Michael Dell builds computers.
He started a big company. He sells them to many people. This helps us use tools. He also helps many children. Do you like computers?
Michael Dell builds computers.
He started a big company in Texas. He began by selling parts to make computers better. He sold them directly to people. This helped him save money.
His company grew very large. It became one of the biggest in the world. He even sold computers on the web.
Michael also helps many people. He and his wife give money to help children. They want to help with health and school. He is a very successful leader.
Michael Dell is a very successful businessman.
He started a large company called Dell Technologies. This company makes tools for computers.
He began his work as a student in Texas. He sold parts to make computers better. He called his first company PC's Limited.
He found a new way to sell. He sold computers directly to people. This helped him keep costs low.
His business grew very fast. In 1996, he started selling computers on the web. By 2001, his company was the largest maker of PCs in the world. He has also helped lead other big tech deals. One was buying a company called EMC. This was a very large deal in history.
Michael also helps many people through giving. He and his wife, Susan, started a foundation. This group helps with health and school. They have given away over $3 billion. In 2025, they plan to give even more money to help children. They want to help kids with money for their future.
Michael Dell is a famous American businessman and investor.
He is the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies. This is one of the largest technology companies in the world. As of 2025, he is the 10th-richest person on Earth. His net worth is about $151 billion. He owns a large part of Dell and a company called VMware. He also manages his family's money through an office called DFO Management.
His way of working changed how computers are sold. In 1984, he started a company called PC's Limited. He realized he could save money by selling directly to people. This meant he did not have to use expensive retail stores. He would wait for an order before making the computer. This is a smart way to manage supplies. He started with just $1,000 to get his business going. At first, he only had three workers using screwdrivers at tables.
Michael grew up in Houston, Texas. He was born in 1965 to Alexander and Lorraine Dell. His father was an orthodontist and his mother was a stockbroker. Michael was a very busy student from a young age. He even tried to take a high school exam when he was eight. Later, he sold newspapers to earn money. He found that newlyweds and new homeowners were the best customers. He earned $18,000 in one year just by sending mail to them. He eventually dropped out of the University of Texas at age 19.
His company grew into a global leader. In 1992, he became a very young CEO of a major corporation. By 1996, his company began selling computers over the internet. This was a big step for the business. By March 1997, his website was making $1 million in sales every day. In 2001, Dell became the largest maker of personal computers in the world. He also led a huge deal to buy EMC Corporation in 2016. That deal was worth $67 billion, which was a record for tech companies.
Michael Dell also spends much of his time helping others. He and his wife, Susan, started the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in 1999. This group helps children with health and education. They have given away more than $3 billion over 26 years. In December 2025, they announced a huge gift of $6.25 billion. This money goes into special accounts for children in the United States. These accounts are meant to help kids with their future needs. He also works with leaders to help solve problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael Saul Dell is a prominent American billionaire businessman and investor.
He serves as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies. This company is one of the largest technology infrastructure firms globally. As of 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranks him as the 10th-richest person in the world. His net worth is estimated at US$151 billion. Much of this wealth comes from his significant ownership stakes. He holds a 50% stake in Dell and a 40% stake in VMware. The remainder of his wealth is managed by his family office, DFO Management.
Dell's business journey began with a unique approach to the computer market. In January 1984, he identified a way to reduce costs. He realized that selling personal computers directly to consumers was more efficient than using retail stores. He registered his first company as "PC's Limited." He operated from a condominium and sold PC upgrades and kits. His core strategy was to manufacture computers only after receiving an order. This method helped him manage resources effectively. The initial capitalization for this venture was only $1,000.
His early life in Houston, Texas, showed a strong interest in commerce. Born in 1965 to Alexander and Lorraine Dell, he showed ambition very early. At age eight, he applied for a high school equivalency exam. During his teens, he invested earnings from part-time jobs into stocks and precious metals. While attending Memorial High School, he sold subscriptions for the Houston Post. He used public records to target specific groups like newlyweds and new homeowners. This targeted mailing strategy earned him $18,000 in a single year. He eventually dropped out of the University of Texas at age 19 to focus on business.
After moving from "PC's Limited," he incorporated the Dell Computer Corporation in May 1984. The company relocated to a business center in North Austin. Early operations were very small and hands-on. He employed a few people to take orders and others to fill them. The manufacturing staff consisted of just three people using screwdrivers at tables. By 1992, at age 27, he became the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. This was a major milestone in his professional career. He later returned to the CEO role in 2007 after a brief period stepping down.
Dell Technologies achieved massive growth through technological shifts. In 1996, the company began selling computers over the Web. This move to e-commerce was highly successful. By March 1997, the website dell.com reported daily sales of about $1 million. In the first quarter of 2001, Dell reached a 12.8 percent global market share. This allowed the company to surpass Compaq as the world's largest PC maker. This shift in rankings was significant because it had not happened in seven years. The company's shipments of desktops, notebooks, and servers grew by over 30 percent worldwide during this time.
In recent decades, Dell has engaged in massive corporate maneuvers. In 2013, he led a bid to take Dell, Inc. private for $24.4 billion. This was the largest management buyout since the Great Recession. The company eventually returned to being a public company in December 2018. Another landmark event occurred in 2016 when Dell acquired EMC Corporation. This $67 billion deal was the highest-valued technology acquisition in history. More recently, in May 2024, Dell announced partnerships with Nvidia and ServiceNow. These partnerships aim to develop "AI factories" to provide scalable AI infrastructure for enterprise clients.
Beyond business, Michael Dell is a major philanthropist. He and his wife, Susan, established the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in 1999. The foundation focuses on health and education causes. Over the last 26 years, they have donated more than $3 billion, mostly to help children. In December 2025, they announced a massive $6.25 billion donation. This money is intended for "Trump accounts," which are investment accounts for children in the United States. These funds target children aged 10 or younger in specific ZIP codes. Dell also serves on several important boards, including the World Economic Forum and the U.S. Business Council.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (2)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.