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Bill Gates

  • Birth

    Bill Gates is born and raised in Seattle
  • Early Education

    Bill Gates begins to show his talent around computers and is brought in to develop a computerized school schedule for his high school.
  • College Years

    Bill Gates attends Harvard intending to be a lawyer but switches directions to work with math and computers.
  • Begining of a Career

    Gates contacts MITS, the creators of one of the first PC's. He eventually arrives at a deal which results in him leaving school.
  • Microsoft

    Gates and his friend Paul Allen copyright the name "Microsoft"
  • Gaining Traction

    Microsoft's sales exceed 1 million dollars for the first time, a great achievement for a small company.
  • Moving Day

    Gates re-locates Microsoft from New Mexico to Washington, outside of Seattle where Gates was raised.
  • Allen Leaves

    Gates friend and business partner Paul Allen is forced to step down from the company after developing Hodgkin's disease.
  • Big Time

    Microsoft goes public for the first time
  • Rich Kid

    Gates becomes the youngest billionaire ever at the age of 31, an impressive feat.
  • Investigation

    Gates and Microsoft are suspected of colluding with IBM. The FTC investigates.
  • Family Man

    Gates and wife Malinda French marry and have three children.
  • Big Fish

    Gates officially becomes the wealthiest man in the world with a fortune of almost 13 million dollars.
  • Author

    Gates releases his second best selling book.
  • Backing Away

    Gates steps down as Microsoft CEO, but remains on board as a software architect.
  • Graduation

    Gates graduates from Harvard.