Stephen Schwarzman constructed one of many world’s largest private-equity companies. Now, he’s reportedly targeted on constructing one of many largest philanthropic foundations.
Schwarzman in 1985 cofounded Blackstone, which now has greater than $1.3 trillion in property beneath administration, and now reportedly goals to construct a top-10 philanthropy targeted on AI and schooling. The private-equity billionaire and his staff are planning an growth of his basis, which had $65 million in complete property as of 2024.
The plans to develop Schwarzman’s philanthropy had been obtained and reviewed by The Wall Road Journal. One doc mentioned the Stephen A. Schwarzman Basis not too long ago employed an government director who will oversee “Mr. Schwarzman’s imaginative and prescient for anticipated philanthropic development,” in response to the WSJ report.
The inspiration and Blackstone didn’t reply to Fortune’s request for remark.
Schwarzman, additionally Blackstone’s CEO, is a signatory of the Giving Pledge, a promise made by the world’s wealthiest individuals to donate a majority of their wealth to charitable causes and philanthropic organizations earlier than or upon their demise. Greater than 250 individuals have signed the pledge—together with billionaires Warren Buffett, Invoice Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk—however far fewer have adopted by means of. The truth is, 110 of the U.S. signers are nonetheless billionaires 15 years later, in response to a July 2025 report by the Institute for Coverage Research.
“I used to be struck after I discovered of the implications that advances in synthetic intelligence and different new computing applied sciences may have on human growth, the workforce and international competitiveness,” Schwarzman wrote in his Giving Pledge letter. “I noticed an pressing want to make sure our society is ready for the modifications to come back, which is why I’ve funded two large-scale packages associated to AI.”
In keeping with the report obtained by WSJ, Schwarzman, 78, plans to switch a “substantial majority” of his fortune to his basis upon his demise. His present web price is estimated at $47.8 billion, in response to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. With that web price and assuming he’s making a gift of 99% of his wealth, because the Giving Pledge suggests, that might place Schwarzman’s philanthropy among the many largest on this planet, among the many Gates Basis ($83.3 billion) and the Wellcome Basis ($47 billion).
From dealmaker to philanthropist
Schwarzman started his profession as a banker at Lehman Brothers in 1972 after incomes his MBA from Harvard Enterprise College. He shortly rose the ranks, turning into a managing director in 1978, later serving as chairman of the agency’s mergers and acquisitions committee earlier than leaving to cofound Blackstone in 1985 with Pete Peterson.
They launched Blackstone with $400,000, and 4 a long time later it’s turn into one of many largest asset administration companies on this planet with greater than $1 trillion in property beneath administration together with actual property, non-public credit score, and infrastructure.
However far earlier than that, Schwarzman mentioned his philanthropic efforts had been impressed by his father and grandfather.
“I bear in mind being a younger boy and watching my grandfather pack prosthetics, wheelchairs, garments, books, and toys to ship to youngsters in Israel each month. After I requested him why, he defined that it was not solely his obligation, but in addition his privilege to assist others in want,” Schwarzman wrote in his Giving Pledge letter. “I additionally bear in mind my father, a storeowner in Philadelphia, usually extending credit score to newly arrived immigrants.”
In recent times, Schwarzman has targeted on his legacy. As an alternative of focusing solely on his and his agency’s accomplishments, he defines his legacy by what he’s at the moment engaged on and constructing for the longer term.
“I take into consideration what we’re doing new each single day, throughout all of the totally different areas we’re concerned in,” Schwarzman mentioned in a 2023 interview with Thought Economics. “I take into consideration what we are able to create, what good can we do within the enterprise, how can we assist our clients, how can we assist the world, and the way can we finest have interaction in philanthropy and the group.”
One main instance was his $350 million donation to MIT in 2018 to launch the Schwarzman School of Computing.
“There isn’t a extra necessary alternative or problem going through our nation than to responsibly harness the ability of synthetic intelligence in order that we stay aggressive globally and obtain breakthroughs that can enhance our complete society,” Schwarzman mentioned in an announcement. The reward was the biggest in MIT’s historical past.
