Before Bill Gates became the tech magnate behind Microsoft, he was a student at Harvard, where he initially faced a humbling moment that shaped his future. Harry Lewis, a former applied mathematics professor at the university, revealed that Gates, despite his brilliance, was taken aback by the realization that some of his peers were more skilled in mathematics than he was.
In an interview with The Times of London, Lewis recalled a moment when Gates had his confidence shaken: “It was, ‘Oh s—, there may be people better than me at math,’” Gates confessed to him. Despite this reality check, Gates never lost his drive and continued to push forward.
Lewis described Gates as an exceptionally mature and inquisitive student who was always looking for new challenges. “He always wanted a challenge,” said Lewis, explaining that he wasn’t surprised when Gates ultimately left Harvard early to co-found Microsoft in 1975. “I just wish I’d invested in him,” Lewis admitted, expressing regret over not backing the young visionary.
Had Lewis invested just $100 in Microsoft when it went public in 1986, his shares would now be worth an estimated $650,000, according to CNBC’s analysis. Gates’ estimated net worth now stands at $108.7 billion, according to Forbes, with Microsoft valued at nearly $3.2 trillion.
One of Gates’ most notable academic accomplishments was solving the “pancake problem,” a mathematical sorting challenge introduced in class. Gates solved it just two days after it was presented. His solution, published in 1979, remained unchallenged for 30 years, until it was improved upon in 2008—an advancement enabled by the computing industry Gates helped build.
As his career soared, Gates would later reflect on his early life in a forthcoming memoir, Source Code, set for release next month.
