Michael Dell
Michael Dell, the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas, to a Jewish family. His parents, Alexander and Lorraine Dell, placed a strong emphasis on education, hard work, and professional achievement. Dell grew up in a Jewish household, and his background provided an early connection to values such as family, community, responsibility, and charitable giving. Although Dell has generally kept his personal religious beliefs private, his Jewish upbringing is an important part of his family history and helped shape the environment in which he developed his ambitions and values.
Religion appears to have influenced Dell most clearly through his approach to philanthropy and social responsibility. Together with his wife, Susan, he established the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of children and families through education, health, and economic opportunities. Their charitable work reflects a broader tradition of Jewish philanthropy, in which helping others and contributing to the community are considered important responsibilities. While it would be difficult to attribute specific business decisions directly to religious beliefs, Dell's extensive philanthropic efforts demonstrate a commitment to using his wealth and influence to create opportunities for others.
At the same time, Michael Dell's career reflects a combination of personal ambition, entrepreneurship, family values, and philanthropy rather than a clearly documented religious philosophy. He founded Dell at the age of 19 and built it into one of the world's largest technology companies, becoming one of the wealthiest people in the world. His religious background can therefore be viewed as one influence among many in his life rather than the sole explanation for his success or worldview. The clearest connection is through the values of family, community service, education, and charitable responsibility that have been visible throughout his personal and professional life.
Personal Details
Born
Michael Saul Dell
February 23, 1965 (age 61)
Houston, Texas, USA
Height
~6'0"
Residence
Austin, Texas, USA
Nationality
American
Family Heritage
German
Religion
Political Party
Unknown
Secondary School
Public
Education
University of Texas 1983 -1984 Dropped out
Spouse(s)
Children
Zachary Dell (Mother - Susan Lynn Lieberman),
Kira Dell (Mother - Susan Lynn Lieberman),
Alexa Dell (Mother - Susan Lynn Lieberman),
Juliette Dell (Mother - Susan Lynn Lieberman)
Relatives
Pets
Dog(s)
Hobbies
Electronics
Favorite Quotes
"Persistence is an all-important quality on the road to success.",
"Daring to fail is the only path to meaningful growth.",
"How successful you are is really a function of how well you deal with failure and how much you learn from it."
Wealth Meter
Upbringing
Upper-Middle
Net Worth
$141B Forbes 2026 (#13)
Wealth Contributors
Federal/State/Local Incentives, Government Contracts, Government Grants/Funding, Inherited/Received money from parent(s), Secured funding from investors
First Break
In 1984, 19-year-old Michael Dell used just $1,000 in capital (from parents) to start his first company, PCs Limited, out of a dorm room at the University of Texas. He proved the business model by showing his parents a financial statement with massive early sales, convincing them to let him drop out.
Business/Public Service
Occupation
Businessman, Investor, Philanthropist
Organizations
DFO Management formerly MSD Capital (1998 - Founder),
Dell Technologies Inc. (1984 - Founder, Chairman, and CEO)
Industries
Manufacturing, Technology
Philanthropy
Non-Profit(s)
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (2000 - present)
Real Estate Portfolio
2020 - Boston, MA, USA ($34M),
2016 - Boston, MA, USA ($10.9M),
2014 - New York City, NY, USA ($100.47M),
2002 - Land in Kukio, HI, USA ($32M ($11.5 additional for home build)),
1997 - Land in Austin, TX, USA (Unknown (built sprawling home))
Toys and Other Valuables
Gulfstream G650 - Private Jet,
Gulfstream G700 - Private Jet
Net Worth and Donations
Although Michael Dell has not publicly identified himself with a particular political party, his history of political contributions has generally leaned toward Republican candidates and causes. His political giving has included substantial support for Republican candidates and organizations, including contributions to figures such as George W. Bush and other Texas Republicans. More recently, Dell and his wife, Susan, pledged $6.25 billion to support “Trump Accounts,” a program created under President Donald Trump’s administration, although Dell emphasized that he did not view the donation as a partisan activity. Taken together, his public record suggests a Republican-leaning political profile, but it would be more accurate to describe him as Republican-leaning rather than definitively labeling him a Republican.
State & local incentives
This is actually one of the larger figures we’ve encountered.
Good Jobs First’s Subsidy Tracker currently lists $662.1 million in state/local subsidies for Dell Technologies across 184 awards. The largest concentrations are:
North Carolina: $304.2 million
Tennessee: $291.4 million
Oklahoma: $42.7 million
Utah: $12.6 million
Nebraska: $2.8 million
The database says these figures cover awards dating back to 1993, and they don’t include awards where the subsidy value wasn’t disclosed.
Government grants/funding
Dell Technologies itself explicitly says it receives government assistance in the form of “grants and incentives.”
Its latest SEC filing says that this assistance comes from various domestic and international governments and is primarily structured as cash grants and non-income-tax incentives.
For example, Dell reported recognizing:
$279 million in FY2025
$288 million in FY2024
$297 million in FY2023
from certain foreign-government assistance programs. Dell says these programs provide offsets for local sales taxes and require qualifying companies to invest in local R&D.
Important: Those amounts are not necessarily U.S. taxpayer subsidies, and Dell says the programs are broadly available to qualifying companies.
Government contracts
Dell is also a significant government technology vendor. Dell maintains contracts with state and local governments throughout the U.S., including cooperative purchasing agreements and specific state/local contracts.
During 2024, the foundation awarded approximately $164 million in grants. The largest areas of funding among the top 10 donations were:
- Education: $69.5 million
- Homelessness: $7.5 million
- Jewish Causes: $2.5 million
References
- https://www.fastcompany.com/42202/face-time-michael-dell
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dell
- https://www.onedell.com/our-story/
- https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1571996/000157199626000008/dell-20260130.htm
- https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1571996/000157199625000034/dell-20250131.htm
- https://www.dell.com/en-us/lp/dt/industry-state-and-local-government-contracts
- https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/#overview
- Political Contributions – https://www.opensecrets.org/
- https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/
- https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/
- https://www.azquotes.com/
- https://www.brainyquote.com
- https://www.usaspending.gov/
- https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/