It’s only been a few months since Bill’s last day at Microsoft. Everybody asked themselves (and him, obviously) “what’s next?” Clearly his greatest responsibility is to the Foundation, but to leave tech entirely? Not likely. Although it may be an ignominious comparison, consider Michael Corleone: “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.” And now, his reentry to the tech world is in the form of a mysterious company with no stated objective. Will bgC3 be another force in the world of technology, or is it just a front so Bill has an office to go to every day?
While nobody’s sure exactly what bgC3 is, this business is no stranger to speculation, and given Bill’s thoughtful, forward-thinking, and incredibly rich nature of late, the consensus is that bgC3 is an incubator for all the things Bill wants to do but can’t with either the Foundation or Microsoft. The name does not signify too much, apparently standing for “Bill Gates’ Company III,” although an insider suggests the “C” stands for “catalyst.” Either way, the establishment of the company as a “think tank” (as documented in its paperwork) relating to scientific and technological services,” “industrial analysis and research,” and “design and development of computer hardware and software” is more telling.
Obviously he is going to be investing in new technology, but what form will it take? Does he have a wad of cash and it’ll be independent? Does he have a sharing agreement with Microsoft, guaranteeing funding in return for first dibs on whatever juicy things he cooks up? Or perhaps it’s a grassroots seeding foundation, a Bill and Melinda Gates for startups that strike his fancy? Surely it’s not just a VC firm with a big name at the head, though. That would be so crass.
My guess is that it will be a clearing house for new technology, a next-generation office that will play host to teams designing next-generation technology, from nuclear waste containment to medical robots to $100 laptops — all under the umbrella of Bill and Bill’s wallet. Think Dean Kamen crossed with Jay Gatsby. That’s the dream, anyway.
The company’s only existed since March, and it’s only been bgC3 for a couple weeks, so I think we’ll be hearing a lot more concrete information in the next month.
I think Gates is just looking for an excuse to get away from Melinda and all of the women working in the foundation.
Bill, if you’re looking for someone to mentor. I’m available.
KCurtis
http://www.nagelive.com
Maybe the “3″ is an “M” turned on its side and bgCM stands for Bill Gates, Closet Misogynist.
That’s a sweet logo.
nice logo?
yeah, but the web page sucks
http://www.bgc3.com/
No DOCTYPE and no character encoding labeling!!!
Stupid Bill Gates can’t do anything right
ya but who needs a good site when you have a sweet logo? A good logo has more potential than a good site with a bad logo.
Funny, the website looks like it’s on IIS 6 at Godaddy, based on the ip and http headers. JBC
Woah, that is a great logo. Not too fond of the colors but wow…
Love America Style -
“…and given Bill’s thoughtful, forward-thinking, and incredibly rich nature…”
Translation: “I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU…”????(baaaarrrrffffffffffffffffff)
I thought this was an Apple site?
notice i didn’t say Microsoft’s nature…. if you look at what bill’s been saying and doing lately, he has been rather thoughtful and forward thinking, and after all he IS incredibly rich….
Maybe some day I can buy my way into heaven….
How about:
C**p! Capitalism is Crashing!
Cash is the Catalyst for Change.
Catalytic Converters for Cash.
…
what is this come tell me lol
http://www.bgc3forums.com
C3 is a scientific term — maybe it is a bio start-up of some kind?
bgc3 is Bill’s incarnation of a new open source license “Beyond Greed Code, version 3″. That is, he will be one up from GPL 2. Obviously something he would not be able to do at Microsoft, but which is a logical extension to his foundation…
Bill, the closet OS hacker, finally set free.
Well, the logo says: trademark. But there isnt a trademark on BGC3 or the logo. Thats strange..?
I think c3 is an abbreviation for Computer Center Corporation which back in the early days gave Gates and Allen computer time in exchange for debugging.
Gates nicknamed the center C-cubed and thus bgc3 could be a nostalgic reference to where it all started.
maybe he wants to create a search engine and sell it to microsoft :-D
Bill Gates Cash Center Corporation.
In case you didnt know :
bgc3 - bg - first and last name, c - Catalyst . and 3 for the 3′rd company he opened after microsoft and melinda fund..
Todas las personas tienen dercho a seguir su camino y a este señor no lo podemos menospreciar porque ha dado mucho para para todos nosotros y si aun tiene fuerzas hay que felicitarlos
Comments on the WINNER Bill Gates are always interesting, bringing out the best in the best people and the worst in the worst. He’s a man who, as a youngster, had remarkable company leadership and personnel-assembling ability and put together Microsoft, one of the most-important companies ever to exist AND he had the weisdom to share his profits with his long-serving, loyal, brainy employees who MADE it all happen under HIS Direction. Gates was not the direct genius of Microsoft; his Engineers were. Bill’s Talent was gathering them all up in a bunch and motivating them. (Those who stuck with him through those early tough times are now themselves multi-millionaires.)
Then when he got married and Mrs. Right “snagged” him, already being independently wealthy and he had appointed highly-competent “in-charge people,” his priorities changed to a better way to invest his time, since accumulating money was no longer much of a challenge. He and his wife started their Foundation to use a lot of that ton o’money they had accumulated to help Mankind, by going after Diseases that plague Mankind Worldwide.
Now, Billy Boy, being the dynamic fireball that he is, he is starting up what at first glance appears to be that “romper room for egghead geniuses” and so “Bully for Billy!” Anyone who knows about geniuses also knows they don’t wear a coat and tie and punch in just before 8 a.m.. Most of them are somewhat “different,” to put it mildly and if Bill Gates is behind them, so what if they make a passal of money? They’ll be coming up with SOLUTIONS to problems and FIND a Better Way of Life for EVERYONE. The Idea of Business in America is to make a PROFIT and if Bill Gates’ eggheads can come up with Ideas and Products that DO that, more power to ALL of them.
Nobody knocked Ben Franklin for all the good HE did, back in HIS time (go read about all the things HE did and Invented;) I find Bill Gates is very much like ole Ben and so I say “full speed ahead, Bill and damn the meatheads who would torpedo your efforts!”
Put ME down as a Bill Gates Fan; I’ve been following his Business Career since he first started and in MY Book, THAT is one type of Patriotic American…who makes his OWN way while providing MANY jobs for others and making improved lives for everyone else possible, as well if the would only grasp the opportunities his services offer.. A Capitalist’s Capitalist, if you would.
Of course, the twisted and sick will find fault with success. they always do. That never surprises me, either.
By the way, I just happen to BE one of those oddball geniuses myself and I’d like to work in Bill’s Think Tank. Anyone know how I can get in touch with them by email, initially? I’m looking, but haven’t found it yet. My Specialty is Birth Defects and I already HAVE Biological Answers to share, only no one believes me, or is afraid their jobs will dry up if the Answers get out.
В любой организации всегда найдется человек, знающий что на самом деле происходит. Его-то и надо уволить.