Bill Gates
Co-founder of Microsoft
Quick Facts
- Born
- 1955, Seattle, Washington
- Company
- Microsoft
- Microsoft founded
- 1975
- Industry
- Technology
- Known for
- Co-founding Microsoft
- Co-founder
- Paul Allen, his school friend
- Big product
- Windows, on most of the world's PCs
- Now focuses on
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Early Life
Bill Gates was born in 1955 in Seattle, Washington. As a teenager he fell in love with computers, which were rare and expensive back then, nothing like the laptop or phone you might use today. His school had access to a computer, and Bill spent hour after hour learning to program it.
He got good. Really good. While most kids his age had barely seen a computer, Bill was already writing software and figuring out what these machines could be told to do.
Starting Microsoft
Bill went off to Harvard, one of the best universities in the country. But he kept thinking about computers, and he and his friend Paul Allen believed something big was coming. They thought one day there'd be a computer on every desk, in every home, and someone would need to write the software to run them.
So in 1975, Bill and Paul co-founded Microsoft. Bill made a bold choice and left Harvard to give the company his full attention. He was around twenty years old, betting his future on machines most people had never even touched.
Windows Takes Over
Microsoft's first big break came when the giant computer company IBM needed an operating system, the basic software that makes a computer work. Microsoft gave them MS-DOS. That deal put Microsoft's software inside loads of computers and turned a small startup into a company everyone in the industry knew.
Then came Windows, with its clickable pictures and menus that made computers far easier to use. Windows ended up running on most of the world's personal computers. As Microsoft grew into one of the most valuable companies on Earth, Bill became the richest person in the world, and he stayed at the top of that list for years.
Giving It Away
After decades of running Microsoft, Bill stepped back from the day-to-day work. He'd already made more money than almost anyone in history, and he decided to spend the rest of his life giving most of it away.
He started the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which puts huge sums toward fighting disease and poverty around the world. The foundation works on problems like malaria, polio, and clean drinking water, the kinds of things that help millions of people live longer, healthier lives.
What Bill Teaches Us
Bill found something he loved as a kid and chased it for everything it was worth. That early obsession with programming, all those hours at his school's computer, became the foundation for one of the biggest companies ever built.
He also showed that being successful is only half the story. Once he had more money than he could ever use, the question became what to do with it, and Bill chose to spend it on helping people who needed it most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Microsoft?
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and his friend Paul Allen. The two had known each other since school and shared a belief that computers would one day be in homes everywhere. Bill Gates went on to lead the company for decades.
How old was Bill Gates when he started Microsoft?
Bill Gates was around twenty years old when he co-founded Microsoft in 1975. He was a student at Harvard at the time, and he left to focus on the new company full time.
How did Bill Gates start Microsoft?
Bill Gates started Microsoft in 1975 with his friend Paul Allen because they believed personal computers were about to become common and would need software to run them. A major early step was making the MS-DOS operating system for IBM, which spread Microsoft's software to computers everywhere.
What did Bill Gates invent?
Bill Gates is best known for the software his company Microsoft created, including the MS-DOS operating system and later Windows. He was a skilled programmer himself, and he built the company that made these programs run on most of the world's personal computers.
Is Bill Gates the richest person in the world?
Bill Gates was the richest person in the world for many years. He has since given away enormous amounts of money through his foundation, so others have passed him, but he remains one of the wealthiest people alive.
Did Bill Gates drop out of college?
Yes. Bill Gates was a student at Harvard University when he left to focus on building Microsoft in the 1970s. He decided the chance to start the company was worth more than finishing his degree.
What is Windows?
Windows is an operating system made by Microsoft, which is the basic software that lets a computer run programs and lets you control it. It uses clickable pictures and menus to make computers easier to use. For many years it ran on most of the world's personal computers.
Where was Bill Gates born?
Bill Gates was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1955. He grew up there and went to a school that gave him early access to a computer, which is where he learned to program.
What does the Gates Foundation do?
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gives away huge sums of money to fight disease and poverty around the world. It works on problems like malaria, polio, and access to clean water, helping millions of people live healthier lives.
How did Bill Gates make his money?
Bill Gates made his money through Microsoft, the software company he co-founded in 1975. As Microsoft's software like MS-DOS and Windows spread to computers across the world, the company became hugely valuable, and Bill's share of it made him the richest person in the world for years.
More Founders to Explore
Inspire Your Children with Stories That Matter
Help your children learn valuable lessons from the journeys of successful founders like Bill Gates.