3 Stocks Bill Gates Might Love

Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool
Updated

What's the next big thing? Trade magazine InfoWorld askedMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates, and strangely, exactly none of his answers relate to technology Mr. Softy is selling today.

"Robots, pervasive screens, speech interaction will all change the way we look at 'computers.' Once seeing, hearing, and reading (including handwriting) work very well you will interact in new ways," Gates said when asked disruptive changes in computing.

After witnessing all that was on display at last month's Consumer Electronics Show, I think he's right. And yet Gates doesn't appear to be betting on any of these potential breakthroughs. Instead his personal fund -- Cascade Investment -- recently reported positions in Arch Capital Group, Canadian National Railway, Liberty Global, and Waste Management.


Not exactly a gathering of innovators, is it?

Maybe it doesn't matter. Like the rest of us, Gates is entitled to make any size position bet and only the largest need be reported to the SEC. In that case, I envision Gates taking small positions in businesses enabling each of the three breakthroughs he cites. Or, specifically:

  • iRobot . The king of consumer cleanup bots is finding new its way into new markets. A deal with InTouch Health has the company putting its FDA-approved RP-VITA bot in rural hospitals for "telemedicine," a fancy term for remote diagnosis of certain ailments.

  • Universal Display . A pioneer of the flexible OLED screens that wowed CES audiences already has deals with Samsung and LG Display. The company should cash in nicely as consumers push for not only smarter but also lighter and more durable devices.

  • Nuance Communications . Earned headlines for finding better ways to leverage voice technology in cars but is also working on a voice-activated "assistant" that travels with you everywhere you go.

Think I'm wrong? Are there better companies working on the shifts Gates describes? Please weigh in using the comment box below. And remember: no matter where you stand, we're still early in the shift to fully interactive mobile computing, a change that our analysts call "The Next Trillion-Dollar Revolution." Find out who they believe will profit most from the uprising in this new research report, which you can download right now -- go ahead, it's free.

The article 3 Stocks Bill Gates Might Love originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian National Railway, iRobot , Nuance Communications, Universal Display, and Waste Management. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft, Nuance Communications, Universal Display, and Waste Management. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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