| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elon Reeve Musk |
| Date of Birth | June 28, 1971 |
| Place of Birth | Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African, Canadian, American |
| Education | – Attended Pretoria Boys High School |
| – University of Pretoria (briefly) | |
| – Queen’s University, Canada (transferred) | |
| – University of Pennsylvania, USA (Bachelor’s in Physics and Economics) | |
| Key Ventures | – Zip2 Corporation (Co-founder) |
| – X.com and PayPal (Founder and Co-founder) | |
| – SpaceX (Founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer) | |
| – Tesla, Inc. (CEO and Product Architect) | |
| – Neuralink (Co-founder) | |
| – OpenAI (Co-founder) | |
| – The Boring Company (Founder) | |
| – SolarCity (Co-founder) | |
| – Twitter (now X) (Owner and CEO) | |
| Major Achievements | – Revolutionized the electric car industry with Tesla |
| – Advanced space technology and reusable rockets with SpaceX | |
| – Advocated for sustainable energy solutions | |
| – Pioneered advancements in neural interfaces with Neuralink | |
| – Involved in the development of Hyperloop and tunnel transport systems | |
| Personal Life | – Married three times (Justine Musk, Talulah Riley) |
| – Has multiple children | |
| – Known for his presence on social media, particularly Twitter (now X) | |
| Awards & Recognition | – Time 100 Most Influential People (multiple years) |
| – Ranked highly on Forbes list of powerful people | |
| – Received the FAI Gold Space Medal, IEEE Honorary Membership, etc. | |
| Net Worth | Estimated to be one of the wealthiest individuals in the world |
Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. From a young age, Musk demonstrated an intense curiosity and a keen intellect, often found absorbed in books and fascinated by technology. His early years were marked by a love for science fiction and computing, leading him to teach himself programming by the age of 12. Musk sold his first software, a game called “Blastar,” around this time.
In pursuit of better opportunities and to avoid mandatory military service in South Africa, Musk moved to Canada at 17, obtaining citizenship through his Canadian-born mother, Maye Musk. He briefly attended Queen’s University in Ontario before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, where he earned dual degrees in physics and economics.
Musk’s entrepreneurial journey began in Silicon Valley during the internet boom. In 1995, he co-founded Zip2, a city guide software for newspapers, which was eventually sold to Compaq for nearly $300 million. Using his newfound wealth, Musk launched X.com in 1999, an online payment company. X.com later became PayPal, revolutionizing online money transfers before being acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock.
Driven by a vision of humanity’s future as a multi-planetary species, Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, in 2002. SpaceX faced numerous challenges, including multiple failed launches, but Musk’s tenacity and willingness to risk his own capital paid off. In 2008, SpaceX became the first privately-funded company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station. SpaceX’s development of the reusable Falcon rockets has significantly reduced the cost of space travel, bringing Musk closer to his dream of colonizing Mars.
Parallel to his work with SpaceX, Musk joined Tesla, Inc. in 2004, a company founded by engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Under Musk’s leadership as CEO and product architect, Tesla transformed the automotive industry with its electric vehicles, proving that sustainable energy solutions could be both viable and desirable. Tesla’s success has spurred a global shift towards electric mobility.
Musk’s ventures extend beyond SpaceX and Tesla. In 2006, he co-founded SolarCity, aiming to provide affordable solar power solutions. In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to ensuring artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. Musk’s interest in human-computer symbiosis led to the creation of Neuralink in 2016, a company focused on developing brain-machine interfaces to help humans keep pace with advanced AI.
The Boring Company, founded in 2016, aims to solve urban transportation problems through tunnel construction and innovative transit systems like the Hyperloop. Musk’s relentless drive and innovative mindset have earned him a reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern technology and business.
Musk’s personal life has been as complex as his professional one. He has been married three times, twice to actress Talulah Riley, and has several children. His public persona is characterized by his candid and often controversial presence on social media, particularly Twitter (now X), where he frequently shares updates on his ventures and personal insights.
Despite facing criticism and numerous challenges, Musk’s vision and determination continue to push the boundaries of technology and innovation. His work is fundamentally changing industries and setting new standards for what is possible, inspiring millions to dream big and pursue ambitious goals.