Why Didn't the Inventor of the Internet Get Filthy Rich?
We've all heard the stories of tech billionaires. People like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates have made a fortune, but what about the other tech mavens and innovators like Nikola Tesla, who were left penniless? Here are 10 people who got rich from tech and 10 who should have.
1. Bill Gates
Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and ushered in the advent of personal computing. By licensing MS-DOS to IBM and later developing and releasing Windows, Microsoft became the leader in operating systems. Gates' wealth increased during the PC revolution and made him one of the world's richest individuals for decades.
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2. Steve Jobs
There is no person more synonymous with the tech industry than Steve Jobs. The co-founder of Apple revolutionized personal computing, smartphones, the music industry, and animated films. His return to Apple in 1997 not only sparked a renaissance but also added to his personal wealth, which was astronomical.
3. Elon Musk
Elon Musk is the richest man in the world, and his wealth mostly comes from his bold work in the tech industry. He leveraged his early success with PayPal to fund tech ventures like Tesla and SpaceX. Though a controversial and polarizing figure, Musk's fortune is estimated to be over $200 billion.
4. Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos started Amazon as an online bookstore in 1994 and grew it into the largest e-commerce and cloud computing platform in history. Amazon Web Services is the backbone of the internet, and has made him rich beyond any of our wildest dreams.
Jeff_Bezos'_iconic_laugh.jpg: Steve Jurvetson
derivative work: King of Hearts on Wikimedia
5. Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg used his time at Harvard to co-create Facebook in his dorm room. He grew it to become the largest social media platform in the world. He also led acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Zuckerberg is worth tens of billions of dollars.
Anthony Quintano from Honolulu, HI, United States on Wikimedia
6. Larry Page
As the co-founder of Google, Larry Page is a tech giant who has amassed a vast wealth from his innovations and foresight. He revolutionized how the world searches the internet and grew Google into a worldwide powerhouse. His fortune is estimated to be over $100 billion, and that's less impressive than his reputation as a visionary.
Marcin Mycielski, European Parliament (Stansfield) on Wikimedia
7. Sergey Brin
Brin co-founded Google alongside Larry Page and helped build it into one of the most influential companies in history. His fortune exceeds $100 billion, and his leadership helped develop Google Glass and AI research. Page and Brin are the textbook example of how a collaboration can be beneficial to both parties' bank accounts.
8. Larry Ellison
Ellison co-founded Oracle, a global leader in database software. It is one of the world's largest enterprise tech firms. Ellison's reputation reflects his aggressive approach to business and lavish lifestyle. His wealth is estimated to be over $100 billion, and he also heavily invests in real estate.
Oracle PR Hartmann Studios on Wikimedia
9. Michael Dell
Dell founded Dell Technologies with a focus on custom-built PCs sold directly to consumers. It was a revolutionary idea that made him extremely wealthy and one of the youngest Fortune 500 CEOs.
10. Satya Nadella
Nadella was the CEO of Microsoft who helped transform it from a Windows-centric company to a cloud-forward powerhouse. He reignited Microsoft's growth, and while he didn't reach the personal wealth level of Gates, he still got immensely rich from working in tech.
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1. Nikola Tesla
The world we live in today was first realized in the mind of Nikola Tesla. He was more of an inventor than a tech entrepreneur, but he laid the foundation for modern electricity and wireless communication. He lacked business acumen, however, and struggled financially for most of his life.
2. Tim Berners-Lee
You may not know the name, but Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989. He gave his creation away freely to ensure open access for all. His altruism changed the world, but prevented him from reaping the wealth that should have come on the heels of his work.
3. Douglas Engelbart
Engelbart invented the computer mouse and graphical user interfaces. He was decades ahead of his time, yet never achieved great wealth, as most of his innovations were too early to monetize.
Alex Handy from Oakland, Nmibia on Wikimedia
4. Hedy Lamarr
Lamarr was a popular Hollywood actress who also co-invented frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology during WWII. This became the foundation for Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. While she accumulated wealth as an actress, she was largely overlooked as a tech pioneer.
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5. Grace Hopper
Hopper was a U.S. Navy rear admiral and computer scientist who pioneered a programming language that required plain English rather than machine code. She was instrumental in developing COBOL, but never received the financial rewards that she deserved.
Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia
6. John Carmack
Carmack co-founded id Software, which revolutionized gaming and created the engines behind Doom and Quake. Despite his accomplishments, his wealth pales compared to today's gaming billionaires.
Bethesda, Copyright Microsoft on Wikimedia
7. Dennis Ritchie
Ritchie created the C programming language and co-developed Unix, both of which are pillars of modern computing. Ritchie never monetized his platform like others in the industry, and it's open, academic spirit allowed him to only be moderately compensated.
8. Alan Turing
Alan Turing is the father of computer science and played a critical role in breaking the Enigma code during WWII. Turing was prosecuted for his lifestyle, stripped of recognition, and died tragically, and his genius was exploited without any financial reward.
Possibly Arthur Reginald Chaffin (1893-1954) on Wikimedia
9. Douglas Crockford
Crockford is credited with popularizing JSON, but he decided to make it accessible for everyone. He only remained relatively modest in his wealth, despite being an unsung pioneer of the internet.
10. Margaret Hamilton
Hamilton led the software engineering team for NASA's Apollo program. She coded our path to the moon, but since her contributions weren't in the private sector, she was limited in how to acquire wealth from her genius.
