Gates to invest £130m in Cambridge students

Will Knight ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 23 May 2000 11:47 BST

Microsoft founder and world's wealthiest man Bill Gates is to invest millions in sponsoring Cambridge University students, the university revealed Tuesday.

Cambridge may receive as much as £130m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which would pay for 230 student scholarships at the University.

This isn't Gates' first investment in the region: Microsoft has a research facility in Cambridge and has also invested £10m in Cambridge-area technology ventures.

The students eligible for this scholarship will not, however, be restricted to studying computer science or technology and can be of any nationality.

At its Cambridge research facility, Microsoft is developing such futuristic technologies as intelligent computer systems and wearable computing. The area is home to so many British technology start-ups that is often referred to as Silicon Fen and thought of as Britain's answer to Silicon Valley.

"The proposal would allow Cambridge to offer scholarships to academically talented and promising students, who have the potential to be future leaders in their communities and enhance society throughout the world," the university said in a statement.

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