Billionaire Melinda French Gates once revealed she refused to fund her Gen Z daughter’s startup—despite being worth over $34 billion

Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates, worth an estimated $34.5 billion, has stated that she intentionally refused to fund her daughter's startup despite her wealth and influence. During a recent summit focused on women's sports, French Gates revealed she watched her daughter go through the process of fundraising independently, emphasizing that her daughter should learn to handle the possibility of rejection.

This decision aligns with the Gates family's belief that their children should inherit less than 1% of their father Bill Gates' wealth upon his passing, encouraging them to build their own financial futures. French Gates believes that failure and resilience are crucial for female entrepreneurs, particularly in a field where women face significant challenges in securing funding.