A Photo Worth $296 Billion: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates Clicked Together As Facebook Boss Turns 40

It was Mark Zuckerberg’s birthday on May 14. As he turned 40, the Facebook founder recollected his memory by sharing a few pictures on social media. One particularly striking image captured Zuckerberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates — a combined net worth of a staggering $296 billion. The picture was of Harvard dorm where Zuckerberg launched Facebook.

According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List, Zuckerberg has a net worth of $165.6 billion and Bill Gates has a total valuation of $130.4 billion, standing at ranks 4th and 9th among the richests in the world.

Sharing his photo on Instagram along with Bill Gates, Zuckerberg wrote, “Harvard dorm where I launched Facebook (with special guest Bill Gates).”

Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard after he launched Facebook in 2004.

In the surprising birthday photos, Zuckerberg is sporting a black t-shirt, jeans, and a gold chain, a noticeable change from his usual grey t-shirts and blue jeans.

Another picture Zuckerberg shared was of his first apartment, featuring a simple setup with a study table, chair, and a mattress on the floor. “First apartment with just a mattress on the floor where I stayed until we reached 100 million people,” a caption said.

Zuckerberg also shared his childhood computer where he learned to code.

He also shared a nostalgic trip down memory lane. One picture showed his “office lockdown”, a presumably cramped space where he and his team likely pulled all-nighters “fighting off competitors” in Facebook’s early days. Another image captured a recreated “Pinocchio’s Pizzeria”, a college haunt where Zuckerberg apparently spent a significant amount of time fueling his entrepreneurial fire with slices.

Adding to the birthday fervour, Zuckerberg’s wife Priscilla Chan also shared his nostalgic pictures with her.

She wrote, “Mark doesn’t usually let me go big for his birthday but for his 40th I was allowed to throw a bash as long our friends and family also roasted him. We all had a blast! Let’s just say that no one suffered from a lack of material! Jokes aside, as I reflect on the 21 of Mark’s birthdays we have spent together, one of my favorite things about Mark is how he really, truly believes in people. He sees the potential in all of us. I have no idea what adventures are coming next, out I’m here for all of them. Here’s to many more.”