Bill Gates: Innovator and Global Philanthropist

Bill Gates, The Visionary Ninja of Digital Age and Global Philanthropy

In modern history, few names resonate with such magnitude as Bill Gates. He is a man whose vision is unique and who literally defined business in the early part of the 21st century. He remolded the way in which wealth is supposed to be used to arrive at the world’s most difficult problems. Bill Gates’ journey from an adolescent who was precocious, had a delight for programming, to a figure that would influence the world is a testimony to where a true innovation leads.

The Birth of a Tech Titan

William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. The early capabilities of problem solving by Gates are evident, as well as his continuing interests with computers. Attending Lakeside School, a sort of private preparatory institution, Gates underwent introduction to the world of programming. Gates met with his peer, Paul Allen–one that became a business partner–at Lakeside. They put in countless hours advancing their skills and writing code with visions of future availability of computers at the hands of everyday life.

In 1975, Gates and Allen founded Microsoft, a company that revolutionized the software industry. Their game changer product was a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800-first microcomputer ever introduced. That opened the door to what would become the most influential software company in the world.

In 1985, Windows, ended an era in the tech industry, putting computers within reach of the masses and turning them into something a user can operate easily. Windows and Microsoft Office now serve as a universal common ground from which businesses and homes around the world build their information technology infrastructure. He was now on TV and by the 1990s. Microsoft was a household name.

For years, Gates was known as the world’s richest man, a label most often earned due to business acumen and sheer drive to innovate. There were, however, some problems to pick over. Problems such as antitrust and several suits beseged Microsoft, not to mention accusations that Gates personally is billed with as well aggressive business practices. This notwithstanding, Gates remained focused on his obsession to put “a computer on every desk, in every home.”

A New Chapter: The Gates Foundation

In 2000, Gates, together with his wife, Melinda, formed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation, one of the world’s biggest private charitable organizations, has poured billions of dollars into alleviating world problems such as poverty, education, and public health. The organizations founded by Gates are now said to have turned him to philanthropy rather than technology.

One area where the foundation has excelled is in combating infectious diseases. The Gates Foundation has been one of the prime movers to save millions of lives through initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Gates has also been a staunch proponent of vaccination