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The idea of philanthropy in the tech world is powerful and growing. Today’s tech billionaires are now using their vast wealth to try to solve the world’s biggest problems.

This new wave of philanthropy in the tech world is led by figures like Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page, following the charitable path set by pioneers like Bill Gates.

They are not just giving money away but using their business skills to get results. As Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson writes in her book, Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich:

“Philanthropy is hard work. Many people think it’s easy to give money away. We want our wealth to make a measurable impact.”

This is the spirit of philanthropy in the tech world.

The Pioneers of Tech Company Giving

Before Elon Musk or Sergey Brin, there was Bill Gates. He set the standard for philanthropy in the tech world by showing that the wealth generated from tech could be used for the global good. With his massive fortune, Gates set a powerful precedent that could and should be followed by Silicon Valley philanthropists as the ideal model for charitable initiatives and philanthropic investments.

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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private foundation in the world, fighting diseases like malaria and funding works to improve education in some of the most impoverished places across the world.

Dr. Gitelson highlights that Bill Gates “emphasizes his desire to learn and to benefit from experience.” He says the “key is picking things that if they work have a huge impact. So inventing a vaccine is that way. Helping to rethink how education could be done using the internet is that way… And, amazingly, there tends to be an underinvestment in these areas.”

This focus on large, high-impact goals is something that everyone in the tech world should aspire to.

Modern Leaders in Philanthropy in the Tech World

Today, a new generation leads the charge in philanthropy in the tech world. Using their money and their expertise, they are slowly enriching and lessening the ills of the world.

• Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, is on track to become the world’s first trillionaire; as of now, he is the world’s richest man. His philanthropy in the tech world often focuses on massive challenges that include clean energy, space exploration, and the long-term safety of artificial intelligence. While his giving is sometimes less traditional in its approach, its scale is immense, having donated billions to various causes worldwide.
• Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, is another major force in philanthropy. Through Google, he and co-founder Larry Page have committed to using technology for social good, including fighting climate change and improving global health. Dr. Gitelson reminds us that when Google went public, its founders pledged to reserve one percent of its profit and equity to “make the world a better place.” This is a clear example of a tech companythat had charitybuilt into its business model from the start.
• MacKenzie Scott, a former novelist and a key figure in Amazon’s early days, has become one of the most disruptive and rapid philanthropists in history. Her giving philosophy focuses on empowering a wide range of overlooked organizations, targeting systemic inequities by donating billions in large, unrestricted grants to hundreds of non-profits working in areas like racial justice, economic mobility, and LGBTQ+ rights, trusting them to use the funds as they see fit.
• Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan, the founder of Facebook ( now Meta) and his wife, a pediatrician, have committed their wealth to advancing human potential through the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative. Their philanthropy tackles long-term challenges that the next generation will have to face, including a monumental effort to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases within this century, alongside major investments in personalized learning, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform.
• Pierre Omidyar, as the founder of eBay, has pioneered online commerce, and his philanthropy through the Omidyar Network is equally innovative. He is primarily interested in empowering individuals and strengthening societies by tackling the root causes of social issues. His approach uniquely blends non-profit grants with for-profit investments to fuel progress in areas like financial inclusion, independent media, and government transparency.
• Michael Bloomberg, the founder of the financial data and media empire Bloomberg L.P., applies a data-driven, results-oriented approach to his philanthropy. His giving tackles some of the most pressing public health and environmental challenges, leading global fights against tobacco use and coal-fired power, while also supporting city innovation and public arts worldwide with billions in donations.

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How Tech Leaders Practice Philanthropy

The approach to philanthropy in the tech world is often different from old-style charity. Tech donors often act like investors, primarily looking for solutions that can be scaled up. They are keen on data and proof that their money is making a difference.

This method is clear in the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Gitelson, in her book, describes how Melinda Gates searches for “strategic intervention points” to bring greater equity in health and education.

This careful, strategic thinking is a hallmark of Silicon Valley philanthropy.

Why This Kind of Giving Matters

Philanthropy in the tech world shows that you don’t have to be old and retired to make a difference. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is a great example. He pledged $100 million to improve public schools when he was very young, saying, “People wait until late in their careers to give back. But why wait when there is so much to be done?“

This energy is changing philanthropy in the tech world, encouraging young, successful people to start giving early and start seeing the impact of their work in their own lifetimes.

As Dr. Gitelson makes clear, the core idea is that “Giving is not just for the very rich.” Giving is for anyone who wants to make a difference.

The tech world is showing just how much of a difference focused, strategic giving can make.

To discover more inspiring stories and learn how you can make a difference, no matter your wealth, get your copy of Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich by Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson.