Wendy Schmidt

Wendy Schmidt
Born
Wendy Susan Boyle

(1955-07-26) 26 July 1955 (age 70)
Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationSmith College (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (MA)
OccupationsPresident Schmidt Family Foundation
President Schmidt Ocean Institute
Spouse
​
(m. 1980)​
ChildrenSophie Schmidt
Websitewendyschmidt.com

Wendy Susan Schmidt (née Boyle) is an American philanthropist and investor. She is the president and co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation, holding over $2 billion in philanthropic assets, and Schmidt Ocean Institute. She is married to Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google.

Early life and education

Wendy Susan Boyle was born on July 26, 1955 in Orange, New Jersey,[1] the second of five children and the only girl.[2]

She graduated from Smith College in 1977 with a dual bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology, before earning a master’s degree in journalism from University of California, Berkeley.[2]

Career

After graduate school, Schmidt worked in marketing at Plexus Computers. In 1982, she was recruited to join the marketing department of Sun Microsystems, where she was employee #42. Schmidt left Sun Microsystems in 1986 after the company went public.[2]

Schmidt studied interior design at Cañada College; she later founded and ran an interior design firm for 16 years.[3]

In 2025, Schmidt acquired a controlling interest in Jigsaw Productions from its founder and president, Alex Gibney.[4]

Philanthropy

Schmidt is known for her philanthropic work related to clean energy, regenerative agriculture, ocean health, human rights and scientific research.[5][6][7] She has created multiple philanthropic organizations with the support of her husband, Eric Schmidt. Wendy has led the Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute since their founding.[1]

Climate and sustainability

Main articles: Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute

In 2006, Schmidt and her husband co-founded the Schmidt Family Foundation to support climate change initiatives.[2] She serves as president of the foundation and directs its grantmaking and impact investing.[8] The foundation’s main grantmaking program, the 11th Hour Project, supports renewable energy, regenerative agriculture and food systems, ocean health and human rights.[9] Another grantmaking program, Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, invests in early marine technologies that restore and protect ocean health.[10]

In 2010, through the Schmidt Family Foundation, she offered the prize purse of the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge, a challenge award for the efficient capturing of crude oil from seawater motivated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[11][12]

Schmidt at the Schmidt Science Fellows Global Meeting in 2022.

In 2015, Schmidt initiated the 'Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE': a global competition that awarded $2 million to scientists and engineers who demonstrated excellence in the creation of new accurate and affordable ocean acidification technology.[13] The Schmidt Family Foundation announced a $10 million grant to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in February 2015. The grant enabled the aquarium to collaborate with industry leaders and address growing challenges in global fisheries.[14]

Through the foundation, Wendy Schmidt has supported Indigenous causes, contributing a $5 million professorship endowment to Princeton University in December 2020,[15] and an endowed gift to Stanford University to expand its Native American Studies program.[16]

In 2008, Schmidt founded Remain to support the social and environmental sustainability of Nantucket, Massachusetts, including the year-round viability of its downtown.[17][18] Schmidt, who is a competitive sailor, also founded 11th Hour Racing to improve sustainability in sailing and the maritime industry.[19]

In 2009, Schmidt and her husband founded Schmidt Ocean Institute.[2] The virtual institute operates R/V Falkor (too),[20] and makes it available at no cost to scientists worldwide in exchange for making their science and discoveries publicly available in real-time.[21]

Science, technology, and education

Main article: Schmidt Sciences

In 2009, Wendy and Eric Schmidt created the $25 million Schmidt Transformative Technology Fund at Princeton University to support research and technology in the natural sciences and engineering.[22]

In partnership with the Rhodes Trust, Wendy and Eric Schmidt created Schmidt Science Fellows in 2018: a post-doctoral program that advances interdisciplinary scientific research. The Fellowship equips participants with tools and expertise to drive new discoveries to benefit human and planetary health.[23]

In 2019, Wendy and Eric Schmidt funded the rebuilding and expansion of historic Guyot Hall at Princeton University’s Department of Computer Science. The new building will be renamed ‘Eric and Wendy Schmidt Hall’, with construction scheduled to be complete in 2026.[24]

Wendy and Eric Schmidt in 2024.

In 2021, the Schmidts gave $150 million to establish the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center at the Broad Institute.[25] The center combines machine learning and biology research on human health.[26]

In 2022, the Schmidts donated $12.6 million to establish the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science and the Environment at UC Berkeley.[27]

In 2024, Schmidt and her husband co-founded Schmidt Sciences.[28][29]

Arts and communications

Schmidt and journalist Chip Giller co-founded Agog: The Immersive Media Institute, a nonprofit organization, in 2024.[30]

In 2024, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles announced the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize, an unrestricted $100,000 honorarium[31] supporting artists who contribute to the dialogue surrounding climate, conservation and sustainability.[32]

She is a co-founder and board member of Climate Central.[33]

Personal life

Schmidt met her future husband, Eric, in 1977 while both were attending graduate school at Berkeley. He is the former CEO of Google. They were married in June 1980 and together they have two children, including Sophie Schmidt.[34]

Schmidt has been a competitive sailor since 2007,[9] and is skipper of Deep Blue.[35] In 2022, she won the 54th Barcolana regatta,[36] becoming the first American and first woman to win the world's largest sailing race.[19]

Schmidt has supported political causes in California.[37] She funded a campaign to save a California law banning new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of schools, parks and other neighborhood locations.[38]

References

  1. ^ a b "Wendy Schmidt Invests Big in Documentary Film". www.insidephilanthropy.com. February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Wendy Schmidt gives big to protect oceans, planet's future". AP News. August 26, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  3. ^ "LEADERS Interview with Wendy Schmidt, President, The Schmidt Family Foundation". www.leadersmag.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  4. ^ Barnes, Brooks (February 6, 2025). "A Top Documentary Director Finds a Billionaire Backer". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  5. ^ Mento, Maria Di (March 4, 2025). "Philanthropy 50". Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  6. ^ Cruz, Ryan P. (April 21, 2025). "How Two Santa Barbara Philanthropists Stepped in to Preserve Tri-County Produce". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  7. ^ Moxley, Mitch. "Actor Ted Danson and Philanthropist Wendy Schmidt Are Fighting to Save Our Oceans". www.barrons.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  8. ^ "Wendy Schmidt". Schmidt Ocean Institute. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  9. ^ a b Clarke, John (August 30, 2022). "Wendy Schmidt Is No Longer a Rookie at the Maxi Cup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  10. ^ Kavate, Michael (January 21, 2025). "Green 990s: What Are Four Major Donor Couples Funding?". www.insidephilanthropy.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  11. ^ "Wealthy Activist and X Prize Group Team Up on Oil-Spill Challenge". Chronicles of Philanthropy. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  12. ^ Schwartz, Ariel (July 29, 2010). "X Prize Foundation Unveils $1.4 Million Oil Cleanup X Challenge". Fast Company. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  13. ^ "Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE". NOAA.com website. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  14. ^ "Monterey Bay Aquarium Receives $10 Million From Schmidt Foundation". Philanthropy News Digest. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  15. ^ "Eric and Wendy Schmidt endow new professorship of Indigenous studies at Princeton". Princeton University website. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  16. ^ "New gift will help Stanford reimagine Native American Studies through a 21st-century Indigenous lens | Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences". humsci.stanford.edu. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  17. ^ Percelay, Bruce A. (June 30, 2021). "GLOBAL CHANGEMAKERS". Nantucket Magazine. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  18. ^ DePace, Antonia; Percelay, Bruce A. (July 31, 2024). ""Introducing The Hive"". N-Magazine.
  19. ^ a b "Wendy Schmidt". Superyacht Life. September 27, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  20. ^ McCarthy, Michael. "Wendy Schmidt: Innovating for Ocean Health and Climate Change". Modern Luxury. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  21. ^ Mock-Bunting, Logan (March 23, 2021). "Schmidt Ocean Institute Acquires New Research Vessel To Expand Ability To Explore, Research The Ocean". Schmidt Ocean Institute. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  22. ^ "Eric Schmidt: Princeton Receives $25M From Google CEO For Tech Fund". HuffPost. October 14, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  23. ^ "Inaugural Class of Schmidt Science Fellows announced". Rhodes Trust. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  24. ^ "Gift from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to create a new home for computer science at Princeton University". Princeton University website. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  25. ^ "Broad Institute launches $300m initiative to fight diseases with artificial intelligence - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  26. ^ "Broad Institute Launches $150 Million Schmidt Center for Research in Machine Learning, Biology". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  27. ^ Lohwater, Tiffany; Gipple, Julie. "New UC Berkeley center will apply data science to solving environmental challenges". inspire.berkeley.edu. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  28. ^ Rose, Frank (March 26, 2025). "New A.I. Project Explores Mysteries of Delacroix, Master of Romanticism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  29. ^ "The Schmidt Family Foundation". www.insidephilanthropy.com. January 22, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  30. ^ Stiffman, Eden (March 19, 2024). "Wendy Schmidt and Grist Founder Launch Immersive-Media Nonprofit". Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  31. ^ "Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize". www.moca.org. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  32. ^ "MOCA announces a new $100,000 environment and arts prize". Daily News. July 16, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  33. ^ "Wendy Schmidt, Corporate Secretary, Founding Board Member". Climate Central website. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  34. ^ Holson, Laura (August 29, 2012). "You Could Google Her". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  35. ^ Kochetkova, Maria (October 12, 2024). "Wendy Schmidt Returns to Barcolana: Sailing, Sustainability, and a Deep Connection to the Sea". InTrieste. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  36. ^ "Wendy Schmidt Brings Ocean Conservation to Barcolana Regatta". InTrieste. October 3, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  37. ^ "The Rainmakers: California's top political donors, 2001–2011". CaliforniaWatch.org website, produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  38. ^ Stark, Kevin; Lagos, Marisa (June 27, 2024). "Oil Industry's Referendum on California Drilling Law Is Pulled From Ballot | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Schmidt