--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government investment unlocks a huge…" description: "\"Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private sector activity, but the basic research that we put into IT work that led to the Internet and lo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg" --- # Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private… ![“Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private sector activity, but the basic research that we put into IT work that led to the Internet and lots of great companies and jobs, the basic work we put into the health care sector, where it's over $30 billion a year in R&D that led the biotech…” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg) > “Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private sector activity, but the basic research that we put into IT work that led to the Internet and lots of great companies and jobs, the basic work we put into the health care sector, where it's over $30 billion a year in R&D that led the biotech and pharma jobs. And it creates jobs and it creates new technologies that will be productized. But the government has to prime the pump here. The basic ideas, as in those other industries, start with government investment.” [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government seed funding sparks private innovation, especially in tech and health, creating jobs and new products. **In simple terms:** Government funding drives private sector breakthroughs. Key Takeaway Support public R&D investment. Themes economics innovation public policy Mood optimistic analytical Type policy economic When to use this quote - policy debates - budget allocations - industry partnerships Key Concepts market creation technology transfer job creation Questions to Reflect On - How can accountability be ensured? - What private sectors benefit most? A Different Perspective Public funds may be misallocated or politicized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basic research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-research/) [Biotech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biotech/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [New technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-technology/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Private sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-sector/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [The health-care sector certainly employs more people and more machines than it did. But there have been no great strides in service. In Western…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/the-health-care-sector-certainly-employs-more-people-and-more/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The aging of the U.S. population is a theme that we believe strongly in and the health care sector is really right in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-aging-of-the-u-s-population-is-a-theme-that-we-believe-strongly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's just no recovery of the health service without recovery of the social care sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humza-yousaf/there-s-just-no-recovery-of-the-health-service-without-recovery-of/) [Humza Yousaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humza-yousaf/) > [The pace of progress in biology creates a foundation that naturally gets picked up by the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to solve rich-world diseases.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-pace-of-progress-in-biology-creates-a-foundation-that-naturally/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I'm an investor in a number of biotech companies, partly because of my incredible enthusiasm for the great innovations they will bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-m-an-investor-in-a-number-of-biotech-companies-partly-because-of-my/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We need to look at less obvious paths, things like the wind in the jet stream, which is very high up. The material science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-need-to-look-at-less-obvious-paths-things-like-the-wind-in-the-jet/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Finally, assuming that many of those are fulfilled, which won't be easy in tight budget times, we're taking the supply side at the basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/finally-assuming-that-many-of-those-are-fulfilled-which-won-t-be-easy/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [How much further beyond basic research the role of the government should be, you could have a really good debate about it. Almost nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/how-much-further-beyond-basic-research-the-role-of-the-government/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If you want to slow medical inflation in the private sector, it makes sense to expand the government's investment in private health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/if-you-want-to-slow-medical-inflation-in-the-private-sector-it-makes/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Research and technology parks are an important part of the innovation infrastructure in Canada. Our Government's investment will increase the foreign profile of western…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rempel/research-and-technology-parks-are-an-important-part-of-the-innovation/) [Michelle Rempel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rempel/) > [Very clearly, government investment can and should be used to support economic growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/very-clearly-government-investment-can-and-should-be-used-to-support/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [We've been living with this myth that somehow government investment in research has not been critical to economic growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/we-ve-been-living-with-this-myth-that-somehow-government-investment/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [At this moment, glyphosate is the biggest threat. And because of its overuse, we are seeing the emergence of superweeds, which have grown resistant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/at-this-moment-glyphosate-is-the-biggest-threat-and-because-of-its/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [Biotech crops are not a solution to solve hunger in Africa or elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnimmo-bassey/biotech-crops-are-not-a-solution-to-solve-hunger-in-africa-or/) Nnimmo Bassey > [Biotech 1.0 is slow, like a lab science, and Version 2.0 is more like computational sciences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jurvetson/biotech-1-0-is-slow-like-a-lab-science-and-version-2-0-is-more-like/) [Steve Jurvetson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jurvetson/) ## More by Bill Gates > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) [Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private sector activity, but the basic research that we put into IT work that led to the Internet and lots of great companies and jobs, the basic work we put into the health care sector, where it's over $30 billion a year in R&D that led the biotech and pharma jobs. And it creates jobs and it creates new technologies that will be productized. But the government has to prime the pump here. The basic ideas, as in those other industries, start with government investment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amount-of-private-sector/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amount-of-private-sector/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f8/bill-gates-137_activity_government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amo_2309205.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Government investment unlocks a huge amount of private sector activity, but the basic research that we put…” — Bill Gates", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Gates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Government investment unlocks a huge amount...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amount-of-private-sector/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/government-investment-unlocks-a-huge-amount-of-private-sector/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```