What do the members of the Digital Rat Pack (DRP) have in common? First of all, they are all billionaires who have accumulated their wealth from modern technological industries. Who are the members of the Digital Rat Pack?
The Digital Rat Pack
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- Jeff Bezos (Amazon)
- Bill Gates (Microsoft)
- Larry Page (Google/Alphabet)
- Sergey Brin (Google/Alphabet)
- Larry Ellison (Oracle)
- Steve Ballmer (Microsoft)
- Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)
What else do Bezos, Gates, Page, Brin, Ellison, Ballmer, and Zuckerberg have in common?
Foundations
Each of the members of the Digital Rat Pack has their own individual “non-profit” foundations. Each one has its own focus.
Digital Rat Pack Foundations
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- Jeff Bezos: Bezos Family Foundation
- The Bezos Family Foundation focuses on improving education for young people. They champion the science of learning and its application in everyday life. Their focus areas include early learning, where they help create joyful, enriching experiences that lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning, and provide adults with the knowledge and skills they need to give children the best possible start. They also focus on adolescent learning, where they help young people develop skills and habits for success in school and life, grow and engage academically, and discover their capacity for creating change.
- Bill Gates: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life.
- Larry Page: Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation
- The Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation is a private foundation that provides flu vaccines at no cost to students, with or without insurance, in order to prevent the flu. The foundation made two grants last year and its grantees include the National Philanthropic Trust.
- Sergey Brin: Sergey Brin Family Foundation
- Sergey Brin has funneled $1.1 billion to fund research of Parkinson’s disease through his philanthropic giving
- Larry Ellison: Larry Ellison Foundation
- The Larry Ellison Foundation supports organizations and businesses which set out to make a difference in the world. They want to make an impact on the world’s food challenges, on health, on the education of children, and on protecting the richness of our planet. They look for leaders who are applying innovation and technology to solve problems.
- Steve Ballmer: Ballmer Group
- Co-founded by Connie and Steve Ballmer, Ballmer Group funds organizations and leaders to reshape opportunity and expand economic mobility across the United States. Their focus areas include education (quality schools, classroom support, university success), family economic stability (jobs and livelihoods, financial services), and health (health and wellness).
- Mark Zuckerberg: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)
- A philanthropic organization that aims to build a better future for everyone. They are on an ambitious mission to solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease to improving education and addressing the needs of their local communities. They focus on science, education, justice & opportunity, and community1. In December 2015, following the birth of their daughter Max, Mark and Priscilla pledged to donate 99% of their Facebook shares, a $45 billion value, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
- Jeff Bezos: Bezos Family Foundation
COVID-19 PROFIT
During the pandemic period (2020 – 2023), the members of the Digital Rat Pack increased their wealth exponentially, while most businesses across the United States suffered.
What other things might the Digital Rat Pack have in common? You tell me.
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