TerraPower

Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft and served as its CEO until 2000, accumulating one of the world's largest personal fortunes before transitioning to philanthropy and climate investment. In 2007 he began discussions with Nathan Myhrvold and Lowell Wood about using advanced nuclear technology to raise global living standards sustainably, leading to the co-founding of TerraPower in 2008. Gates serves as Board Chairman and is a primary financial backer and public advocate for the company. His involvement has provided TerraPower with both capital and the credibility to attract DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program funding for the Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor in Wyoming.

Nathan Myhrvold earned a doctorate in theoretical and mathematical physics and a master's in mathematical economics from Princeton University. He served 14 years at Microsoft as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategist, founding Microsoft Research during his tenure. After leaving Microsoft, he founded Intellectual Ventures, a patent investment and licensing firm. Myhrvold co-founded TerraPower in 2008 alongside Bill Gates and brought deep scientific literacy and intellectual property strategy to the venture. As Board Vice Chair, he has helped shape TerraPower's technical direction on the traveling wave reactor concept and the Natrium molten-salt-coupled fast reactor.

John Gilleland holds a B.S. in physics from Yale University and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan. He served as U.S. Managing Director of the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) program and as Senior Vice President of Fusion Development at General Atomics. Gilleland co-founded TerraPower in 2008 and served as its CEO from 2008 to 2015, transitioning the company from an idea into a recognized center for advanced reactor innovation. As CTO, he leads TerraPower's technical programs including the Natrium reactor project and the company's broader work on sodium-cooled fast reactor technology.