Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, turning it into one of the most successful companies in history. From 1995 to 2009, he was ranked as the wealthiest person in the world by Forbes.
In high school, Gates hacked into the school’s computer system to ensure there were more girls than boys in his classes.
Gates learned to program on a Teletype Model 33 ASR computer, which was purchased by his high school’s Mothers Club with proceeds from a garage sale.
Gates married Melinda in 1994, but they separated in 2021 after 27 years together. They have three children: daughters Phoebe and Jennifer, and son Rory.
Gates was often compared to Steve Jobs, a rival during the early days of the tech industry.