• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
LeadershipEnergy

Here’s What Might Happen if Bill Gates and Elon Musk Founded a Company Together

By
Feliz Solomon
Feliz Solomon
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Feliz Solomon
Feliz Solomon
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 2, 2017, 3:51 AM ET
Munich Security Conference
Munich, Germany - February 17: Bill Gates at Munich Security Conference on February 17, 2017 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Michael Gottschalk/Photothek via Getty Images)Michael Gottschalk—Photothek/Getty Images

Imagine a future in which tech billionaire Bill Gates and transportation pioneer Elon Musk teamed up to start a business together. While it may be an unlikely scenario, Gates has given the idea some thought, and he says he knows what they might do.

The hypothetical dream team would take on energy alternatives, Gates said during a reddit Ask Me Anything session on Monday, CNBC reports.

“We need clean, reliable cheap energy—which we don’t have,” Gates said. “So we need some invention—perhaps miracle batteries or super safe nuclear or making sun into gasoline directly.”

The Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder has already ventured into the clean energy sector, and late last year he spearheaded a $1 billion fund aiming to reduce greenhouse emissions by financing alternative energy technology.

Musk, CEO and founder of both Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX (SPACEX), also founded the green energy firm Solarcity (SCTY), America’s biggest solar energy provider. The company outfits homes, schools and businesses with solar power technologies and equipment. He also invests in clean energy companies through the X Prize and Musk Foundation.

For more on Gates and climate change, watch Fortune’s video:

Gates was also asked about his views on the administration of President Donald Trump, CNBC reports. Some members of the new government have expressed skepticism of climate change, and have emphasized fossil fuels as priority sectors.

Gates said he hopes the new administration will view research and development in renewables as “a good deal for the U.S. and for the world,” adding that, “climate change requires cooperation between countries over a period of decades but we don’t have much time to waste.”

About the Author
By Feliz Solomon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Google CEO Sundar Pichai
AICorporate America
By every measure, U.S. companies are winning on AI adoption—but a series of high-profile snafus shows they’re getting pummeled by costs
By Tristan BoveJune 3, 2026
5 hours ago
dw
ConferencesCOO Summit
This CEO has had 6 major jobs in Silicon Valley: How Dennis Woodside built a career on saying yes to hard problems
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
6 hours ago
dep
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘Will I still matter?’ The ‘Optimism Doctor’ says people can tolerate uncertainty—the AI angst is about something else
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
6 hours ago
coo
ConferencesCOO Summit
From ‘reinvention exhaustion’ to ‘friction absorption’: the e-commerce elves who make your groceries and clothes appear are worn out
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
7 hours ago
CHONGQING, CHINA - JANUARY 22: In this photo illustration, a smartphone displays the logo of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADP), an American provider of human capital management solutions including payroll, workforce management and business outsourcing services, in front of a screen showing the company's latest stock market chart on January 22, 2026, in Chongqing, China. (Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images)
EconomyLabor
AI was supposed to be killing jobs. In spring, the labor market is opening up instead
By Eva RoytburgJune 3, 2026
8 hours ago
zhu
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘One thing after the next’: Axon and Schneider Electric supply chain chiefs talk life in permanent disruption
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
North America
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
By Katie Savin, Callie Freitag, Matthew Borus and The ConversationJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
Banking
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
2 days ago
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can 'both  execute and develop others'
Newsletters
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can 'both execute and develop others'
By Diane BradyJune 2, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 2, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 2, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.