From PCs to vaccines, Forbes has followed Bill Gates’ long, incredible career from the beginning, and the world’s richest problem solver doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. In 1975 few would have ventured that Gates’ fledgling startup Microsoft would transform the PC software industry and make Gates the world’s richest person in the process, but few have Gates’ uncanny knack for identifying and profiting from technological trends. Gates didn’t slow down after building his Microsoft empire though. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation he has since directed his keen business acumen and problem-solving prowess to a new mission: eradicating malaria, measles, AIDS, hepatitis B and an array of other communicable diseases. But the Gateses don’t just dole out dollars. True to the Microsoft visionary’s nature, the foundation seeks to find innovative ways to solve the world’s problems—like creating its own malaria vaccines instead of simply buying them. In chronicling Gates’ storied career from Microsoft’s early days to his wild successes as a philanthropist, Forbes has encountered an enduring theme: Doubt Bill Gates at your own risk.
