History of Bill Gates in Timeline
Bill Gates is an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen. He held various leadership positions at Microsoft, including CEO and chief software architect, and was a key figure in the microcomputer revolution. He remained Microsoft's largest individual shareholder until 2014. Gates is now primarily focused on philanthropic efforts through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
1925: Birth of William H. Gates Sr.
In 1925, William H. Gates Sr., Bill Gates' father, was born.
1929: Birth of Mary Maxwell Gates
In 1929, Mary Maxwell Gates, Bill Gates' mother, was born.
October 28, 1955: Bill Gates' Birth
On October 28, 1955, William Henry Gates III was born in Seattle, Washington.
1970: CCC Went Out of Business
In 1970, Computer Center Corporation (CCC) went out of business, ending the arrangement where Gates found bugs in their software for computer time.
1972: Served as a Congressional Page
In 1972, at the age of 17, Bill Gates served as a congressional page in the House of Representatives.
1973: Graduated from Lakeside School and Enrolled at Harvard
In 1973, Bill Gates graduated from Lakeside School and enrolled at Harvard College in the autumn.
1974: Joined Paul Allen at Honeywell
During the summer of 1974, Bill Gates remained in contact with Paul Allen and joined him at Honeywell.
January 1975: Saw Altair 8800 in Popular Electronics
In January 1975, Bill Gates read the issue of Popular Electronics which demonstrated the Altair 8800, which sparked his interest in developing software for it.
November 1975: Took Leave from Harvard to Work at MITS
In November 1975, Bill Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard to work with Paul Allen at MITS.
1975: Founded Microsoft with Paul Allen
In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
1975: Dropped out of Harvard to Start Microsoft
In 1975, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to start his own computer software company.
1975: Responsibility for Microsoft's Product Strategy
In 1975, Bill Gates had primary responsibility for Microsoft's product strategy from the company's founding.
February 1976: Wrote "An Open Letter to Hobbyists"
In February 1976, Bill Gates wrote "An Open Letter to Hobbyists" expressing his concern about software piracy.
January 1, 1979: Microsoft Moved to Bellevue, Washington
On January 1, 1979, Microsoft moved from Albuquerque to Bellevue, Washington.
July 1980: IBM Approached Microsoft
In July 1980, IBM approached Microsoft regarding software for its upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC.
June 25, 1981: Microsoft Re-incorporation
On June 25, 1981, Microsoft underwent a company restructuring, re-incorporating in Washington state, with Bill Gates becoming the president and chairman of the board.
1981: Reputation for being distant
In 1981, Bill Gates gained a reputation for being distant from others. An industry executive complained that "Gates is notorious for not being reachable by phone and for not returning phone calls."
1983: Paul Allen Left Microsoft
In early 1983, Paul Allen left Microsoft after a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis.
November 20, 1985: Launched Microsoft Windows
On November 20, 1985, Microsoft and Bill Gates launched the first retail version of Microsoft Windows.
1985: Announcement of Microsoft Excel
In 1985, Bill Gates announced Microsoft Excel.
August 1986: Microsoft and IBM Agreed to Develop OS/2
In August 1986, Microsoft struck a deal with IBM to develop a separate operating system called OS/2.
1987: Included in Forbes List
Since 1987, Bill Gates has consistently been included in the Forbes list of the world's top billionaires.
1989: Founded Corbis
In 1989, Bill Gates founded Corbis, a digital imaging company.
1989: Last Code Shipped with Products
In 1989, Bill Gates wrote code that shipped with the company's products for the last time.
1994: Creation of the "William H. Gates Foundation"
In 1994, Bill Gates donated some of his Microsoft stock to create the "William H. Gates Foundation", influenced by the work of Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.
1994: Death of Mary Maxwell Gates
In 1994, Mary Maxwell Gates, Bill Gates' mother, passed away.
1995: Wealthiest Person in the World
From 1995, Bill Gates held the title of the wealthiest person in the world.
1998: Rejection of software industry regulation
In 1998, Bill Gates testified before the United States Senate, rejecting the need for regulation of the software industry.
1998: United States v. Microsoft Case
In 1998, during the United States v. Microsoft case, Bill Gates provided deposition testimony that was characterized by several journalists as evasive, arguing with examiner David Boies over the contextual meaning of words. The judge was later seen laughing and shaking his head when portions of the videotaped deposition were played back in court.
1999: First Centibillionaire
In 1999, Bill Gates became the first centibillionaire when his net worth briefly surpassed US$100 billion.
1999: Donation to MIT for computer laboratory
In 1999, Bill Gates donated $20 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the construction of the "William H. Gates Building", a computer laboratory designed by Frank Gehry.
January 2000: Stepped Down as CEO of Microsoft
In January 2000, Bill Gates stepped down as CEO of Microsoft, being succeeded by Steve Ballmer.
2000: Establishment of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
In 2000, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda combined three family foundations to create the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, donating stock valued at $5 billion.
2000: Steve Ballmer as Microsoft's CEO
In 2000, Steve Ballmer succeeded Bill Gates as Microsoft's CEO.
2004: Joined Berkshire Hathaway Board
In 2004, Bill Gates became a board member of Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company headed by his long-time friend Warren Buffett.
June 2006: Announced Transition Out of Microsoft
In June 2006, Bill Gates announced that he would transition out of his role at Microsoft to dedicate more time to philanthropy.
2006: Salary and Bonus from Microsoft
In 2006, Bill Gates received a salary of US$616,667 and a bonus of US$350,000 from Microsoft, totaling US$966,667.
2006: Responsibility for Microsoft's Product Strategy
Until 2006, Bill Gates had primary responsibility for Microsoft's product strategy from the company's founding in 1975.
2007: Criticism for Foundation's Investment Practices
In 2007, The Los Angeles Times criticized the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for investing in companies accused of worsening poverty and pollution.
June 2008: Transition to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
In June 2008, Bill Gates transitioned to part-time at Microsoft and full-time at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
June 27, 2008: Completed Transition Out of Microsoft
On June 27, 2008, Bill Gates completed the transition out of his role at Microsoft.
2008: Not Wealthiest Person in the World
In 2008, Bill Gates was not the wealthiest person in the world.
2009: Opening of the Gates Center for Computer Science
In 2009, the Gates Center for Computer Science, funded by a $20 million donation from Bill Gates through his foundation, opened at Carnegie Mellon University.
December 9, 2010: Signing of the "Giving Pledge"
On December 9, 2010, Bill and Melinda Gates, along with Warren Buffett, signed the "Giving Pledge", committing to donate at least half of their wealth to charity over time.
2010: Not Wealthiest Person in the World
From 2010, Bill Gates was not the wealthiest person in the world.
2010: Founded the Giving Pledge
In 2010, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett founded the Giving Pledge, encouraging billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to philanthropy.
2011: Emphasis on sustainable energy
In 2011, Bill Gates expressed that he would prioritize ensuring environmentally friendly and affordable energy over picking the next 10 presidents.
2011: Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein Started
In 2011, Bill Gates's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein started, just a few years after Epstein was convicted for procuring a child for prostitution. Gates said about Epstein: "His lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing although it would not work for me".
March 2013: Meeting with Thorbjørn Jagland and Jeffrey Epstein
In March 2013, Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Gates met with Nobel Committee chair Thorbjørn Jagland at his residence in Strasbourg, France, to discuss the Nobel Prize.
October 2013: International Peace Institute Grant
In October 2013, representatives of the International Peace Institute, which has received millions in grants from the Gates Foundation, including a $2.5 million "community engagement" grant, were in attendance with Gates and Epstein discussing the Nobel Prize.
2013: Recognition as world's largest charitable foundation
In 2013, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was recognized as the world's largest charitable foundation, with assets valued at over $34.6 billion.
2013: Visit to Epstein's house with his wife
In the fall of 2013, Bill Gates visited Jeffrey Epstein's house with his wife, despite her declared discomfort.
2013: Not Wealthiest Person in the World
Until 2013, Bill Gates was not the wealthiest person in the world.
February 5, 2014: Left the Chair of the Firm
On February 5, 2014, Bill Gates left the chair of the firm to John W. Thompson.
February 2014: Became Technology Advisor
In February 2014, Bill Gates stepped down as chairman of Microsoft to become technology advisor to support newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella.
February 2014: Stepped Down as Chairman of Microsoft
In February 2014, Gates stepped down as chairman of the Microsoft board and became technology advisor to CEO Satya Nadella.
March 2014: Interview in Rolling Stone
In March 2014, Bill Gates provided his perspective on various issues in an interview published in Rolling Stone magazine.
May 2014: Gates No Longer Largest Individual Shareholder
In May 2014, Bill Gates ceased to be the largest individual shareholder in Microsoft.
2014: Steve Ballmer Resigned
In 2014, Steve Ballmer resigned as Microsoft's CEO.
March 2015: Endorsement of "Superintelligence" and pandemic warning at TED conference
In March 2015, at the TED conference, Bill Gates recommended Nick Bostrom's "Superintelligence" and warned that the world was unprepared for a future pandemic.
2015: Writing on energy system transition
In 2015, Bill Gates wrote about the challenge of transitioning the global energy system from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, emphasizing the need for increased government funding and private investment.
2015: Announcement of climate change initiatives
In 2015, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, Bill Gates spearheaded Mission Innovation and Breakthrough Energy, committing $1 billion to clean energy startups.
2017: Wealthiest Person in the World
Until 2017, Bill Gates held the title of the wealthiest person in the world.
March 2018: Meeting with Mohammed bin Salman
In March 2018, Bill Gates met with Mohammed bin Salman in Seattle to explore investment opportunities for Saudi Vision 2030.
October 2018: Death of Paul Allen
In October 2018, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and long-time friend of Bill Gates, passed away.
June 2019: Admission of mobile OS mistake
In June 2019, Bill Gates stated that losing the mobile operating system race to Android was his biggest mistake, partially blaming antitrust litigation.
2019: Cameo on Silicon Valley
In 2019, Bill Gates appeared in a cameo role on the series finale of Silicon Valley.
2019: Divestment from fossil fuels
In 2019, Bill Gates began to divest from fossil fuels due to climate concerns.
2019: Began Convincing Joe Manchin to Support Climate Bill
In 2019, Bill Gates began trying to convince Joe Manchin to support a climate bill.
2019: Gates denies connection between Epstein and Gates Foundation
In 2019, Bill Gates completely denied any connection between Jeffrey Epstein and the Gates Foundation or his philanthropy generally.
2019: New York Times article on Jeffrey Epstein Relationship
In 2019, a New York Times article reported that Bill Gates's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein started in 2011 and continued for some years.
March 2020: Resignation from board positions
In March 2020, Bill Gates announced his departure from the board positions at Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft to dedicate himself to philanthropic activities.
March 2020: Left Board Positions
In March 2020, Bill Gates left his board positions at Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway to focus on philanthropic efforts.
November 2020: Advocacy for COVID-19 mask normalization
In November 2020, Bill Gates advocated for the normalization of COVID-19 masks.
December 8, 2020: Fireside chat at Singapore FinTech Festival
On December 8, 2020, Bill Gates participated in a fireside chat at the Singapore FinTech Festival, discussing "Building Infrastructure for Resilience: What the COVID-19 Response Can Teach Us About How to Scale Financial Inclusion".
December 2020: Call for clean energy research institutes
In December 2020, Bill Gates urged the U.S. federal government to establish institutes for clean energy research, similar to the National Institutes of Health.
2020: Donald Trump's Social Media Ban
In 2020 Donald Trump was banned from Social Media after the United States Presidential Election
2020: Death of William H. Gates Sr.
In 2020, William H. Gates Sr., Bill Gates' father, passed away.
2020: Establishment of COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator
In 2020, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation established the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator to expedite the development of drugs and biologics for COVID-19 treatment.
February 2021: Collaboration with Anthony Fauci
As of February 2021, Bill Gates and Anthony Fauci were frequently collaborating on vaccines and medical innovations to combat the pandemic.
February 18, 2021: Statement on Donald Trump's social media ban
On February 18, 2021, Bill Gates commented that a permanent ban of Donald Trump from social media platforms would be a "shame" and could cause polarization.
April 2021: Criticism over COVID-19 vaccine patents
In April 2021, Bill Gates faced criticism for suggesting pharmaceutical companies should hold onto patents for COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, raising concerns about vaccine access for poorer nations.
May 2021: Reported reason for stepping down from Microsoft board
In May 2021, it was reported that Bill Gates stepped down from Microsoft's board before the completion of an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct.
June 2021: Announcement of first sodium nuclear reactor in Wyoming
In June 2021, Bill Gates's company TerraPower and Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp announced the first sodium nuclear reactor in Wyoming.
August 2021: Meetings with Epstein was a mistake
In August 2021, Bill Gates said the reason he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein was because Gates hoped Epstein could provide money for philanthropic work, though nothing came of the idea. Gates added, "It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there."
2022: Support for the Inflation Reduction Act
In 2022, Bill Gates supported the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and had worked to convince Joe Manchin to support a climate bill since 2019.
2022: "Solving for Zero" series inspired by Gates's book
In 2022, the educational streamer Wondrium produced "Solving for Zero: The Search for Climate Innovation", a series inspired by Bill Gates's book "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster".
May 6, 2023: Honorary Doctorate and Commencement Address at Northern Arizona University
On May 6, 2023, Bill Gates gave a commencement address at Northern Arizona University, where he was also bestowed an honorary doctorate and gave further insights on climate change.
2023: Interview on BBC Two
In 2023, Bill Gates was the interviewee in an episode of the Amol Rajan Interviews series on BBC Two, and was the subject of an episode of the UK Channel 4 series The Billionaires Who Made Our World.
2023: Epstein threatened to expose alleged affair
In 2023, it was reported that Jeffrey Epstein threatened to expose an alleged affair Bill Gates had with a Russian bridge player.
October 2024: Donation to Future Forward USA Action
In October 2024, The New York Times reported that Bill Gates donated $50 million to Future Forward USA Action, a group supporting Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential campaign.
2025: Total Charitable Donations Reach $100 Billion
In 2025, Bill Gates stated in an interview with the BBC that his charitable donations have totalled $100 billion, with $60 billion going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
