Bill Gates

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, is one of the world's most influential entrepreneurs and philanthropists. He helped revolutionize personal computing by making computers more accessible to homes and businesses around the world. After stepping away from the day-to-day management of Microsoft, Gates shifted much of his attention to philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (now the Gates Foundation), which focuses on improving global health, reducing poverty, and expanding access to education. His work has had a significant impact on millions of people across the globe.

Religion was not a central influence during Bill Gates's upbringing. He was raised in a family that attended church at times, but he has described himself as being skeptical of organized religion and has said that he does not identify as particularly religious. Instead, Gates has often emphasized the importance of science, evidence, and critical thinking when making decisions. While he respects the role religion plays in many people's lives, he has generally based his worldview and approach to solving problems on reason, research, and innovation.

Although religion did not strongly shape Gates's personal beliefs, many of the values reflected in his philanthropic work—such as compassion, generosity, and helping those in need—are also emphasized by many religious traditions. Gates has expressed admiration for people of faith who dedicate their lives to improving society, and he has worked alongside religious organizations on global health and humanitarian projects. His legacy demonstrates that a commitment to serving others can be inspired by a variety of moral and ethical perspectives, whether religious or secular.

Bill Gates has said that he plans to give away most of his wealth instead of leaving it all to his children. He has said he plans to leave his children less than 1% of his fortune, believing they're better off building their own success rather than inheriting immense wealth. He believes that providing them with a good education and opportunities is more valuable than giving them a huge inheritance. Gates has explained that his children will still receive enough money to live comfortably, but most of his fortune will be donated to charitable causes through his foundation. He hopes this money will help improve health, reduce poverty, and expand education for people around the world.  This probably excludes gifts while alive like the horse farm in North Salem, New York gifted to Jennifer for her college graduation present.

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Bill Gates full sketch

Personal Details

Born
William Henry Gates III
October 28, 1955 (age 70)
Seattle, Washington, USA
Height
5'10"
Residence
Medina, Washington, USA
Nationality
American
Family Heritage
English, German, Scottish, Irish
Religion
Not Religious (Current), Protestant (Raised)
Political Party
Unknown
Secondary School
Private, Public
Education
Harvard University 1973 - 1975 Dropped out
Spouse(s)
Melinda French - Catholic - Philanthropist (m.1994 - div.2021)
Partner(s)
Paula Hurd - Chairperson, Universal Tennis Foundation (2023 - present)
Children
Jennifer Gates-Nasser (Mother - Melinda French),
Rory Gates (Mother - Melinda French),
Phoebe Gates (Mother - Melinda French)
Relatives
William H. Gates Sr. - Christian - Attorney (Father),
Mary Maxwell Gates - Christian - Corporate Director/Teacher (Mother),
J. W. Maxwell - National Bank President (Maternal Grandfather),
Kristianne Gates Blake - CPA (Sister),
Elizabeth Gates Armintrout - Managing Partner (Sister),
Mimi Gardner - Art Historian (Step-mother)
Pets
Dog(s)
Hobbies
Bridge, Reading, Tennis, Travel
Favorite Quotes
"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.",
"I've been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to society to try to reduce inequity. And that's kind of a religious belief. I mean, it's at least a moral belief.",
"With wealth comes responsibility—the responsibility to give back to society."

Wealth Meter

Upbringing
Upper-Middle
Net Worth
$108B Forbes 2026 (#19)
Wealth Contributors
Federal/State/Local Incentives, Government Contracts, Parent(s) in education, Partnered with college friend(s), Team Achievement
First Break
Selling a BASIC interpreter to MITS for the Altair 8800 in 1975, which led him to drop out of Harvard and co-found Microsoft.

Business/Public Service

Occupation
Author, Businessman, Philanthropist, Software Developer
Organizations
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts (Majority Owner),
GATES VENTURES/BGC3 (2018/2008 - present),
Microsoft (1975 - 2020)
Industries
Technology

Philanthropy

Non-Profit(s)
Gates Foundation (2019),
Gates Foundation Trust (1995)

Real Estate Portfolio

2013 - 2018 - 275,000 acres of Farmland, 17 to 19 states, USA,
1999 - Indian Wells, CA, USA ($12.5M USD),
1988 and 2009 - Medina, WA, USA ($2M USD, 63M USD build )

Toys and Other Valuables

2018 - 2018 Gulfstream G650ER - Private Jet ($70M USD),
Cessna 208 Amphibian Caravan seaplane - Private Jet,
2007 Eurocopter EC 135 - Helicopter,
2021 Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 - Helicopter

Net Worth and Donations

Bill Gates Net Worth
S&P 500
Bill Gates Political Donations

Additional Political Donations

Gates Political Donations 2

State & local incentives

Microsoft has received state/local tax incentives, particularly for its large data-center footprint. Data centers can qualify for sales-tax exemptions, property-tax arrangements, and other economic-development incentives. Current reporting notes that Microsoft’s data-center investments have been among the major beneficiaries of these state programs.

Microsoft government contracts

Microsoft has extensive federal government business, including cloud and software contracts. This is government procurement, rather than a grant or subsidy.

Gates Foundation Donations and Assets

During 2024, the foundation awarded approximately $6.3 billion in grants. The largest areas of funding among the top 10 donations were:

  • Healthcare/Vaccines/Research: $1 billion
  • Global Health and Public Awareness: $300 million
  • Agricultural Development & research: $32 million
  • Education: $32 million

Interesting Notes:

  • 9 people have a compensation package greater than $1 million.
  • Of the $6.3 billion, approximately $3 billion was distributed to recipients in foreign countries.