned out quite differently without an assist from a competitor

Approached by IBM in 1980 to develop a 16-bit operating system for its new personal computer, Gates referred the computer giants to Gary Kildall of Digital Research Inc. However, Kildall was out flying his plane when the IBM reps showed up, and his wife and business partner, Dorothy, balked at signing a non-disclosure agreement. Realizing that an opportunity was slipping away, Gates leased a similar operating system from another company and repackaged it as DOS for IBM. The development paved the way for Microsoft to become the dominant name in PC operating systems through MS-DOS and then Windows, and helped its president become a billionaire by age 31.

He met his ex-wife, Melinda, at Microsoft

A recent Duke graduate, Melinda French sat next to the company bigwig at an Expo trade-fair dinner, recalling him as "funnier than I thought he'd be." A few months later they crossed paths in a Microsoft car park, and Gates asked her out on a date... in two weeks. French rebuffed him, noting that she had no idea what she was doing in two weeks, but she relented when Gates called an hour later and asked to meet that night. Their relationship was an open secret within the company for years, but the veil was lifted by the time they became engaged in 1993, and they were married in Hawaii on New Year's Day 1994. They announced the end of their marriage in May 2021.

He's made his share of lavish purchases

Topping that list is the $36 million he paid for the Winslow Homer painting "Lost on the Grand Banks," and $30 million for a Leonardo da Vinci journal known as the Codex Leicester. He also shelled out $21 million for a private jet, an understandable expenditure for a man with so much global business. And then there's his estate in Medina, Washington: Valued at more than $120 million and nicknamed "Xanadu 2.0," the 66,000-square-foot behemoth has a private beach, an Art Deco home theater, a 60-foot pool with an underwater sound system and a trampoline room.

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Bill Gates Biography

After years of tinkering with computers, Gates dropped out of Harvard at age 19 to form Microsoft Corp. with Paul Allen. The firm's initial focus was on porting operating systems (the basic instructions that tell the computer how to turn on, recognize peripherals, etc.) from one computer type to another. They soon developed their own version of DOS, which competed directly with IBM's version. Eventually the firm's Windows operating system would appear on some 80 percent of the world's computers, its popularity bolstered by Microsoft applications (software such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases, games and other programs designed to automate everyday tasks for business and the home) built to run on their operating system. Microsoft is the world's largest producer of software for microcomputers and Bill Gates is today one of the world's richest men.

In recent years, Gates and his wife Melinda have established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help fight poverty and improve health care and education around the world. With a $29 billion endowment, it is the world's largest charity. The foundation has donated about $5 billion to developing nations to fight AIDS and malaria, two of its major areas of concentration. Its vaccination programs in poor countries are credited with saving at least 700,000 lives. Another emphasis of the foundation is on education; it sponsors the largest scholarship fund in history.

• Bill Gates, 2005 News

Here are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

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Bill Gates Biography The digital demagogue earned billions by anticipating the market's needs. Now, his philanthropic foundation is helping countless others across the globe.

Bill Gates is perhaps the most well-known computer businessman in history. Not only did he start the most popular computing company of all time, Microsoft , but he also changed the way computers were made and marketed forever.

His entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen are worth studying. So let's take a closer look at Bill Gates , his history, how he started his famous company and his current philanthropic endeavors.

Who is Bill Gates?

William Henry Gates III is best known as the founder and leader of Microsoft . He created the company in 1975 with his business partner Paul Allen. Though Paul Allen left the company some years later, William H. Gates remained with Microsoft for decades, heading it as the CEO until he left the position in 2000.

Gates remained with Microsoft until 2008, then retired to take a position on the board of advisors. Since then, he has primarily acted as a business investor and charity leader, driving positive developments worldwide as the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and his involvement in other organizations.

Related: The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates , Jack Ma and Elon Musk

How did Bill Gates start Microsoft ?

Although many don't know it, Bill Gates didn't start Microsoft alone. His pursuit began when he attended Lakeside High School in Seattle. There, he met a fellow student named Paul Allen; together, they worked in the school's computer room for hours on end.

By the time the duo was 16, Bill Gates and Paul Allen went into business together, securing investment funds to develop the "Traf-O-Data" software program to measure traffic flow throughout the Seattle Metro area. This was the first business partnership that the two collaborated on, but it wouldn't be the last.

Harvard and the Altair 8800

Though Bill Gates attended Harvard University , he didn't focus much on his studies. After reading a magazine article in December 1974 about the world's first microcomputer, the Altair 8800, Gates and Allen decided to pursue a business opportunity only they could see.

They contacted the manufacturer of the Altair 880, MITS, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

They told the president they had written a version of the computer language BASIC specifically for the microcomputer. Though this was a fabrication, the pair wanted to see if there was any interest in their "design."

To the pair's surprise, the president of MITS said that he'd like to see the language. Scrambling, Gates and Allen started working 24/7 to create the promised language.

They simulated the Altair 8800's capabilities on other computers since they had no microcomputer to work on or test.

Still, Gates knew the opportunity was too good to pass up. When the pair showed the language to MITS, it was a resounding success. Inspired, Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard in November 1975, taking a job offer to work at MITS full-time.

The formation of Microsoft

More importantly, Bill Gates and Paul Allen entered an official business partnership named "Micro-Soft." The two got the name for the company by combining the words microcomputer and software .

However, by November 26, 1976, they'd changed the name to the more commonly recognized "Microsoft" version. Microsoft's first product was the Altair BASIC language, but Gates and Paul Allen continued to work on new products. Gates never returned to Harvard University, as his business was already massively successful.

In the years to come, MITS would collapse, but Microsoft endured. July 1980 saw IBM approach Microsoft to write software for the upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC.

Although Microsoft was initially contracted to write a BASIC interpreter for the IBM PC, the company was instead eventually hired to write the operating system for the upcoming computer when negotiations with Digital Research, another company, fell through.

Pivot to operating systems and corporate dominance

This was the start of Microsoft's long-term success as a software company. Microsoft invented the MS-DOS operating system, which was eventually used for many other PCs created by different manufacturers.

The company's growth skyrocketed ; Microsoft expanded into developing applications software, eventually building a GUI-based operating system called Microsoft Windows to compete with the newly released Macintosh Apple Computer.

Windows was a huge success, and each successive operating system version was based on its original version (MS-DOS) until Windows XP.

By 1986, Microsoft went public to create more capital for expansion. It was a huge success; the company took in $61 million, and Bill Gates became one of the wealthiest people in the United States in a single night.

Related: Bill Gates ' Solution to Income Inequality

What did Bill Gates invent?

Technically, Bill Gates didn't invent anything genuinely new. Instead, he and Paul Allen created two high-quality products that computer companies could use: the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 and the MS-DOS operating system for the IBM PC.

Bill Gates "invented" these things because he physically wrote the code for many of them. As the years progressed and Microsoft became more popular and successful, however, Gates transitioned from more of a front-line role into an executive role.

That's where he is today, heading Microsoft from afar rather than writing code as he did in his youth. In this sense, Bill Gates is less of an inventor and more of a savvy businessman .

He was especially successful because he showed enough innovation and tenacity in the early computer market to dominate competitors as they grew alongside his company.

How old is Bill Gates ?

As of 2023, Bill Gates is 67 years old . He was born on October 28, 1955. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he often spoke about the benefits of masks for older individuals.

What is Bill Gates ' net worth ?

At the time of this writing in spring of 2023,, Bill Gates' net worth is $107.9 billion . This combines his assets, stock options, portfolio values and estates.

He is currently the fourth richest person in the world, behind Bernard Arnault, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Related: Bill Gates : Bitcoin is 'Better Than Currency'

What are Bill Gates ' primary investments?

Many entrepreneurs and future business owners may wish to grow their wealth by copying some of the primary stock investments Bill Gates has made over the years. Though he is no longer the CEO of Microsoft, Gates has continued to grow much of his wealth through savvy stock market movements.

Bill Gates' current primary stock market investments include:

• Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). Bill Gates maintains a sizable ownership percentage of the company he helped to found. He owns about 1.3% of the company, reflecting that he isn't nearly as hands-on as in previous decades.
• Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.A, BRK.B). This is the holding company of Bill Gates' friend and fellow billionaire, Warren Buffett. It's the second-largest stockholding used by the Gates Foundation Trust. Microsoft and Berkshire make up about 47% of the Trust's portfolio, and there's no doubt that Gates himself also maintains a sizable holding.
• Canadian National Railway Co. (CNI). This is the stock for the fourth-largest North American railroad overall. Gates, the Gates Foundation and Cascade collectively hold over 64 million shares of CNI stock, worth approximately $7.5 billion.
• Deere & Co. (DE). As the world's largest producer of farm equipment, Deere is a surefire stock purchase for many, including Bill Gates. Over the years, he gifted over 3 million shares of Deere to the Foundation. In conjunction with Cascade and his Foundation, he still holds 23,700,000 shares of Deere stock, worth more than $10 billion, as of July 2022.
• Waste Management, Inc. (WM). Waste Management offers waste management and environmental services to various customers and locations. The Gates Foundation invested heavily in this company in the third quarter of 2002, which was wise, as the stock has generated returns of almost 1000% since that year. Currently, the Gates Foundation holds nearly 5.2 million WM stock shares worth approximately $5.52 billion.
• Republic Services, Inc. (RSG). This is another waste disposal services company and one of the most significant Gates holdings. As of February 2022, Cascade revealed that Bill Gates had added over 360,000 shares to his stake. This brings up Cascade's total holdings of RSG to approximately 109 million shares, collectively worth $14 billion.
• Ecolab, Inc. (ECL). ECL offers energy, hygiene and water technologies end-services for many markets, like the hospitality and healthcare industries. Gates has purchased millions of shares in this organization over the years. Today, the Gates Foundation holds 5.2 million shares of this stock, collectively worth nearly $760 million.
• EarthNow. EarthNow is a Seattle-based startup company. Its mission is to cover the planet with live satellite video, and Gates is a substantial financial backer.

As you can see, Bill Gates has built up his portfolio of investments by focusing on technology companies and clean energy firms. These are smart investments, as they are likely only to increase in value soon as these companies become more valuable.

Related: Why What Bill Gates Said About the Internet in 1996 is Truer Than Ever Today

Where did Bill Gates receive his education?

Although Bill Gates has been massively successful and attended Harvard, he doesn't have the most extensive or robust educational record.

Gates' real educational history begins at 13 when he was enrolled in a private Lakeside prep school. That's where he wrote the first software program and developed his interest in computer science.

By the eighth grade, he purchased blocks of computer time using a General Electric computer reserved for students. His first computer program was a version of tic-tac-toe that let students play the game against the machine.

Gates later attended Lakeside High School, where he met his longtime friend, Paul Allen. Then he enrolled in Harvard University after being inspired by his father, William Henry Gates II.

He dropped out of Harvard to focus on Microsoft full-time and never completed his bachelor's degree. Nevertheless, Harvard later awarded Gates an honorary doctorate.

Related: How Bill Gates Become a Leadership Legend

Who is in Bill Gates ' family?

Bill Gates has a large family that he is still in contact with. He has two sisters, one of which is older than him (Kristianne) and one of which is younger (Libby). Gates' father was a lawyer, and his mother was a successful American entrepreneur.

The most crucial member of Gates' family is his former wife, Melinda French Gates . The couple met in 1987 when Melinda first started working at Microsoft. The marriage lasted for 27 years, producing three children: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.

Although the couple managed to do a lot of good with their combined wealth and philanthropic spirit, they divorced in August 2021.

What kind of donations, charity and philanthropic efforts has Bill Gates pursued?

Bill Gates is well known for founding Microsoft and being a shrewd, relentless businessman. But he's also known for his philanthropic efforts.

The most well-known is undoubtedly the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , a charitable organization created in 2000 by combining three previously existing family foundations and donated stock. The new Foundation started with assets of over $84.6 billion.

Over the years, the Foundation has donated billions of dollars to charity, relief and human development resources and organizations. By 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second most generous philanthropists in the United States, having donated over $28 billion. Both have gone on record stating that they plan to donate 95% of their wealth to charity.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is currently organized into five primary program areas:

• Global development division.
• Global health division.
• United States division.
• Global policy division.
• Advocacy division.

Many of these divisions fund or spearhead projects such as Alzheimer's research, breakthrough energy tech to avoid a climate disaster and means to reduce carbon emissions. With Microsoft co-founder and friend Paul Allen and fellow billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Gates continues to make a difference with non-profits and the next generation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports many programs and efforts, particularly public health projects. Over the years, it has provided financial and other aid to fight transmissible diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. It has also contributed to vaccine distribution programs to eliminate polio worldwide.

Furthermore, the Foundation's agricultural division supports the International Rice Research Institute in developing Golden Rice, a new genetically modified rice species that can help combat vitamin A deficiency. The Foundation also focuses on providing over 120 million women and girls with high-quality contraceptive services, resources and education.

Other charitable organizations and efforts

Aside from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, both titular founders have made substantial personal donations for other philanthropic effects. For example, Bill Gates provided personal donations to many educational institutions over the years, including his old Lakeside school. In 1999, he donated $20 million to MIT and $50 million to the Dementia Discovery Fund in November 2017.

In June 2018, Bill Gates offered various free e-books to new graduates of US universities and colleges and free e-books to all college and university students worldwide. Bill Gates has previously cited the philanthropic efforts of David Rockefeller as one of his significant inspirations.

In terms of wealth inheritance, Bill and Melinda Gates stated that they intend to leave each of their children only $10 million each. By the time of their deaths, they will have donated approximately 99.96% of their wealth to charity.

Related: Bill Gates Says Unhappy Customers Are Good for Your Business. Here's Why

Is Bill Gates a robber baron?

A robber baron is a businessman who becomes rich using business practices broadly perceived as ruthless, exploitative or manipulative. Because Bill Gates rose to such massive success so quickly, many have likened him to a modern-day robber baron .

However, it's essential to know that Gates never did anything illegal. Though, as Microsoft rose in the computer science industry, he engaged in ruthless business practices.

For example, he would purchase up-and-coming companies, then dissolve them thoroughly to prevent them from competing with Microsoft in any way. But this isn't illegal; it's a business practice that constantly occurs across every industry.

Whether or not Bill Gates is a robber baron is largely up to the individual. Although Microsoft may have ruined the business dreams of other entrepreneurs, it was only ever through those individuals' choices.

Furthermore, Bill Gates has contributed much of his money to charity and needful organizations throughout his career, even signing the Giving Pledge in 2010. It's easy to imagine that these positive contributions far outweigh any minor damage he may have done while accumulating his wealth.

Related: 'Will All Americans Become Vegetarians?' Bill Gates Weighs in on Method for Fighting Climate Change

What are the best Bill Gates quotes?

Bill Gates is one of the richest people in the world — not solely due to his net worth but also because of his insights and wisdom. Here are a few of Gates' most impactful quotes:

• "We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve."
• "Everyone needs a coach. It doesn't matter whether you're a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player."
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
• "It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
• "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."
• "Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."

What can you learn from Bill Gates ' story?

Bill Gates isn't the only successful tech businessman. Still, he's one of the most successful overall. Everyone can gain something by learning about the history and investments of the Microsoft founder.

Check out Entrepreneur's other articles for more information about business leaders and other financial topics.

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Bill Gates Biography

Born: October 28, 1955 Seattle, Washington American businessman, chief executive officer, and software developer

Microsoft cofounder and chief executive officer Bill Gates has become the wealthiest man in America and one of the most influential personalities in the ever-evolving computer industry.

Love of computer technology

William H. Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. He was the second child and only son of William Henry Gates Jr., a successful Seattle attorney, and Mary Maxwell, a former schoolteacher. Kristi, his older sister, later became his tax accountant and Libby, his younger sister, lives in Seattle raising her two children. Gates enjoyed a normal, active childhood and participated in sports, joined the Cub Scouts, and spent summers with his family in Bremerton, Washington.

Although Gates's parents had a law career in mind for their son, he developed an early interest in computer science and began studying computers in the seventh grade at Seattle's Lakeside School. Lakeside was a private school chosen by Gates's parents in the hopes that it would be more challenging for their son's intellectual drive and curiosity. At Lakeside, Gates came to know Paul Allen, a classmate with similar interests in technology who would eventually become his business partner. Immediately, Gates and Allen realized the potential of the young computer industry.

Early experience

Gates's early experiences with computers included debugging (eliminating errors from) programs for the Computer Center Corporation's PDP-10, helping to computerize electric power grids for the Bonneville Power Administration, and founding with Allen a firm called Traf-O-Data while still in high school. Their small company earned them twenty thousand dollars in fees for analyzing local traffic patterns.

While working with the Computer Center's PDP-10, Gates was responsible for what was probably the first computer virus, a program that copies itself into other programs and ruins data. Discovering that the machine was connected to a national network of computers called Cybernet, Gates invaded the network and installed a program on the main computer that sent itself to the rest of the network's computers, making it crash (became damaged). When Gates was found out, he was severely punished, and he kept away from computers for his entire junior year at Lakeside. Without the lure of computers, Gates made plans for college and law school in 1970. But by 1971 he was back helping Allen write a class scheduling program for their school's computer.

The article that started it all

Gates entered Harvard University in 1973 and pursued his studies for the next year and a half. His life changed in January of 1975, however, when Popular Mechanics carried a cover story on a $350 microcomputer, the Altair, made by a firm called MITS in New Mexico. When Allen excitedly showed him the story, Gates knew where he wanted to be: at the forefront of computer software (a program of instructions for a computer) design.

Gates dropped out of Harvard in 1975, ending his academic life and beginning his career as a software designer. At this time, Gates and Allen cofounded Microsoft. They wrote programs for the early Apple and Commodore machines. One of Gates's most significant opportunities arrived in 1980, when IBM approached him to help with their personal computer project, code name Project Chess. Gates developed the Microsoft Disk Operating System, or MS-DOS. (An operating system is a type of software that controls the way a computer runs.) Not only did he sell IBM on the new operating system, but he also convinced the computer giant to allow others to write software for the machine. The result was the rapid growth of licenses for MS-DOS, as software developers quickly moved to become compatible with (able to work with) IBM. By the early 1990s Microsoft had sold more than one hundred million copies of MS-DOS, making the operating system the all-time leader in software sales. For his achievements in science and technology, Gates received the Howard Vollum Award in 1984 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon.

Gates's competitive drive and fierce desire to win has made him a powerful force in business, but it has also consumed much of his personal life. In the six years between 1978 and 1984, he took a total of only two weeks vacation. But on New Year's Day 1994 Gates married Melinda French, a Microsoft manager, on the Hawaiian island of Lanai. The ceremony was held on the island's Challenge golf course, and Gates kept it private by buying out the unused rooms at the local hotel and by hiring all of the helicopters in the area to keep photographers from using them. His fortune at the time of his marriage was estimated at close to seven billion dollars. By 1997 his worth was estimated at approximately $37 billion, earning him the title of "richest man in America."

The future for Microsoft

On January 13, 2000, Gates handed off day-to-day management of Microsoft to friend and right-hand man Steve Ballmer, adding chief executive officer to his existing title of president. Gates held on to his position as chairman in the reshuffle, and added the title of chief software architect.

In the spring of 2002 Gates himself was scheduled to testify on behalf of Microsoft. The final ruling on the fate of Microsoft has the potential to be a landmark decision on the future of the computer industry.

Gates as philanthropist

Aside from being the most famous businessman of the late 1990s, Gates also has distinguished himself as a philanthropist (someone working for charity). He and wife Melinda established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on helping to improve health care and education for children around the world. The foundation has donated $4 billion since its start in 1996. Recent pledges include $1 billion over twenty years to fund college scholarships for about one thousand minority students; $750 million over five years to help launch the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines; $50 million to help the World Health Organization's efforts to eradicate polio, a crippling disease that usually attacks children; and $3 million to help prevent the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS; an incurable disease that destroys the body's immune system) among young people in South Africa. In November 1998 Gates and his wife also gave the largest single gift to a U.S. public library, when they donated $20 million to the Seattle Public Library. Another of Gates's charitable donations was $20 million given to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to build a new home for its Laboratory for Computer Science.

In July 2000 the foundation gave John Hopkins University a five-year, $20 million grant to study whether or not inexpensive vitamin and mineral pills can help save lives in poor countries. On November 13, 2000, Harvard University's School of Public Health announced it had received $25 million from the foundation to study AIDS prevention in Nigeria. The grant was the largest single private grant in the school's history. It was announced on February 1, 2001, that the foundation would donate $20 million to speed up the global eradication (to completely erase) of the disease commonly known as elephantiasis, a disease that causes disfigurement. In 2002 Gates, along with rock singer Bono, announced plans for DATA Agenda, a $24 billion fund (partially supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) that seeks to improve health care in Africa.

Although many describe Gates as cold and distant, his friends find him friendlier since his marriage and since the birth of his daughter, Jennifer, in April 1996. Further, he recognizes his overall contribution to both the world of technology and his efforts in philanthropy. In Forbes magazine's 2002 list of the two hundred richest people in the world, Gates was number one for the eighth straight year, coming in with a net worth of $52.8 billion.

For More Information

Gates, Bill, with Nathan Myhevrold and Peter Rinearson. The Road Ahead. New York: Viking Press, 1995.

Ichbiah, Daniel, and Susan L. Knepper. The Making of Microsoft. Rocklin, CA: Prima, 1991.

Wallace, James. Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire. New York: Wiley, 1992.

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As co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates shapes and approves foundation strategies, advocates for the foundation’s issues, and sets the organization’s overall direction. He works with grantees and partners to further the foundation’s goal of improving equity in the United States and around the world.

Bill co-founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975 with Paul Allen and led the company to become the worldwide leader in business and personal software and services. In 2008, Bill transitioned to focus full-time on the foundation’s work. Through his private office, Gates Ventures, he pursues his work in climate change and clean energy innovation, Alzheimer’s research and other healthcare issues, interdisciplinary education, and technology. He is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, which works to address climate change by supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, big thinkers, and clean technologies.

If we are going to change people’s lives, we need another level of innovation. Not just technology innovation – system innovation.

In 2010, Bill, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett founded the Giving Pledge, an effort to encourage the world’s wealthiest families and individuals to publicly commit more than half of their wealth to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations during their lifetime or in their will.

Bill grew up in Seattle with two sisters. His late father, William H. Gates Sr. , was an attorney and civic leader who served as a co-chair of the foundation from 2000 to 2020 His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chair of United Way International. Bill has three children and one grandchild.

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Learn about the origins of the foundation and the values that drive our work.

Learn about where we work around the globe and the programs we've created to address urgent issues in global health, global development, and education.

Read the latest stories, research, and news from across the foundation and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Optimist .

Bill Gates Biography

Birthday: October 28 , 1955 ( Scorpio )

Born In: Seattle, Washington, United States

Bill Gates is an American business magnate and computer programmer who is the co-founder of Microsoft, the world’s largest PC software company. Since the company’s formation in 1975, Gates has held several positions including those of the chairman, CEO and chief software architect. One of the most famous entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution, he has been consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people starting from 1987. Born as the son of a successful lawyer, Bill Gates was encouraged from a young age to be competitive. Bright and curious, he developed an interest in computers while in school and wrote his first computer program as a young teenager. After completing his schooling, he enrolled at the prestigious Harvard College though he did not stay there long enough to complete his studies. He dropped out to pursue his passion in computers and teamed up with Paul Allen, a former schoolmate, to form Microsoft. The company proved to be highly successful and within years Gates became an internationally known entrepreneur. Among the wealthiest persons in the world, Bill Gates is a renowned philanthropist and along with his ex-wife, he has created the charity organization Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation . He has also authored and co-authored several books.. He has also authored and co-authored several books.

Recommended For You

Also Known As: William Henry Gates III

Age: 68 Years , 68 Year Old Males

Spouse/Ex-: Melinda Gates (m. 1994; div. 2021)

father: William H. Gates Sr.

mother: Mary Maxwell Gates

siblings: Kristi Gates, Libby Gates

children: Jennifer Katharine Gates , Phoebe Adele Gates , Rory John Gates

Born Country: United States

College Dropouts CEOs

Height: 5'10" (178 cm ), 5'10" Males

Personality: INTP

U.S. State: Washington

City: Seattle, Washington

Ancestry: British American, German American

Notable Alumni: Lakeside School

Founder/Co-Founder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft Corporation, Corbis, bgC3, Cascade Investment, Microsoft Research, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

education: Lakeside School

awards: 1992 - National Medal of Technology and Innovation 2013 - Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award 2013 - Bambi - Millennium Award

2010 - Silver Buffalo Award 1997 - Satellite Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment New Media 1994 - Distinguished Fellow of the British Computer Society Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science 2010 - Bower Award for Business Leadership

You wanted to know

What is bill gates known for.

Bill Gates is known as the co-founder of Microsoft, a leading technology company that revolutionized the personal computing industry.

What philanthropic work is Bill Gates involved in?

Bill Gates is actively involved in philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on global health, education, and poverty alleviation.

How did Bill Gates become successful?

Bill Gates achieved success through his innovative approach to software development, strategic business decisions, and his role in shaping the technology landscape.

What is the current focus of Bill Gates' work?

Currently, Bill Gates is focused on addressing global challenges such as climate change, healthcare research, and promoting sustainable development through his foundation.

Recommended Lists:

Bill Gates met Melinda French, a young woman working at Microsoft, in 1989. The couple grew close over a period of time and got married in 1994. They have three children: Rory John Gates, Jennifer Katharine Gates, Phoebe Adele Gates. Bill and Melinda divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.

Along with his then-wife, Melinda, Bill Gates formed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF or the Gates Foundation) in 2000. It is the largest private foundation in the world and aims to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty worldwide.

See the events in life of Bill Gates in Chronological Order

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• Born October 28 , 1955 · Seattle, Washington, USA
• Birth name William Henry Gates III
• Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
• Born William Henry III is an American entrepreneur, business mogul, investor, philanthropist, and widely known as one of the most richest and influential people in the world. William Henry III was born to attorney, William Henry II and teacher, Mary Maxwell Gates in Seattle, Washington, USA. Bill Gates as a child was very competitive, curious, and depth thinker. His parents decided to enroll him in the private preparation school, Lakeside School. Gates soon excelled at Lakeside, where he made himself oriented to a wide variety of subject ranging from Math, Science, English Literature and even becoming a superb Drama student. Bill Gates surrounded by historical events at a young age was inspired. In 1969, Apollo 11 took men to the moon, this involved huge computers, and which cost billions of research dollars to function and operate. A computer during that era, was very genuine to have. However, Lakeside had gotten a deal with the city of Seattle and received, this became Bill Gates first encounter toward a computer. Bill Gates would spend hours,upon hours at the computer room at the high-school, and he eventually met a man named,Paul Allen whom shared the same interests as Bill Gates. Bill Gates in 1973 graduated, Lakeside and was accepted by the prestigious University Of Harvard. Gates during his years at Harvard University never had a definite career plan, for some time he thought of pursuing a career in law for the admiration he had with politics, but his true craze was staying up all day and night with the computer. Bill Gates met Steve Ballmer whom would soon join Gates in his venture to start his own company, Microsoft. This all started when Paul Allen, Bill's former school mate moved to Boston from Seattle for a job. Paul Allen picked up a magazine at Harvard Square which read, "World's First Minicomputer Kit To Rival Commercial Models" to Bill Gates and Paul Allen this was the moment they had been waiting for, the dawn of personal computer had begun. Ed Roberts who ran this phenomenal product was looking for someone to do further programming to it. Bill Gates and Allen Paul soon took on this task and this partnership with Ed Roberts eventually led to the first product made by Microsoft the Altair BASIC. "Microsoft" was created in 1976 Altair BASIC was an programming language which ran on the MITS Altair 8800. Gates due to the success of Altair BASIC decided to drop out of Harvard and never returned to complete his studies. Microsoft was located in Albuquerque from 1976 to 1979. In 1979 they relocated their location to Bellevue Washington on January,1,1979. Microsoft began to expand and specialize in languages such as Basic,Cobol,Fortan,and Pascal. With this expansion and Microsoft having hit the one million dollar profit margin mark, it was a matter of time until a big-shot computer creative company came knocking at their door. That company was IBM. The partnership IBM and Microsoft developed was a pivotal role which defined technology, to what it has become today. It established what Gates had predicted, every home in America would have one computer per household. IBM wanted an operating system for their new line of personal computers. Bill Gates bought an operating system in which he renamed, MS-DOS for IBM. He received profit from IBM for every MS-DOS product made, as IBM didn't own the licensing fee, and Gates refused to give it to them. The partnership with Bill Gates and Paul Allen soon ended, due to Paul being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Their partnership would be seen as one which defined the technology field world-wide. This made Gates the sole-man in the Microsoft empire. In 1985, Microsoft had generated 140 million dollars in sales in just that year alone. In 1986, Bill Gates introduced Microsoft Windows it would be come one of the most used operating systems in history, and one of the most advanced. Apple around this time, came up with an ingenious software, Gates advised them to have a copyright, however Apple was more focused on selling computers, this prompted Gates to take advantage of an open opportunity. At the age of 31, Gates became a billionaire owning 45% of his stock. Bill Gates always had insecurities, even if he at such a peak. IBM soon to separate from MS-DOS with the success of their sales, decided to create their own operating system which it licensed from Microsoft called Dos2. OS2 eventually failed as Gates decided to invest his name and the entire future of Microsoft to advancing the Windows operating system, even if it meant losing IBM as a client. He came out with Windows 3.0 which turned out be a best market seller. Microsoft was soon becoming a monopoly, and Gates started receiving the reputation of being ruthless,and unfair. Gates was accused for practicing unfair marketing practices, and a case with the Department Of Justice Division Anti Trust Department was opened. Microsoft would receive royalty fee because of a "per-processor" license Microsoft had which stated, for each computer a microprocessor is sold; a royalty payment must be made. Regardless, if it was a Microsoft operating system or not. Operating Equipment Manufacturers saw this as unfair, this would lead him further to be a monopoly, which no software company liked. Apple had no way of competing, IBM had no way of competing, it was Microsoft receiving these royalty fees even for a non-Microsoft Operating System which most manufactures thought was most unfair. Microsoft agreed to stop charging the fees and the Department Of Justice dropped the case. Bill Gates's mother died shortly after their marriage of breast cancer. Bill Gates because of the influence his mother had on him, created philanthropic organizations that fought certain causes, and was pursuing the interests his mother had. In 1995, Windows 95 was introduced, Bill Gates at this time slowed down on his work with Microsoft as he became a family man, welcoming his first daughter he had with his wife, Melinda French. Netscape came out with a browser which allowed you to access the world of internet. This was a realm, Microsoft had yet to embark. Netscape sales soared through the roof, while Microsoft was behind. Microsoft then promptly released the web-browser Explorer. With the success of Explorer Gates had yet to know he would be receiving a nation-wide law-suit which would cost Microsoft millions. Gates was charged with practicing unlawful conduct, and running a illegal monopoly in 1998. An anti-trust suit along with president Bill Clinton's Justice Department filed a anti-trust suit which would be seen as the most severe lawsuit's related to the technology field. Bill Gates to save his company stepped down from Microsoft as the CEO and allowed Steve Balmer to be CEO. Bill Gates was the Chairman. Bill Gates changed the way the world operates,functions, Gates made life easier for humans to live in. To get tasks done within seconds at a time, creating several multitasking software programs. Bill Gates will forever be remembered as a business man, philanthropist, and investor. Bill Gates with multiple products unleashed with his company Microsoft, allowed the technology field to expand and become more competitive,always setting the stakes much higher, and presented a field with endless surprises. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Peter Sean
• Spouse Melinda Gates (January 1, 1994 - August 2, 2021) (divorced, 3 children)
• Children Phoebe Gates Rory John Gates Jennifer Gates
• Has a measured IQ of 160, signifying genius intelligence.
• His personal wealth exceeds the Gross National Product (GNP) of some Third World countries.
• His company, Microsoft, went public on 28 October 1985, his 30th birthday.
• As of 9/28/2015 and given his current estimated net worth of $79,200,000,000, Bill has made an average of ~$41.80 every second of his life.
• As of 2005, his personal fortune was in excess of $46 billion.
• Microsoft was founded with a vision of a computer on every desk, and in every home. We've never wavered from that vision.
• In terms of doing things I take a fairly scientific approach to why things happen and how they happen. I don't know if there's a god or not, but I think religious principles are quite valid.
• Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There's a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning.
• It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.
• If you can't make it good, at least make it look good.

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