Bill Gates Biography: Microsoft Co-Founder

Bill Gates Biography Summary

Profile

Some lives are defined by a single act: building something new. Others are defined by what happens after the building is done.

This one spans both arcs. It begins with early access to computers and a choice to bet on software at the moment personal computing started to open up.

It continues with a second act that moved into philanthropy and energy innovation, with public commitments that aimed to scale giving and narrow long-term global risks.

Origins

He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. The early setting matters because Seattle became both a home base and a place where school and civic networks shaped the next steps.

Family background was rooted in law and public service. His father was attorney William H. Gates Sr., and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, was a schoolteacher and civic leader who served as a University of Washington regent and chaired United Way International.

Those details do not explain a career on their own, but they show a pattern that appears again later. Institutions, boards, and public-facing roles were part of the family world long before Microsoft existed.

• Born and raised in Seattle, Washington
• Father: William H. Gates Sr., an attorney
• Mother: Mary Maxwell Gates, an educator and civic leader

Early Growth

The first decisive turn came in school, when computers entered the picture early. At Lakeside School in Seattle, access to computing and programming became a core formative influence.

That environment also created the partnership that would define the next decades. At Lakeside, he met Paul Allen, who became a key collaborator and later the co-founder of Microsoft.

From there, the path moved from interest to action. Programming was no longer a hobby; it was the skill that pointed toward software as a business.

• Attended Lakeside School in Seattle, where early exposure to computing supported serious programming work
• Met Paul Allen at Lakeside, forming an early partnership that later became central to Microsoft
• Attended Harvard University and later left before graduating to pursue the software company that became Microsoft

Breakthrough

In 1975, a clear bet was placed on software. He and Paul Allen founded Microsoft on April 4, 1975, at a time when the personal computer was moving from a fringe idea toward a new market.

The company’s growth tracked the broader rise of the PC itself. As personal computing spread, Microsoft positioned itself to provide foundational software products that could run on large numbers of machines.

In 1986, the momentum reached a public milestone. Microsoft’s IPO took place on March 13, 1986, formalizing the company’s transformation into a major corporate force.

• 1975: Microsoft founded by him and Paul Allen
• 1986: Microsoft IPO
• Served as CEO for decades during Microsoft’s major expansion in the personal-computer era

Challenges

Dominance creates attention, and attention brings scrutiny. As Microsoft grew into a defining software company, its market position became a legal and political issue, not just a business story.

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice and state attorneys general filed an antitrust case against Microsoft. The dispute moved through the courts, with a major appellate decision in 2001 and a final judgment entered in 2002.

The stakes were large because the case put the company’s conduct and power under a national spotlight. It also placed the most visible leader of the company era inside a public legal narrative that remains a key part of Microsoft’s history.

• 1998: DOJ and states filed U.S. v. Microsoft (antitrust)
• 2001: Court of Appeals decision in the case
• 2002: Final judgment entered

Reinvention

Another turning point arrived in leadership and time. In 2000, he stepped down as CEO, and Steve Ballmer became CEO, marking a long shift away from running the company day to day.

The transition continued in public steps. In 2006, Microsoft announced a plan for him to transition out of the day-to-day role by 2008 in order to focus more on philanthropy, while keeping a continuing relationship with the company.

By 2008, the Gates Foundation describes the change as full time. The focus moved to foundation work, with the foundation becoming the primary stage for his public role.

• 2000: Stepped down as CEO; Steve Ballmer became CEO
• 2006: Microsoft announced a transition plan to step back from day-to-day work by 2008
• 2008: Transitioned to focus full time on the Gates Foundation

Where It Stands

The later story becomes less about a single company and more about a portfolio of public commitments. The Gates Foundation identifies him as chair, and its public materials describe large-scale work across major philanthropic priorities.

In 2010, a high-visibility effort extended that philanthropic push into a broader movement. Alongside Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett, he helped launch the Giving Pledge, encouraging wealthy individuals to commit substantial portions of wealth to charitable giving.

At the same time, the work expanded into climate and energy innovation. The foundation bio describes him as founder of Breakthrough Energy, and TerraPower identifies him as founder and chairman.

• Chair of the Gates Foundation
• Co-founded the Giving Pledge (2010) with Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett
• Founder of Breakthrough Energy
• Founder and chairman of TerraPower

Stepping Away From Boards

Even while focusing on philanthropy, the formal ties to major institutions continued for years. Over time, those ties were narrowed, and public announcements marked specific shifts.

In 2020, Microsoft announced a board change: he stepped down from the Microsoft Board of Directors to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities and climate work. Microsoft also stated he would continue as Technology Advisor.

That same year, an SEC filing indicated he would retire from Berkshire Hathaway’s board at the 2020 annual meeting. These moves reflected a clear pattern: fewer corporate governance roles, more time allocated to foundation and climate-related work.

• 2020: Stepped down from Microsoft’s board; continued as Technology Advisor
• 2020: SEC filing indicated retirement from Berkshire Hathaway’s board at the 2020 annual meeting

Books And Public Arguments

Another part of the later phase is public writing. Rather than operating only through institutions, he published books that framed issues for a general audience.

Publisher listings include books focused on climate and pandemic preparedness, including How to Avoid a Climate Disaster and How to Prevent the Next Pandemic. The same author listings also include Source Code among the published works.

These titles matter in the narrative because they show how the platform changed. The voice shifted from software strategy to wide public problems that sit at the scale of nations and systems.

• How to Avoid a Climate Disaster
• How to Prevent the Next Pandemic
• Source Code

Public Honors

Recognition followed both the technology era and the philanthropic era. The awards list is notable because it spans different countries and different types of service.

In 1992, he received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Later honors include an honorary KBE from the United Kingdom, India’s Padma Bhushan in 2015, and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

These awards do not describe the full career, but they show how widely the public impact was perceived, across both business innovation and philanthropic scale.

• 1992: National Medal of Technology and Innovation (U.S.)
• Honorary KBE (United Kingdom)
• 2015: Padma Bhushan (India)
• 2016: Presidential Medal of Freedom (U.S.)

Personal Life

The personal timeline is public in broad strokes, not in private detail. What is documented is the family structure and key life events that entered the public record.

He married Melinda French in 1994. The couple announced their divorce in 2021, and biographical coverage commonly notes they have three children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.

The Gates Foundation bio also notes the family includes grandchildren. Beyond these widely documented points, the public record in the provided sources does not support further private specifics.

• 1994: Married Melinda French
• 2021: Divorce announced
• Three children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe

Major Turning Points

Not every year marks a clean turning point. Still, a small set of choices clearly shifted the direction of the story and changed what came next.

Each turning point has a cause and an outcome. A new opportunity appears, a decision is made, and the consequence becomes the next chapter.

Here are the major moments that most clearly redirected the path.

• Early access to computing at Lakeside: programming became a serious skill, not a passing interest.
• Meeting Paul Allen: a partnership formed that later became the foundation of Microsoft.
• Leaving Harvard: education gave way to a bet on building a software company.
• Founding Microsoft in 1975: the company aligned with the rise of the personal computer.
• Microsoft IPO in 1986: a private venture became a public company with global reach.
• Antitrust case in 1998: growth brought legal pressure that became a defining challenge of the era.
• CEO transition in 2000: leadership shifted, opening a long move away from daily management.
• Planned step-back announced in 2006: the public plan pointed toward philanthropy as the next primary focus.
• Full-time foundation focus in 2008: the center of gravity moved from Microsoft to the Gates Foundation.
• Board departures in 2020: formal corporate governance roles narrowed, while philanthropic and climate work expanded.

Timeline

Big stories can feel abstract without a steady timeline. The milestones below track the major documented changes across business, philanthropy, and public life.

Only the year is shown in each marker. Each entry reflects a milestone documented in the provided sources.

The list is not meant to capture every detail. It highlights the steps that changed what came next.

1955

Born in Seattle, Washington.

1975

Co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen.

1986

Microsoft held its initial public offering.

1992

Received the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

1994

Married Melinda French.

1998

The U.S. Department of Justice and state attorneys general filed an antitrust case against Microsoft.

2000

Stepped down as CEO; Steve Ballmer became CEO.

2001

The Court of Appeals issued its opinion in U.S. v. Microsoft.

2002

A final judgment was entered in U.S. v. Microsoft.

2006

Microsoft announced a plan to transition out of the day-to-day role by 2008 to focus more on philanthropy.

2008

Transitioned to focus full time on the Gates Foundation.

2010

Helped launch the Giving Pledge with Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett.

2015

Listed as a Padma Bhushan awardee by the Government of India.

2016

Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

2020

Stepped down from Microsoft’s Board of Directors and continued as Technology Advisor.

2020

An SEC filing indicated retirement from Berkshire Hathaway’s board at the 2020 annual meeting.

2021

Divorce announced.

2025

The Gates Foundation publicly described a plan to spend down and close in 2045.

FAQs

When a detail is not reliably documented in the provided sources, it is stated plainly.

Question: Who is Bill Gates?

Answer: Bill Gates is an American technology leader best known for co-founding Microsoft. He later became a major philanthropist and is chair of the Gates Foundation. He’s also written several books on technology, health, and climate.

Question: When and where was Bill Gates born?

Answer: He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. That’s the consistently documented birthplace and date across major references.

Question: What is Bill Gates best known for?

Answer: He’s best known for co-founding Microsoft and helping shape the modern personal-computer software era. In later decades, he became equally known for large-scale philanthropic work through the Gates Foundation.

Question: Did Bill Gates finish college?

Answer: No. He attended Harvard University but left before graduating to pursue Microsoft.

Question: Who did Bill Gates start Microsoft with?

Answer: He co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen. Allen was an early collaborator from Gates’ school years and became a foundational partner in Microsoft’s launch.

Question: When was Microsoft founded?

Answer: Microsoft was founded in 1975. Some authoritative references give the specific date as April 4, 1975.

Question: Was Bill Gates the CEO of Microsoft?

Answer: Yes. He served as Microsoft’s CEO for many years and later stepped down, with Steve Ballmer becoming CEO in 2000.

Question: Is Bill Gates still involved with Microsoft?

Answer: He stepped down from Microsoft’s board in 2020. He has continued to be described by Microsoft as a Technology Advisor after leaving the board.

Question: What is the Gates Foundation?

Answer: The Gates Foundation is a major philanthropic organization focused on areas like global health, development, and education. Bill Gates serves as its chair.

Question: Did Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates divorce?

Answer: Yes. They publicly announced their divorce in 2021 after being married since 1994.

Question: How many children does Bill Gates have?

Answer: He has three children. Their names are widely published in mainstream biographical coverage.

Question: What are Bill Gates’ main philanthropic goals?

Answer: His public philanthropic focus has centered on global health, development, and education, along with climate-related work in more recent years. The exact priorities are described in the Gates Foundation’s public materials and his published writings.

Question: What is the Giving Pledge and what is Gates’ role in it?

Answer: The Giving Pledge is a commitment campaign encouraging wealthy individuals to donate a substantial portion of their wealth to philanthropy. Bill Gates is one of its co-founders.

Question: What major legal dispute is most associated with Gates’ Microsoft era?

Answer: The most documented dispute is the U.S. antitrust case against Microsoft filed in 1998. The case produced major court rulings and a final judgment in the early 2000s.

Question: What awards has Bill Gates received?

Answer: Documented honors include the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has also been listed for major international honors, including India’s Padma Bhushan.

Question: Did Bill Gates receive an honorary knighthood?

Answer: Yes, he received an honorary knighthood from the United Kingdom (an honorary KBE). This is widely documented in reputable institutional coverage.

Question: What books has Bill Gates written?

Answer: He has written multiple books, including titles focused on climate and pandemic preparedness. His author bibliography is publicly listed by his publisher.

Question: What is Bill Gates’ connection to climate work?

Answer: He has publicly emphasized climate as a major priority, including writing a book on climate solutions and supporting energy innovation initiatives. He has also been linked to organizations and projects aimed at low-carbon energy.

Question: What is TerraPower and what is Gates’ role?

Answer: TerraPower is an energy innovation company associated with nuclear technology development. Gates has been publicly described as its founder and chairman.

Question: Has Bill Gates said anything about giving away his wealth?

Answer: Yes. He has publicly stated intentions to give away the vast majority of his wealth and has described plans to accelerate philanthropic spending over time.

Question: Will the Gates Foundation close someday?

Answer: Yes. Public statements describe a plan for the foundation to close in 2045, following an accelerated period of charitable giving.

 

Quotes

I have listed a few quotes below, and there are many more from Bill Gates. You can go through them from the link below.

“It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”

“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.”

“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”

“I think it’s fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we’ve ever created. They’re tools of communication, they’re tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user.”

“I believe in innovation and that the way you get innovation is you fund research and you learn the basic facts.”

 

 

Sources:

• Biography.com: Bill Gates biography
• Britannica: Bill Gates, Microsoft Corporation
• Gates Foundation: Bill Gates leadership bio
• Giving Pledge: Giving Pledge overview
• Microsoft News Center: Ballmer named CEO, Change board directors
• Obama White House Archives: Medal of Freedom list
• Penguin Random House: Bill Gates author page, Avoid climate disaster, Prevent next pandemic
• Press Information Bureau India: Padma Awards 2015
• TerraPower: About TerraPower
• Image Attribution: commons.wikimedia.org – Bill Gates, commons.wikimedia.org – Microsoft Building