Bill Gates, whose full name is William Henry Gates III, is an American businessman and philanthropist known for being a pioneer of the microcomputer revolution in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1987, at the age of 31, he became the world’s youngest billionaire. Gates co-founded the software company Microsoft in 1975 along with his childhood friend, Paul Allen.
Bill Gates Net Worth
Bill Gates built a huge net worth through his business and smart investments in multiple businesses, and he became the youngest billionaire at the age of 31. According to Forbes, as of February 2026, his net worth stood at US$107.7 billion, making him the 18th-wealthiest businessperson in the world.
Bill Gates' primary income comes from Microsoft, the company's growth, sales of shares, and dividends. The other source of income of Gates comes from multiple other businesses like Investment Firm (Cascade Investment), business Ventures & Partnerships, Book Sales, and public speaking.
Bill Gates Car Collections
He is the owner of multiple cars, such as:
- Porsche 959
- Porsche 911
- Porsche 930 Turbo
- Porsche Taycan
- Ferrari 348
- Jaguar XJ6
Schooling & Higher Education of Bill Gates
At 13, Bill Gates started at Lakeside Prep School, a private institution. He showed an early interest in programming the GE system in BASIC and was excused from math classes to focus on this passion. As his computing skills grew, he briefly attended Harvard in 1973 as a pre-law student, while also taking advanced courses in mathematics and computer science. However, he dropped out during his junior year to co-found Microsoft.
How many languages does Bill Gates speak?
Bill Gates has English, German, and Irish/Scots-Irish ancestry. His father was a prominent lawyer, while his mother served on the boards of directors for First Interstate Banc System and United Way of America. He primarily used the English language for communication in both his personal and professional life.
Family, Marriage, Kids, Divorce, and Partner of Bill Gates
Bill Gates met Melinda French, who had graduated from Duke University and started working at Microsoft about four months prior. After dating for six years, Gates and French became engaged in 1993. They married on January 1, 1994, at the 12th hole of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Manele Golf Course on the Hawaiian island of Lānaʻi.
The Gates family consists of three children: his eldest daughter, Jennifer, who is a paediatrician and a professional show jumper; his son, Rory, who is pursuing a PhD at the Institute of World Politics; and his youngest daughter, Phoebe, who co-founded the digital fashion platform Phia and advocates for women's health and reproductive rights.
On May 3, 2021, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce after over 27 years of marriage, finalising it on August 2, 2021, once their youngest child graduated high school. The financial details remain confidential. By February 2023, Gates was dating Paula Hurd and referred to her as a "serious girlfriend" on the Today show in February 2025, stating he had "moved past the divorce."