Trivia

Has a measured IQ of 160, signifying genius intelligence.

His personal wealth exceeds the Gross National Product (GNP) of some Third World countries.

Given his current estimated net worth of $79,200,000,000, Bill has made an average of ~$41.80 every second of his life. (September 28, 2015)

His company Microsoft went public on 28 October 1985, his 30th birthday.

As of 2005, his personal fortune was in excess of $46 billion.

Has three children: Jennifer Katharine Gates (26 April 1996), son Rory John Gates (23 May 1999), and Phoebe Adele Gates (14 September 2002).

Became a billionaire (US dollars) at age 31, making him the youngest self-made billionaire at that time.

He and his wife Melinda Gates were both awarded the 2010 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding.

Has endowed a foundation that has given several billion dollars to various charitable and educational projects.

Made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II on March 2, 2005. Because he is not a British citizen, he may not use the title Sir, but is allowed to put KBE after his name.

His father was friends with Wilbert Saunders (1908-2006), who founded World Concern with Jim McCoy. At first, the company started as a small business called Medicinces for Missions, then was renamed World Concern in 1973. Gates attended Wilbert Saunders' funeral.

Bill and Melinda were married in Lanai (Hawaii) where the 100+ guests included Warren Buffett, Katharine Graham, Paul Allen and Craig McCaw. Singer-songwriter Willie Nelson entertained the guests at the wedding reception.

Has been the richest man in the world consistently every year since 1998 except for 2010 and 2011, when he was surpassed by Carlos Slim Helu. Bill was again ranked the richest man in the world for 2012.

Derided by critics as "Chairman Bill" after Chinese Communist leader Zedong Mao, who was popularly known as "Chairman Mao". In a March 2002 poll of over 1,600 teenagers in Hong Kong and mainland China by researchers at the City University of Hong Kong, Gates outranked Mao as the person they idolized the most.

Forbes magazine estimated Microsoft chief's net worth at $53 billion, making him the world's richest American. His friend Warren Buffett came in second place with a net worth fortune estimated at $47 billion. (February 2010)

On February 4, 2016, he stepped down as chairman of the board and became a technology advisor to CEO Satya Nadella and other Microsoft leaders. He resigned from the company's board of directors on March 13, 2020.

Dropped out of Harvard University to devote himself full-time to Microsoft (1975).

Mentioned in the song "High School Never Ends by Bowling for Soup, as "captain of the chess team".

Purchased the Lost on the Grand Banks oil painting and was bought in 1998 for a record US $36 million.

In 1977, he was arrested for driving without a license and not stopping at a stop sign.

As of March 2006, the 12th year in a row as #1 on Forbes magazine's list of the World's Richest People, with a net worth exceeding $50 billion (US).

Purchased a Bombardier BD-700 private jet for $40 million.

Owns a 1988 Porsche 959 Coupe, only 337 cars of this type were ever made in the world.

His net worth as of November 2016 is 81.1 billion. Pledged to donated 95% of his net worth to charity.

While at Harvard University, he read an article from the magazine Popular Electronics about Altair minicomputer which convinced him to drop out and co-found Microsoft corporation.

Owns a Porsche 911 Carrera valued at $149,720.00. Purchased the all-electric Porsche Taycon in 2020.

Purchased the Codex Leicester written by Leonardo da Vinci for $30.8 million, which documents various scientific findings and writings that he conducted and discovered over the course of his lifetime.

His home in Wellington, Florida cost $13.5 million, four bathrooms and four bedrooms, three acres of horse tracks and a horse arena to hold shows.

His 66,000 square foot mansion has a lake front view, has seven bedrooms, 24 bathrooms including 10 full bathrooms, cost $63 million and seven years to build.

His horse ranch in Rancho Paseana San Diego cost $18 million, is 228 acres property has a racetrack, hundreds of horse stalls and two guest homes.

Is rumored to own the island Grand Boyue Caye, Belize.

Counts Eddie Izzard as one of his favorite comedians.

Business extraordinaire Warren Buffett took him under Buffet's wing, when Gates was age 35.

His father Bill Gates Sr. served in the United States Army in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. A prominent attorney in the Seattle area, he was the managing director of the Gates Foundation.

He and his wife Melinda Gates were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama on November 16, 2016 in a White House ceremony for their philanthropic endeavors.

For the launch of his "Microsoft Windows 95", he paid The Rolling Stones a reported $3 million for permission to use their song "Start Me Up" in the television commercials.

Was on the Time 100, a list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, as well as a list of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine (2004, 2005 and 2006).

He was awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria on June 3, 2025 for battling poverty in Africa.

Was portrayed by Anthony Michael Hall in the television movie Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999).

Named his mansion Xanadu, which was inspired from the movie Citizen Kane (1941).

His #1 competitor is Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs.