Bill Gates is one of the most recognizable names in technology and one of the wealthiest people in the world. The Microsoft co-founder helped revolutionize the personal computer industry and built a business empire that has kept him among the globe’s richest billionaires for decades. Though Gates stepped away from his day-to-day role at Microsoft years ago, he remains active through his investments, philanthropic work and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Learn more about his finances below.
How Did Bill Gates Get Rich?
Bill is the co-founder of Microsoft, which is the world’s largest software company. In 1975, Bill made the bold move of dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft with Paul Allen. In 1985 he became Apple’s biggest competitor with his Windows operating system. During the same time, he developed CD-rom technology. It was in 1987, that he made his mark in the exclusive billionaire’s world, when he became the youngest billionaire ever in America, at the young age of 31, according to CNN. At the time, he was worth $1.25 billion. In 2005, he alongside his wife at the time, Melinda Gates was honored with being Time Magazine‘s “Person of the Year.” In 2008, he retired from his busy role to focus on his passion for philanthropy. He began his own company, called the Gates Foundation, which in 2010 announced that it would donate $10 billion to vaccine research for the next decade. Since 2019, the charity has gone on to generously provide $54.8 billion in grants to those in need.
What Is Bill Gates’ Net Worth?
As of June 2026, Bill’s net worth is $105 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth and Forbes.
Who Is Bill Gates’ Ex-wife?
Melinda met Bill in 1987 while she was a product manager at his company, and he asked her out while the two were in a parking lot. The lovebirds got married in 1994 and they share three children, who are named Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.
In 2021, the couple announced their divorce, and Melinda left her position at the Gates Foundation in 2024. Bill has candidly stated that divorcing Melinda “was the mistake [he] regrets the most.” He said: “The divorce thing was miserable for me and Melinda for at least two years. There is a certain wonderfulness to spending your entire adult life with one person because of the memories and depth of things you have done and having kids together.” Bill said that despite the failures he had in life, he would put their divorce “at the top of the list.” He added: “There are others but none that matter,” as reported by the New York Post.
Divorcing Melinda is my greatest regret — Bill Gate pic.twitter.com/6Yv2yqgH0h
— Naija (@Naija_PR) January 26, 2025
Does Bill Gates Have a Girlfriend Now?
Bill has moved on with his new girlfriend, Paula Hurd, and the relationship was confirmed in February 2023. Paula works as a developer, and she was previously in sales and alliance management, and she studied business in college, per People. She is the widow of Mark Hurd, who was the CEO of Oracle. The former couple invested in their philanthropic goals and launched the Hurd Welcome Center at Baylor University, where Paula attended school. Melinda went on to date entrepreneur Philip Vaughn in October 2024.
Bill Gates has found love with Paula Hurd, widow to former Oracle co-CEO and president, Mark Hurd pic.twitter.com/osws6y70qx
— Naija (@Naija_PR) February 9, 2023
