Forbes 2026 Iconoclast 50 spotlights billionaires remaking big philanthropy for high impact

Forbes has highlighted a cohort of “maverick” billionaire philanthropists reshaping modern giving as part of its 2026 Iconoclast 50 list, spotlighting figures including Bill Ackman and the Pershing Square Foundation, which has distributed more than $930 million since 2006, Cari Tuna and Dustin Moskovitz’s targeted high-risk funding approach, and Michael and Susan Dell’s $6.25 billion commitment to seed investment accounts for children in lower-income U.S. ZIP codes. The feature also underscores MacKenzie Scott’s more than $26 billion in unrestricted grants and Steve Ballmer’s over $100 million investment in government data transparency through USAFacts. Collectively, the philanthropists emphasize market-style discipline, systems thinking, and long-term impact, reflecting a shift toward data-driven, experimental, and outcome-oriented approaches to large-scale charitable capital deployment.