Technology drove the personal wealth behind many philanthropists atop the list of last year's biggest American donors. But Wendy Schmidt and her husband, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, are fairly unusual in their insistence that the scientific advancements they fund be shared widely and for the planet's protection.
The Silicon Valley veterans' philanthropies, led by Wendy Schmidt, have joined the growing ranks focused on marine conservation since the Schmidt Family Foundation's inception in 2006. With a net worth estimated to exceed $25 billion, they're embracing that role as the Trump administration cuts billions in federal funding to scientific research.
