Bill Gates is an American technology entrepreneur and philanthropist who co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Born in Seattle on 28 October 1955, he led Microsoft as CEO for about 25 years before Steve Ballmer succeeded him in 2000. He now chairs the Gates Foundation, which announced on 8 May 2025 that it will spend roughly $200 billion and close on 31 December 2045.
Bill Gates at a Glance
| Born | 28 October 1955, Seattle, Washington |
|---|---|
| Education | Lakeside School; Harvard (1973-75, left without a degree) |
| Profession | Technology entrepreneur; philanthropist |
| Companies | Microsoft (co-founder), Breakthrough Energy (founder, 2015) |
| Foundation | Gates Foundation (formed 2000) |
| Net worth | US$106.5 billion (Forbes, July 2026) |
| Honours | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016, with Melinda); Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2005) |
| Memoir | Source Code: My Beginnings (2025) |
Early Life and Education
Gates attended Lakeside School in Seattle, where he met Paul Allen. He enrolled at Harvard in autumn 1973 and left in 1975 without completing a degree to build Microsoft.
Career Journey
Microsoft was co-founded in 1975, and Gates became president and chairman when the company was re-incorporated in Washington on 25 June 1981. The first retail version of Windows launched on 20 November 1985, and Microsoft went public in 1986. In 1987, at age 31, Gates became the youngest billionaire; in 1999 he became the first centibillionaire.
After Ballmer took over as CEO in 2000, Gates served as chief software architect until 2008 and as chairman until February 2014, when John W. Thompson took over. He left Microsoft’s board in 2020.
Philanthropy
The foundation was formed in 2000 when Gates and Melinda French Gates combined three family foundations. They co-chaired it until 2024; after their 2021 divorce it was renamed the Gates Foundation, with Gates as sole chair. In 2010 Gates and Warren Buffett founded the Giving Pledge, and Gates and Melinda signed it on 9 December 2010.
On 8 May 2025, the foundation’s 25th anniversary, Gates announced that it would accelerate spending and close by 31 December 2045. Reports put the spending at around $200 billion, with the final figure depending on markets and inflation.
Climate and Writing
Gates founded Breakthrough Energy in 2015 to support clean-energy technology. His memoir Source Code: My Beginnings was published in 2025 and is the first of three planned.
Personal Life
Gates married Melinda French in 1994; they divorced in 2021.
Conclusion
Bill Gates’s career has two parts: building Microsoft into a dominant software company, and, since 2000, directing his fortune through the Gates Foundation toward a planned 2045 close. Figures for his wealth and the foundation’s spending are estimates reported by Forbes and the press.
Sources and References
- Wikipedia: Bill Gates (life, Microsoft, foundation, honours)
- Time: Bill Gates Will Close Gates Foundation by 2045
- Devex: Bill Gates commits most of his fortune to Gates Foundation closing 2045
