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Why A Billionaire Turned Down The Opportunity To Buy Microsoft
Bill Gates is synonymous with Microsoft and it's hard to imagine the bespectacled billionaire not being associated with the tech giant.
In 2024, Microsoft has a net worth of about $2.5 trillion and is continuing to pioneer the future of technology.
However, it could have been very different.
Microsoft grew rapidly in the late 70s and 80s, and in 1979 Gates negotiated with the billionaire Ross Perot over the sale of the company.
The incredibly wealthy Texan had invested a lot in tech, but felt the $50 million Gates wanted was too much.
In 1979, $50 million was the equivalent of £205 million now - a tiny snippet of Microsoft's 2022 value.
Speaking in 1992, Perot said he regretted the decision, but felt Gates' asking price was "really way too high."
In an interview for a biography of Gates, he said: "He did give me an opportunity to buy a ringside seat.
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