Melinda French Gates Refuses To Fund Daughter's Startup: 'If It's Real, Others Should'
Melinda French Gates declined to invest in her daughter startup, stressing the need for entrepreneurial resilience and the importance of struggle.
Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates shared that she refused to invest in her daughter's startup, saying that entrepreneurial resilience must be built without parental safety nets. Speaking at the Power of Women's Sports Summit, Melinda French Gates disclosed that her daughter had recently launched a business but emphasized that her success is not backed by family money.
'She got capitalized not because of my contacts, not because of me. I wouldn't put money into it," Melinda French Gates said, adding, 'If it's a real business, other investors ought to be ready to back it."
Melinda French Gates emphasised the importance of struggle and feedback in shaping success and noted the disparity in funding for female entrepreneurs. She said, 'Getting funding is incredibly difficult if you are a woman," adding that true endurance and growth are born from overcoming those very obstacles.
As of April 2025, Melinda French Gates has a net worth of $30.2 billion, according to Forbes.
First Published:
July 09, 2025, 02:24 IST
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