Michael Dell turned $1,000 in his dorm room into a $147 billion net worth—he swears by these 6 life and career rules

Dell Industries CEO and chairman Michael Dell knows from experience how small investments can have large payoffs.

At age 19, Dell spent $1,000 on old computer parts to start his company from his University of Texas at Austin dorm room in 1984. The company has a market capitalization of $90.14 billion as of Thursday morning, and Dell has an estimated $147 billion net worth — making him the world’s 11th-richest person — according to Bloomberg.

He and his wife Susan Dell are donating a portion of that wealth, they announced on Tuesday, committing a total of $6.25 billion to investment accounts for roughly 25 million American children. The donation will expand the amount of children eligible for the Invest America Act, which is set to create $1,000 seed investment accounts for babies born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028.

The so-called Trump accounts, which will build compound interest and can be cashed out once the child is 18, received bipartisan support in Congress. Parents are expected to be able to open and contribute to the accounts starting on July 4, 2026.

The Dells’ gift is to create accounts — seeded with $250 each — for many American children 10 and under who were born before Jan. 1, 2025. It’s the largest gift ever devoted to American children, according to Invest America, a nonprofit advocacy group partnered with the Dells.