Philanthropy by entrepreneurs remains an empirically underexplored topic. Combining datasets on U.S. based IPOs with individual philanthropic gifts, we empirically demonstrate that entrepreneurial harvests indeed trigger entrepreneurs’ philanthropic behavior. Furthermore, we distinguish how entrepreneurs’ approach to philanthropy differs from other individuals who experience the same wealth creating event. Entrepreneurs are able to transition more quickly to philanthropy compared to non-entrepreneurs, are more likely to invest in university science and technology, and also provide a greater number of gifts.