Bill Gates

Co-founder, Microsoft

Birth DetailsOctober 28, 1955 | Seattle, United States

NationalityAmerican

LeagueEntrepreneur

EducationHarvard University (Drop out)

Net Worth$106.4 billion (as of May 19, 2020)

Bill Gates' Assets:

Microsoft
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Branded Entertainment Network
TerraPower
ResearchGate
Gates Ventures

Bill Gates' Journey so far ...

Bill Gates first got to use a computer while attending Lakeside School in Seattle and was instantly hooked to it
While in school, he, along with some other students, created a software solution to computerise the school’s payroll system. A collaboration with fellow student Paul Allen resulted in a traffic- counting system -- Traf-O-Data -- which earned them $20,000
Gates enrolled into Harvard University in 1973 but dropped out in his junior year to follow his entrepreneurial calling, along with Allen
In 1975, the duo developed a software for the first microcomputer -- Altair 8800 -- and ‘Micro-Soft’ was formed with its office in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The company was officially renamed Microsoft the following year
Business grew, and now, their clients included start-ups such as ‘Apple’
They moved the company to Seattle in 1979 and it was there that Microsoft earned high praise
During that time, IBM was looking for an operating system (OS) for their personal computer -- IBM PC -- and Gates presented them the solution with MS-DOS
The PC released in 1981 and soon the market was exploding with several manufacturers doing a copy
Though built for IBM, Microsoft still had the rights to sell their software to other PC manufacturers and so they did
Most of the manufacturers adopted MS-DOS for their systems, and, in 1981, their sales more than doubled in comparison to the previous year
Windows 1.0 was launched in 1985 following the release of Apple’s Macintosh PC
Microsoft went public in 1986, making Gates one of the richest persons in the country
The following year, at the age of 31, he became the world’s youngest billionaire -- a title which he held on to until Mark Zuckerberg came into the picture
By the mid-90s, Windows had become the standard operating system for most of the PCs running on the planet and the riches continued to follow
Soon, they began rolling out other utility and enterprise software, and in 1995, Bill Gates became the richest person in the world
Gates stepped down as the CEO of Microsoft in 2000
The same year, he along with his wife, Melinda, established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
He left his daily job at Microsoft in 2008 while still retaining his position as chairman of the board
In 2010, the couple launched the Giving Pledge along with Warren Buffet to encourage the wealthiest people of the world to commit most of their wealth to philanthropic causes
In 2014, he relinquished his designation as chairman and assumed the role of technical advisor to support the newly- appointed CEO Satya Nadella
He finally resigned from the public boards of both Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway in March 2020
Till date, he has donated around $35 billion worth of his Microsoft stocks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Currently, he holds around 1.3% shares of Microsoft and is one of the richest persons in the world

Before you go ...

Bill was fond of the games Monopoly and Risk (a game with the objective to dominate the world) as a child
After deliberating for almost a year, Gates and wife Melinda announced their divorce through social media on May 3, 2021

Last Updated: 22/07/2021

Bill Gates News

Bill Gates' daughter Phoebe confirms relationship with Paul McCartney's grandson, shares images. Know in detailPhoebe is the daughter of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. She has recently confirmed her relationship with Arthur Donald, grandson of The Beatles' superstar Paul McCartney.
Effective ways to pay off your credit card debt faster
Places to visit in Delhi during monsoon rainsStep back in time and immerse yourself in the Mughal era at Sunder Nursery. History buffs and nature lovers can rejoice at Purana Qila.
HDFC Bank credit card charges, rules to change from August 1, 2024: Know about new late payment fee, bill payment rulesHDFC Bank announced major revisions to its credit cardholders about terms and charges. The following changes to your HDFC Bank credit card charges will come into effect on August 1, 2024.
"President's address is actually the speech of the government," says Akhilesh YadavSamajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav responded to the President's Address to the joint session of Parliament, noting it as a traditional representation of the government's views. He emphasized the significance of the speech as reflecting the government's stance. Meanwhile, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticized the government, describing it as tired and lacking willpower, with nothing new to offer for the nation's benefit. Congress leader Imran Masood echoed similar sentiments, alleging that the address was predetermined amidst what he termed as a situation akin to an emergency.
Gates’ climate firm sets sights on developing worldBreakthrough Energy advances global innovation, emphasizing cost reduction and universal innovation for sustainable development.
Three state insurers may get Rs 5,000-cr infusion for revivalThe Indian government may delay the planned privatisation of state-run general insurers, instead focusing on strengthening three insurers - Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd, National Insurance Co. Ltd, and United India Insurance Co. Ltd - through capital support and business revival plans. The government is expected to infuse about ₹5,000 crore into the insurers this fiscal, shelving any privatisation plan this fiscal.
Nearly 70% health claim users opting for reimbursement mode don't have enough liquid savings to pay bills: SurveyA recent study highlighted challenges faced by health insurance policyholders opting for reimbursement, often resorting to borrowing or dipping into savings for medical bills. Despite expanded coverage, 68% lacked adequate savings for expenses. Cashless treatment remains preferred, with 89% satisfaction, compared to 79% for reimbursements. Delays post-discharge also impact satisfaction.
Ex-US President Barack Obama's sister teargassed live on air in KenyaAmidst protests against the Finance Bill, Kenya was designated a major non-NATO ally by US President Joe Biden, sparking concerns of security personnel abducting bloggers and content creators.
After passage of controversial finance bill in Kenya, demonstrators set Parliament building on fire; nearly 10 protesters deadAmid protests outside Kenya's legislature, discontent over tax hikes escalated, reflecting the economic crisis and dissatisfaction with the government's fiscal policies. Demonstrators clashed with police, demanding President William Ruto's resignation. The unrest highlighted the delicate balance between meeting financial obligations, public discontent, and the country's economic challenges.
Sebi weighs tighter checks for stocks at F&O entry gateIn its June 8 consultation paper, Sebi had sought feedback from market participants for its plan to revise the eligibility criteria for stocks to be a part of the futures and options (F&O) segment. The regulator wants stocks that are part of the derivatives market to be more liquid and traded by a wide set of market participants to prevent manipulation and lower risks to the system.
View: Gender diversity needs workThis year, 797 women candidates contested the general elections, constituting 9.6% of the total 8,337 candidates. Only 74 of them won a seat in the 18th Lok Sabha - four fewer than the number of women in the 17th Lok Sabha. This comes less than a year after the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, which reserves one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and assemblies for women.
Nosferatu: See what we know about horror movie’s release date, cast, trailer and crewThe trailer for Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu' reveals a dark, gothic tale starring Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok and Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter. Production took place in the Czech Republic.
Rs 45,491 electricity bill by a Gurugram resident makes him wonder if he should switch to candlesJasveer Singh, co-founder of Gurugram-based Join Hood App, was stunned to receive an electricity bill of Rs 45,491 for just two months. Sharing his disbelief on social media, Singh joked about switching to candles, sparking widespread discussion online.
Gates of barrage releasing water to Delhi shut by Haryana: AtishiDelhi Water Minister Atishi continues hunger strike as Haryana shuts Hathnikund Barrage gates, depriving Delhi of water amid crisis.
India launches trusted traveller programme for faster immigrationHome minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. This facility will be available free of cost for all passengers, Shah said.
Defer implementation of 3 new criminal laws: Congress to GovtThe Opposition party sought to justify its latest demand ahead of the first session of the new Lok Sabha next week by arguing that the legislations - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 - were passed in the Parliament without proper debate when a lot of opposition members were under suspension.
'Gates of Hell': How has this gas pit in Turkmenistan been burning since 1971? Mystery unraveledIt’s been almost fifty-three years since the “Gates of Hell” has been blazing. The “Gates of Hell” has become a popular location among Turkmenistan's tourist attractions, drawing over 10,000 tourists annually.
Jodhpur sees communal violence, two cops injuredJodhpur: Communal violence broke out in a Jodhpur locality on Friday night, resulting in injuries to two policemen, the setting of a shop on fire, and the damaging of two vehicles. The clash began over the construction of a gate at the back of an eidgah near Rajaram Circle in the Soor Sagar area, which local residents opposed. Heavy police and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary forces were deployed to maintain order, and multiple arrests have been made following the incident.
India, react to small, modular nuclearBill Gates' TerraPower, founded in 2006, has begun constructing the Natrium micro nuclear reactor in Wyoming. This project represents a new wave of small modular reactors (SMRs), which are being developed globally but currently operational only in China and Russia. SMRs like Natrium aim to provide scalable, standardized nuclear energy solutions that could potentially replace aging coal plants and meet rising energy demands.
NASA to train ISRO astronauts for ISS tripNASA and ISRO collaborate to train an Indian astronaut for an ISS mission, enhancing Indo-US space partnership through iCET technology. NASA administrator Bill Nelson emphasised joint efforts to advance human spaceflight and benefit humanity. India and the US aim to deepen interoperability in space, provide advanced training for Indian astronauts, and launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar to combat climate change.
Credit card bill payment hurdles; startup funding logs slight uptickHappy Friday! The central bank has mandated credit card bill payments through Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), but only eight of 34 banks are live on the network, causing concern among payment companies. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Pause on the cards: Fintechs may take a hit as most banks stay away from BBPSRBI mandates credit card bill payments through BBPS, but only 8 of 34 banks are live on the network, causing concern among payment companies like PCI for an extension.
Why has US delegation's visit to Dalai Lama in India sparked China's ireA bipartisan group of US lawmakers visited the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, causing tensions with China. Beijing criticized the visit, urging the US to recognize the "separatist nature" of the Dalai Lama. The visit underscores Washington's support for Tibetan rights amid strained US-China relations. The Dalai Lama, in exile since 1959, seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet. The visit is part of ongoing efforts to address Tibetan aspirations through dialogue.
Citing overlaps, experts seek rejig of Digital Competition BillThe ministry of electronics and information technology continued discussions on the digital competition bill with think tanks and industry bodies raising concerns about foreign regulation approaches. The impact on startups and overlap with existing laws were highlighted.
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