The Discovery

The Gateway Billionaire Who Won Vanuatu’s Highest Honor

The Discovery

I was scrolling Facebook today when I read that Ted Waitt got a special award from the head of state this week, which made me curious about who this guy is. Then I did some searching and bam! He is the founder of Gateway, the popular computer brand back in the 90s before IBM and Compaq became popular.

If a tech BILLIONAIRE is doing coral research, then it must be using a Superyacht or something expensive to work and move around. I remembered a post back in 2019 about a group of Superyacht located at the coasts of Malekula doing research, according to comments by Ports and Harbour people.

I searched YTS and found the post here and wondered who owns the boat. I asked ChatGPT to look for Ted’s boat – it gave me the name “Plan B” with this link.

Then I compared the photos – the one from Malekula showed the back of the yacht which looked the same as Plan B. This leads me to conclude that Ted was around doing all the coral research maybe 5-10 years ago in Vanuatu. But a tech guy doing marine research? That’s quite a career pivot!

The Tech Maverick

Theodore “Ted” Waitt’s story begins in 1963 in Sioux City, Iowa, where he would later revolutionize the personal computer industry. At just 22 years old, with nothing more than a $10,000 loan from his grandmother and a bold vision, Waitt co-founded Gateway 2000 with his brother and a friend in 1985. Working from a farmhouse in Iowa, they had an audacious plan: sell computers directly to consumers through the mail.

What seemed like a risky venture from America’s heartland became a tech empire. Gateway’s distinctive cow-spotted boxes became iconic symbols of the personal computer revolution. Under Waitt’s leadership, the company grew from a small startup to a Fortune 500 corporation, making him one of the youngest billionaires in America by age 30. National business publications labeled him a “maverick” for his unconventional approach to the tech industry.

Gateway’s success wasn’t just about computers—it was about democratizing technology, making personal computers accessible to everyday Americans through innovative direct marketing. By the time Waitt stepped back from active leadership in 2004, he had fundamentally changed how people bought and thought about personal computers.

The Ocean Calling

But Waitt’s most profound impact was yet to come. After achieving extraordinary success in technology, he made a dramatic pivot that would define his legacy. Rather than rest on his Silicon Valley laurels, Waitt turned his entrepreneurial energy and vast resources toward a new frontier: the world’s oceans.

Through the Waitt Foundation and Waitt Institute, he launched an ambitious mission to protect marine ecosystems while supporting coastal communities. His approach mirrors his business philosophy—think big, act boldly, and create sustainable solutions. The Blue Prosperity initiative, his signature program, partners with governments worldwide to achieve comprehensive ocean management that balances conservation with economic opportunity.

The Vanuatu Partnership

Waitt’s work in Vanuatu represents the culmination of his ocean conservation efforts. The Pacific island nation, with its pristine coral reefs and rich marine biodiversity, became a living laboratory for sustainable ocean management. The partnership between Vanuatu’s government and the Waitt Institute produced the most comprehensive coral reef study in the country’s history, surveying 110 locations and documenting over 450 fish species.

This wasn’t just scientific research—it was a blueprint for how nations can protect their marine heritage while building sustainable blue economies. The study provided crucial baseline data for Vanuatu’s ambitious goal to achieve 100% sustainable ocean management and protect 30% of its marine waters.

Presidential Recognition

In July 2025, President Nikenike Vurobaravu of Vanuatu bestowed upon Ted Waitt the country’s highest civilian honor—a presidential medal recognizing his extraordinary contributions to ocean conservation. The medal represents more than just an award; it symbolizes the successful marriage of scientific rigor, community partnership, and conservation vision.

The timing was particularly meaningful, coinciding with the release of groundbreaking coral reef research that will guide marine protection efforts for generations. For a nation surrounded by ocean, Waitt’s work represents hope for preserving marine ecosystems while supporting the livelihoods of people who depend on the sea.

Legacy of Impact

Ted Waitt’s journey from Iowa farmhouse to presidential medal recipient illustrates how entrepreneurial vision can create lasting change across vastly different fields. Whether revolutionizing personal computing or protecting coral reefs, his approach remains consistent: identify transformative opportunities, build strong partnerships, and pursue solutions at scale.

Business Week recognized him as one of America’s 50 most generous philanthropists, but perhaps more importantly, his work demonstrates how business success can become a platform for addressing humanity’s greatest challenges. From cow-spotted computer boxes to pristine coral reefs, Ted Waitt continues to prove that with vision, resources, and commitment, it’s possible to change the world—one bold idea at a time.