Is Bill Gates getting back with ex Ann Winblad? Programmer stole his heart before marriage to Melinda
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and wife Melinda Gates announced their divorce on Tuesday, May 4. The separation has caused many to wonder about Bill's past relationships and sparked speculation about whether he is getting back with his ex-girlfriend Ann Winblad.
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Bill and Melinda broke the sad news to their followers on Twitter. “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," the pair said in their joint statement. “We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.”
Now, social media users are curious about Bill's past relationship with Ann before he took his wedding vows with Melinda. The tech mogul previously had a brief relationship with Ann, another Silicon Valley titan known to be one of the first female programmers on the planet, according to Morning Future.
As of now, Ann is a venture capitalist, businesswoman, and developer. She is a founding partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners (HWVP), a venture firm focused on software investing. Her company is also one of the leading investors in enterprise software products. Past investments made by HWVP include those in Omniture, Hyperion, Powersoft, Wind River, NetPerceptions, Intrinsa, and others.
Despite being 70 years old now, Ann also serves as the Director at Optimine Software Inc, located in the Greater Minneapolis area. The company works towards optimizing digital advertisements and enhancing paid search financial performance.
Aside from her financial ventures, Ann is also heavily into philanthropy like her ex-boyfriend. She is currently the trustee of Richard M Schulze Family Foundation, which focuses on providing a world-class education to children in local communities. Meanwhile, it also furnishes financial resources for families in order to provide a good life for their children.
It's worth noting that the ace venture capitalist has spearheaded several startups in Silicon Valley, mostly due to her decades-long experience in the tech industry. Hailed as one of the first female programmers in the modern tech industry, she certainly has the experience to back her up.
It's also worth noting that Ann became one of the early investors in Microsoft in the 1980s after successfully building her first company Open Systems Inc. At the time, she hopped on board, not just as an investor, but also as Bill Gates' girlfriend. While it is not known how long the duo dated, their friendship and their business partnership continued long after their romance ended.
There are several outlets claiming that Bill and Melinda do not have any active prenup, but Morning Future reported that the couple did in fact once have a prenup but it had more to do with Winblad than money. Apparently, when Bill and Melinda signed their prenup agreement, there was reportedly a clause in it that stated Bill was allowed to spend at least one weekend a year with his ex-girlfriend Ann.
That said, albeit unlikely, it is unclear whether Bill will get back with his former flame following divorce formalities.