The Gates Foundation

Even if Pozen would be correct with his assessment of the motivation that drives most entrepreneurs, stories like this article about the Gates Foundation and the recently started movement “The Giving Pledge” show that an entrepreneur might very well become a philanthropist and become motivated “to give back” once he has become successful.

2 thoughts on “The Gates Foundation

  1. That is indeed a great example to the point that entrepreneurs are not only driven by the expectation of earning money. Public policy seems to be looking to encourage such type of behavior by adopting special forms of corporations that aims not only to provide profits for its investors but also to commit with the general social well-being. The Forbes article below comments that, since 2012, some States have provided the possibility to incorporate benefit corporations and low-profit limited liability companies (L3C). Those are two forms of companies that makes easier for corporations that, along with its business, want to seek some specific social goals.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangelinegomez/2012/01/13/the-rise-of-the-charitable-for-profit-entity/#24450f1e7aa4

  2. I also think the notion of social entrepreneurship is a growing niche, and this is interesting when trying to figure out the relationship between capitalism and social outreach and good. This is an argument, I guess, between the individual and the social and this is being reflected in the various types of corporate structuring available now.