In this article, we will look at the journey of Harvard dropout, billionaire entrepreneur turned philanthropist Bill Gates. As of January 22, 2025, Gates’ net worth stands at $106.5 billion, ranking 15th in the world’s richest people list, according to Forbes. Albeit the journey to fame is not as easy as it looks, it took Gates a lot of perseverance and discipline to create a massive amount of wealth, which he now largely donates to his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.
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Gates entered Harvard in 1973 but dropped out in 1975 to pursue his entrepreneurial ambition. Along with his childhood friend Paul Allen, Gates co-founded Microsoft (MSFT) in 1975 to capitalize on the then-sparked personal computer frenzy. Gates stepped down from the CEO role at Microsoft in 2000 to give his full attention to his charitable foundation. As of date, he owns roughly 1% of MSFT stock, worth roughly $12.46 billion.
Gates’ Pathway to Becoming a Billionaire
Gates made it to the Forbes list of World’s Billionaires in 1987, hailed as the youngest American self-made billionaire. He retained the throne of the world’s richest man in 1995, 1996, 1998 to 2007, 2009, and 2014 to 2017. Bill Gates also owns the title of becoming the first person on earth to cross a net worth of $100 billion in 1999, and the person to earn the number one spot the maximum times (16) to date.
Bill Gates’ Wealth Timeline
- 1987 – $1.25 billion
- 1990 – $2.5 billion
- 1995 – $14.8 billion
- 1997 – $36.4 billion
- 1998 – $51 billion
- 1999 – $90 billion
- 2000 – $60 billion
- 2007 – $56 billion
- 2009 – $40 billion
- 2014 – $76 billion
- 2017 – $86 billion
- 2020 – $98 billion
- 2021 – $124 billion
- 2023 – $104 billion
- 2024 – $128 billion
Gates Turns to Philanthropy
After amassing tons of money and realizing that nothing is worth more than family and friends, Gates pledged to donate 99.96% of his wealth to the greater good through his charitable trust. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was started by Gates and his now ex-wife Melinda Gates in 2000. The sudden drop in Gates’ wealth in 2000 is attributable to his large stake sale of Microsoft shares to fund the Trust.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Trust is known to be one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world. The husband-wife duo has donated roughly $60 billion to the trust to date, with the aim to promote equitable education and healthcare and eradicate poverty.
Gates’ Other Endeavors and Passions
A majority of Gates’ other wealth is invested in various businesses through his family-owned office, known as Cascade Investment LLC. The billionaire investor also has a fancy for wheels and flying, real estate, and collecting rare collectibles. Gates owns a couple of private jets, including Bombardier, and some of the fanciest cars on the planet.
Through Cascade Investment, Gates has invested in a diverse range of companies, including Warren Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B), Deere & Co. (DE), Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, Canadian National Railway (CNI), and others.
Ending Thoughts
Bill Gates’ journey from being the youngest self-made billionaire to a mega philanthropist is truly inspirational. The billionaire continues to strike a balance between his commercial investments and charitable contributions. As the billionaire rightly said and implemented in his life, “The belief that the world is getting worse, that we can’t solve extreme poverty and disease, isn’t just mistaken. It’s harmful.”
