Elon Musk (born June 28, 1971) is a South African-born American entrepreneur, engineer, and investor renowned for founding and leading several groundbreaking companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and X (formerly Twitter).
Early Life and Education
Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to Maye Musk, a Canadian model and dietitian, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer. From a young age, he exhibited a keen interest in computing and technology, teaching himself programming and selling his first video game at age 12.
In 1988, seeking broader opportunities and to avoid South Africa’s mandatory military service, Musk moved to Canada. He briefly attended the University of Pretoria before enrolling at Queen’s University in Ontario. After two years, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, earning dual bachelor’s degrees in physics and economics.
In 1995, Musk was accepted into a Ph.D. program at Stanford University but left after two days to pursue entrepreneurial ventures in the emerging internet industry.
Career Milestones
- Zip2 Corporation (1996): Musk co-founded this company, which provided business directories and maps for newspapers. Compaq acquired it in 1999 for $307 million.
- X.com and PayPal (1999–2002): Musk founded X.com, an online payment company, which later became PayPal. eBay purchased PayPal in 2002 for $1.5 billion.
- SpaceX (2002): He founded SpaceX with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. The company has achieved numerous milestones, including reusable rockets and contracts with NASA.
- Tesla, Inc. (2004): Musk joined Tesla Motors (now Tesla, Inc.) as chairman and later became CEO. Under his leadership, Tesla has become a leader in electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions.
- Neuralink (2016): Co-founded by Musk, Neuralink is developing implantable brain–machine interfaces to connect humans and computers.
- Twitter/X (2022): Musk acquired Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it as X, aiming to transform it into a comprehensive “everything app.”
Wealth and Influence
As of May 2025, Elon Musk is the world’s wealthiest individual, with an estimated net worth of $424.7 billion, primarily derived from his holdings in Tesla and SpaceX.
Personal Life and Philosophy
Musk is known for his intense work ethic, often working over 80 hours a week, and his vision to address global challenges through technology. He advocates for the colonization of Mars, the development of sustainable energy, and the integration of AI with human cognition.
He has 13 children and has been involved in various high-profile relationships.
Further Reading
For an in-depth look at Elon Musk’s life and ventures, consider reading Walter Isaacson’s biography: Elon Musk.
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