28 thinkers, books, and ideas connected to this field.
American carpet manufacturer who inherited the Alexander Smith Carpet Company and used his fortune to collect art and fund philanthropy — representing the Gilded Age industrialist who converted industrial wealth into cultural capital.
Swedish inventor and entrepreneur who invented dynamite — holding 355 patents — accumulated an enormous fortune, and established the Nobel Prize with his will in response to a premature obituary that called him 'the merchant of death.'
Scottish-born American steel magnate — who built Carnegie Steel Company (sold to J.P. Morgan as U.S. Steel in 1901 for $480M) — then gave virtually all of it away, funding 2,509 public libraries, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Carnegie Endowment.
American entrepreneur who co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen — building it into the world's most valuable company through Windows and Office — and who became one of the world's most influential philanthropists through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on global health, education, and climate.
American businessman — co-chairman and CEO of Koch Industries (second largest private company in America) — libertarian activist and funder — whose political network (Americans for Prosperity, Cato Institute funding) transformed American conservative politics.
Belgian-American fashion designer who created the wrap dress in 1974 and built one of the most enduring personal brands in fashion over five decades.
Texas oil man and investor — son of wildcatter Monty Moncrief — who continued the family oil operations while becoming a significant investor and supporter of the Founders podcast ecosystem.
British musician and songwriter who is one of the best-selling musical artists in history — known for Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, and Crocodile Rock — whose flamboyant persona, addiction struggles, and AIDS philanthropy through the Elton John AIDS Foundation have made him as culturally significant off-stage as on.
Swedish-Russian industrialist who inherited the Nobel oil empire from his father Ludvig and maintained it as the largest oil operation in Russia — before the Bolshevik Revolution nationalized all private industry — demonstrating the challenges of preserving a great founder's creation across generations.
American philanthropist — co-founder of GiveWell (charity effectiveness evaluation) and Open Philanthropy — who has directed over $1B in philanthropic giving toward effective causes — and who has become increasingly focused on AI safety as a priority.
American mathematician and hedge fund manager — founder of Renaissance Technologies — whose Medallion Fund produced 66% annual returns before fees from 1988–2018 — the greatest investor in history by quantitative measure — who died in 2024.
American oil magnate — founder of Standard Oil, the world's first and greatest monopoly — who at his peak controlled 90% of US oil refining — the wealthiest private individual in modern history (inflation-adjusted) — who then gave away over $500 million, founding the University of Chicago and Rockefeller University.
American philanthropist and real estate developer who dedicated his life to giving away the Rockefeller fortune — funding the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg, the construction of Rockefeller Center, the donation of land for the United Nations, and supporting conservation causes.
American oil magnate who founded Standard Oil in 1870 — controlling 90% of US oil refining by 1880 — through relentless price cutting, secret railroad rebates, and the absorption of competitors, before being broken up by the Supreme Court in 1911.
American author and philanthropist, formerly married to Jeff Bezos, who received approximately $38 billion in Amazon stock in their 2019 divorce and has since become one of the most consequential philanthropists in American history.
American philanthropist and civic leader, Bill Gates's mother, who served on the board of United Way and used her IBM board relationships to secure the introduction that led to Microsoft's pivotal PC-DOS deal with IBM.
American entrepreneur who founded Bloomberg LP after being fired from Salomon Brothers — building the Bloomberg Terminal into the dominant financial data platform — and later served three terms as Mayor of New York City.
Texas oil man from the Moncrief family — one of the great Fort Worth oil dynasties — whose career exemplified the wildcatter spirit of relentless drilling and willingness to risk everything on the next well.
American YouTube creator (Jimmy Donaldson) — the most subscribed individual YouTube channel in history — whose videos combine extreme stunts, viral challenges, and large-scale philanthropy (building 100 wells in Africa, planting 20 million trees, giving away cars and houses).
American writer and researcher — formerly at GitHub — author of Working in Public (on the economics of open source software) — who writes about the political economy of digital public goods.
French-American software developer and founder of eBay, who created the world's first large-scale consumer auction marketplace and later became one of Silicon Valley's most prominent philanthropists through the Omidyar Network.
American pediatrician, educator, and co-founder with Mark Zuckerberg of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative — one of the largest philanthropic organizations in American history.
The philanthropic organization funded by Dustin Moskovitz and Cari Tuna that applies rigorous, cause-neutral analysis to maximize philanthropic impact — the primary funder of AI safety research and much of the effective altruism movement.
American businesswoman and philanthropist — widow of Steve Jobs — whose Emerson Collective funds education reform, immigration advocacy, and significant media investments.
American merchant banker in London who became the template for large-scale philanthropy — founding the Peabody Trust (affordable London housing), Peabody Institute, Peabody Museum, and giving away most of his $20M fortune.
Hungarian-American investor who built one of the most successful hedge funds in history (Quantum Fund) — best known for 'breaking the Bank of England' in 1992 — and whose Open Society Foundations is among the world's largest philanthropic organizations.
American broadcasting magnate and owner of the Detroit Tigers who, upon death, left his fortune to found the Fetzer Institute — a foundation promoting the integration of spirituality and public life.
Kalamazoo-based foundation endowed by John Fetzer that promotes the integration of spiritual values — love, forgiveness, compassion — into public life, healthcare, and education.