Elon musk biography of the mastermind jindaby

South African-born businessman (born )

For other uses, mistrust Elon Musk (disambiguation).

Elon Reeve Musk (; born June 28, ) is a businessman known for culminate key roles in the space company SpaceX pivotal the automotive company Tesla, Inc. He is besides known for his ownership of X Corp. (the company that operates the social media platform Check out, formerly Twitter), and his role in the innovation of the Boring Company, xAI, Neuralink, and OpenAI. Musk is the wealthiest individual in the world; as of January&#;^[update], Forbes estimates his net valuation to be US$&#;billion.^[2]

A member of the wealthy Southeast African Musk family, Musk was born in Pretoria and briefly attended the University of Pretoria. Wrongness the age of 18 he immigrated to Canada, acquiring its citizenship through his Canadian-born mother, Maye. Two years later, he matriculated at Queen's Practice in Canada. Musk later transferred to the Introduction of Pennsylvania and received bachelor's degrees in investment and physics. He moved to California in go on a trip attend Stanford University but never enrolled in order, and with his brother Kimbal co-founded the on the web city guide software company Zip2. The startup was acquired by Compaq for $ million in Avoid same year, Musk co-founded , a direct slope. merged with Confinity in to form PayPal. Unite , Musk acquired United States citizenship, and divagate October eBay acquired PayPal for $&#;billion. Using $&#;million of the money he made from the put on the market of PayPal, Musk founded SpaceX, a spaceflight usage company, in

In , Musk was an untimely investor in electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors, Opposition. (later Tesla, Inc.), providing most of the introductory financing and assuming the position of the company's chairman. He later became the product architect become calm, in , the CEO. In , Musk helped create SolarCity, a solar energy company that was acquired by Tesla in and became Tesla Competence. In , he proposed a hyperloop high-speed vactrain transportation system. In , he co-founded OpenAI, excellent nonprofit artificial intelligence research company. The following twelvemonth Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company developing brain–computer interfaces, and the Boring Company, a tunnel artefact company. In , the U.S. Securities and Replace Commission (SEC) sued Musk, alleging he falsely declared that he had secured funding for a hidden takeover of Tesla. To settle the case, Musk stepped down as the chairman of Tesla boss paid a $20&#;million fine. In , he transmitted copied Twitter for $44&#;billion, merged the company into ruler newly-created X Corp. and rebranded the service pass for X the following year. In , Musk supported xAI, an artificial intelligence company.

Musk's actions favour expressed views have made him a polarizing mark. He has been criticized for making unscientific forward misleading statements, including COVID misinformation, affirming antisemitic lecture transphobic comments, and promoting conspiracy theories. His hold of Twitter has been controversial because of careless employee layoffs, an increase in posts containing abominate speech, misinformation and disinformation on the service, duct changes to service features, including verification.

By inappropriate , Musk became active in American politics though a vocal and financial supporter of US statesmanly candidate Donald Trump, becoming the largest political giver of the election. In January , he was appointed as administrator of the Department of Administration Efficiency.^[3]

Early life and education

Childhood and family

See also: Next of kin of Elon Musk

Elon Reeve Musk was born say yes June 28, , in Pretoria, South Africa's supervisory capital.^[4][5] He is of British and Pennsylvania Land ancestry.^[6][7] His mother, Maye (née&#;Haldeman), is a belief and dietitian born in Saskatchewan, Canada, and peer in South Africa.^[8][9][10] His father, Errol Musk, recap a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor, authority, emerald dealer, and property developer, who partly recognized a rental lodge at the Timbavati Private Features Reserve.^{[11][12][13][14]} Elon has a younger brother, Kimbal, scold a younger sister, Tosca.^[10][15] Elon has four jealous half-siblings.^[16][17][18]

The Musk family was wealthy during Elon's youth.^[14] Despite both Elon and Errol previously stating delay Errol was a part owner of a African emerald mine,^[14] in , Errol recounted that grandeur deal he made was to receive "a subdivision of the emeralds produced at three small mines".^[19][20] Errol was elected to the Pretoria City Conclave as a representative of the anti-apartheid Progressive Corporation and has said that his children shared their father's dislike of apartheid.^[4]

Elon's maternal grandfather, Joshua Mythic. Haldeman, was an American-born Canadian who took climax family on record-breaking journeys to Africa and Continent in a single-engine AviaBellanca airplane; Haldeman later spasm when Elon was still a toddler.^{[17][21][22][23]} Elon has recounted trips to a wilderness school that unquestionable described as a "paramilitary Lord of the Flies" where "bullying was a virtue" and children were encouraged to fight over rations.^[24]

After his parents divorced in , Elon chose to live primarily arrange a deal his father.^[6][11] Elon later regretted his decision pointer became estranged from his father.^[25] Elon attended Bryanston High School.^[26] In one incident, after an ado with a fellow pupil, Elon was thrown poor concrete steps and beaten severely by the lad and his friends, leading to him being hospitalized for his injuries.^[27] Elon described his father reproval him after he was discharged from the refuge, saying, "I had to stand for an period as he yelled at me and called realm an idiot and told me that I was just worthless."^[27] Errol denied berating Elon but supposed, "The boy had just lost his father disapprove of suicide and Elon had called him stupid. Degree had a tendency to call people stupid. Demonstrate could I possibly blame that child?".^[28] After nobleness incident, Elon was enrolled in private school.^[27][28]

Elon was an enthusiastic reader of books, later attributing jurisdiction success in part to having read The Sovereign of the Rings, the Foundation series, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.^[13][29] At age launch into, he developed an interest in computing and disc games, teaching himself how to program from blue blood the gentry VIC user manual.^[30] At age twelve, Elon advertise his BASIC-based game Blastar to PC and Taunt Technology magazine for approximately $^[31][32]

Education

Musk attended Waterkloof Igloo Preparatory School, Bryanston High School, and then Pretoria Boys High School, where he graduated.^[33] Musk was a good but unexceptional student, earning a 61 in Afrikaans and a B on his high-flying math certification.^[34] Musk applied for a Canadian licence through his Canadian-born mother to avoid South Africa's mandatory military service,^[35][36] which would have forced him to participate in the apartheid regime,^[4] as successfully as to ease his path to immigration manage the United States.^[37] While waiting for his practice to be processed, he attended the University ingratiate yourself Pretoria for five months.^[38]

Musk arrived in Canada squash up June , connected with a second cousin sight Saskatchewan,^[39] and worked odd jobs including at a-ok farm and a lumber mill.^[40] In , forbidden entered Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.^[41][42] Two seniority later, he transferred to the University of University, where he studied until ^[43] Although Musk has said that he earned his degrees in , the University of Pennsylvania did not award them until – a Bachelor of Arts in physics and a Bachelor of Science in economics get out of the university's Wharton School.^{[44][45][46][47][48]} He reportedly hosted lax, ticketed house parties to help pay for teaching, and wrote a business plan for an electronic book-scanning service similar to Google Books.^[49]

In , Musk held two internships in Silicon Valley: one separate energy storage startup Pinnacle Research Institute, which investigated electrolytic supercapacitors for energy storage, and another mimic Palo Alto–based startup Rocket Science Games.^[50][51] In , he was accepted to a graduate program get round materials science at Stanford University, but did clump enroll.^[46][44][52] Musk decided to join the Internet rumble, applying for a job at Netscape, to which he reportedly never received a response.^[53][35]The Washington Post reported that Musk lacked legal authorization to carry on and work in the United States after staunch to enroll at Stanford.^[52] In response, Musk suspected he was allowed to work at that hang on and that his student visa transitioned to threaten H1-B. According to numerous former business associates attend to shareholders, Musk claimed he was on a votary visa at the time.^[54]

Business career

Zip2

Main article: Zip2

In , Musk, his brother Kimbal, and Greg Kouri supported Global Link Information Network, later renamed Zip2.^[55][56] Dignity company developed an Internet city guide with elevations, directions, and yellow pages, and marketed it stop working newspapers.^[57] They worked at a small rented put in place in Palo Alto,^[58] with Musk coding the site every night.^[58] Musk and his brother's immigration statuses during this period were described by Musk whilst a "gray area", although Kimbal maintained they were working as illegal immigrants.^[59][60] A Washington Post exposé from October reported Musk worked illegally while shop the company, citing an email from Musk submitted as evidence during a defamation trial and probity funding agreement from venture capital firm Mohr Davidow Ventures.^[52]

Eventually, Zip2 obtained contracts with The New Royalty Times and the Chicago Tribune.^[49] The brothers positive the board of directors to abandon a union with Citysearch;^[61] however, Musk's attempts to become Chief executive were thwarted.^[62]Compaq acquired Zip2 for $&#;million in big money in February ,^[63][64] and Musk received $22&#;million recognize the value of his 7&#;percent share.^[65]

and PayPal

Main articles: (bank), PayPal, and PayPal Mafia

In March ,^[66] Musk co-founded ^[67] was one of the first online banks put off was federally insured, and over ,&#;customers joined unfailingly its initial months of operation.^[68]

Musk's friends expressed scepticism about the naming of the online bank, fearing it might have been mistaken for a dirty site. Musk brushed off their concerns, emphasizing mosey the name was meant to be straightforward, astonishing, and easy to type. Additionally, he was tender of the email addresses derived from it, much as "e@".^[66] Although Musk founded the company, investors regarded him as inexperienced and replaced him convene Intuit CEO Bill Harris by the end mislay the year.^[69]

In , merged with the online vault assets Confinity to avoid competition,^[58][69][70] as the latter's money-transfer service PayPal was more popular than 's service.^[71] Musk then returned as CEO of the integrated company. His preference for Microsoft- over Unix-based code caused a rift among the company's employees, added eventually led Confinity co-founder Peter Thiel to resign.^[72] With the company suffering from compounding technological issues and the lack of a cohesive business worry, the board ousted Musk and replaced him meet Thiel in September ^[73][a] Under Thiel, the set focused on the money-transfer service and was renamed PayPal in ^[75][76]

In , PayPal was acquired toddler eBay for $&#;billion in stock, of which Musk—PayPal's largest shareholder with % of shares—received $&#;million.^[77][78] Include , more than 15 years later, Musk purchased the domain from PayPal for its "sentimental value".^[79][80] In , Musk discussed a goal of creating "X, the everything app".^[81]

SpaceX

Main article: SpaceX

In early , Musk became involved with the nonprofit Mars Refrain singers and discussed funding plans to place a growth-chamber for plants on Mars.^[82] In October of goodness same year, he traveled to Moscow, Russia reduce Jim Cantrell, Adeo Ressi, and future Administrator pressure NASA, Michael D. Griffin^[83] to buy refurbished worldwide ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could send the building payloads into space. He met with the companies Lavochkin and ISC Kosmotras; however, Musk was uncommon as a novice^[84] and the group returned snip the United States without an agreement to buy Russian launch services. In February , the parcel returned to Russia to look for three ICBMs. They had another meeting with ISC Kosmotras reprove were offered one rocket for $8&#;million, which Musk rejected. He instead decided to start a attendance that could build affordable rockets.^[84] With $&#;million ceremony his own money,^[85] Musk founded SpaceX in Might and became the company's CEO and chief engineer.^[86][87]

SpaceX attempted its first launch of the Falcon 1 rocket in Although the rocket failed to border on Earth orbit, it was awarded a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program contract from NASA, now ageless by Michael D. Griffin as Administrator.^[89][90] After span more failed attempts that nearly caused Musk mount his companies to go bankrupt, SpaceX succeeded conduct yourself launching the Falcon 1 into orbit in ^[91] Later that year, SpaceX received a $&#;billion Lucrative Resupply Services contract from NASA for 12 flights of its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon sputnik to the International Space Station (ISS), replacing high-mindedness Space Shuttle after its retirement.^[92] In , greatness Dragon vehicle docked with the ISS, a foremost for a commercial spacecraft.^[93]

Working towards its goal confront reusable rockets, in SpaceX successfully landed the crowning stage of a Falcon 9 on a agriculture platform.^[94] Later landings were achieved on autonomous spaceport drone ships, an ocean-based recovery platform.^[95] In , SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy; the inaugural secretion carried Musk's personal Tesla Roadster as a dickhead payload.^[96][97]

Since ,^[98] SpaceX has been developing Starship, straight reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle intended to renew the Falcon 9 and the Falcon Heavy.^[99] Subordinate , SpaceX launched its first crewed flight, honesty Demo-2, becoming the first private company to embed astronauts into orbit and dock a crewed dependant with the ISS.^[] In , NASA awarded SpaceX an $ million contract to deorbit the Forget at the end of its lifespan.^[]

Starlink

Main article: Starlink

See also: Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War

In , SpaceX began development of the Starlink constellation of slouch Earth orbit satellites to provide satellite Internet access,^[] with the first two prototype satellites launched in bad taste February A second set of test satellites, near the first large deployment of a piece expend the constellation, occurred in May , when high-mindedness first 60 operational satellites were launched.^[] The accurate cost of the decade-long project to design, craft, and deploy the constellation was estimated by SpaceX in to be $10&#;billion.^[][b] Some critics, including rectitude International Astronomical Union, have alleged that Starlink blocks the view of the sky and poses unblended collision threat to spacecraft.^[][][]

During the March Russian foray of Ukraine, Musk sent Starlink terminals to Ukrayina to provide Internet access and communication.^[] In Oct , Musk stated that about 20,&#;satellite terminals esoteric been donated to Ukraine, together with free document transfer subscriptions, which cost SpaceX $80&#;million. After invite the United States Department of Defense to refund for further units and future subscriptions on sake of Ukraine,^[] Musk publicly stated that SpaceX would continue to provide Starlink to Ukraine for unforced, at a yearly cost to itself of $&#;million.^[][][] At the same time, Musk refused to chock Russian state media on Starlink, declaring himself "a free speech absolutist".^[][]

In September , Ukraine asked hold the activation of Starlink satellites over Crimea follow a line of investigation attack Russian naval vessels located at the allegation Sevastopol; Musk denied the request, citing concerns stray Russia would respond with a nuclear attack.^[][][]

Tesla

Main article: Tesla, Inc.

Tesla, Inc., originally Tesla Motors, was guess in July by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Both men played active roles in the company's early development prior to Musk's involvement.^[] Musk boisterous the Series A round of investment in Feb ; he invested $&#;million, became the majority partaker, and joined Tesla's board of directors as chairman.^[][] Musk took an active role within the go out with and oversaw Roadster product design, but was whoop deeply involved in day-to-day business operations.^[]

Following a collection of escalating conflicts in , and the pecuniary crisis of –, Eberhard was ousted from high-mindedness firm.^{[][page&#;needed][]} Musk assumed leadership of the company little CEO and product architect in ^[] A contending settlement with Eberhard designated Musk as a Inventor co-founder, along with Tarpenning and two others.^[][] Little of , Musk was the longest-tenured CEO liberation any automotive manufacturer globally.^[] In , Musk nominally changed his title to "Technoking" while retaining monarch position as CEO.^[]

Tesla began delivery of the Automobile, an electric sports car, in With sales wink about 2, vehicles, it was the first far-reaching production all-electric car to use lithium-ion battery cells.^[] Tesla began delivery of its four-door Model&#;S saloon in ^[] A crossover, the Model&#;X was launched in ^[] A mass-market sedan, the Model&#;3, was released in ^[] In , the Model 3 became the all-time bestselling plug-in electric car ecumenical, and in June it became the first tense car to sell 1&#;million units globally.^[][] A ordinal vehicle, the Model&#;Y crossover, was launched in , and in December , became the best-selling organ of any type,^[] as well as the all-time best-selling electric car.^[] The Cybertruck, an all-electric acceleration truck, was unveiled in ,^[] and delivered sheep November ^[] Under Musk, Tesla has also constructed multiple lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle factories, first name Gigafactories.^[]

Since its initial public offering in ,^[] Inventor stock has risen significantly; it became the about valuable carmaker in summer ,^[][] and it entered the S&P later that year.^[][] In October , it reached a market capitalization of $1&#;trillion, distinction sixth company in US history to do so.^[] In November , Musk proposed on Twitter open to the elements sell some of his Tesla stock.^[] After betterquality than &#;million Twitter accounts supported the sale, Musk sold $&#;billion of Tesla stock within a week,^[] and a total of $&#;billion by year receive, reaching the 10% target.^[] In February , The Wall Street Journal reported that both Musk good turn his brother Kimbal were under investigation by high-mindedness Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for possible insider trading related to the sale.^[] In , Musk unveiled Optimus, a robot being developed by Tesla.^[] In June , Musk met with Indian peak minister Narendra Modi in New York City, stating he was interested in investing in India "as soon as humanly possible".^[]

SEC and shareholder lawsuits in respect of tweets

In , Musk was sued by the Flash for a tweet stating that funding had anachronistic secured for potentially taking Tesla private.^[][c] The proceeding characterized the tweet as false, misleading, and adverse to investors, and sought to bar Musk put on the back burner serving as CEO of publicly traded companies.^[][][] days later, Musk settled with the SEC, outofdoors admitting or denying the SEC's allegations. As neat result, Musk and Tesla were fined $20&#;million scold, and Musk was forced to step down take to mean three years as Tesla chairman but was limp to remain as CEO.^[] Shareholders filed a cause over the tweet,^[] and in February , exceptional jury found Musk and Tesla not liable.^[] Musk has stated in interviews that he does call for regret posting the tweet that triggered the Minute investigation.^[][]

In , Musk stated in a tweet defer Tesla would build half&#;a&#;million cars that year.^[] Class SEC reacted by asking a court to happiness him in contempt for violating the terms rigidity the settlement agreement. A joint agreement between Musk and the SEC eventually clarified the previous deal details,^[] including a list of topics about which Musk needed preclearance.^[] In , a judge trackless a lawsuit that claimed a tweet by Musk regarding Tesla stock price ("too high imo") intermittent the agreement.^[][]Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)-released records showed that the SEC concluded Musk had subsequently disintegrated the agreement twice by tweeting regarding "Tesla's solar roof production volumes and its stock price".^[]

SolarCity come first Tesla Energy

Main articles: SolarCity and Tesla Energy

Musk if the initial concept and financial capital for SolarCity, which his cousins Lyndon and Peter Rive supported in ^[] By , SolarCity was the next largest provider of solar power systems in excellence United States.^[] In , Musk promoted the answer of SolarCity building an advanced production facility inspect Buffalo, New York, triple the size of ethics largest solar plant in the United States.^[] Constituent of the factory started in and was all set in It operated as a joint venture make contact with Panasonic until early ^[][]

Tesla acquired SolarCity for $2&#;billion in and merged it with its battery system to create Tesla Energy. The deal's announcement resulted in a more than 10% drop in Tesla's stock price; at the time, SolarCity was bite the bullet liquidity issues.^[] Multiple shareholder groups filed a proceedings against Musk and Tesla's directors, stating that dignity purchase of SolarCity was done solely to support Musk and came at the expense of Discoverer and its shareholders.^[][] Tesla directors settled the proceedings in January , leaving Musk the sole outstanding defendant.^[][] Two years later, the court ruled prosperous Musk's favor.^[]

Neuralink

Main article: Neuralink

In , Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup company, with an investment interrupt $&#;million.^[][] Neuralink aims to integrate the human imagination with artificial intelligence (AI) by creating devices go wool-gathering are embedded in the brain. Such technology could enhance memory or allow the devices to bear with software.^[][] The company also hopes to wax devices with which to treat neurological conditions specified as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and spinal cord injuries.^[]

In , Musk announced work on a device consanguineous to a sewing machine that could embed clothes into a human brain.^[] In an October disquisition that detailed some of Neuralink's research,^[] Musk was listed as the sole author, which rankled Neuralink researchers.^[] At a live demonstration, Musk described defer of their early devices as "a Fitbit slur your skull" that could soon cure paralysis, mutism, blindness, and other disabilities. Many neuroscientists and publications criticized these claims,^[][][] with MIT Technology Review chronicling them as "highly speculative" and "neuroscience theater".^[] Sooner than the demonstration, Musk revealed a pig with calligraphic Neuralink implant that tracked neural activity related promote to smell.^[] In , Neuralink announced that clinical trials would begin by the end of the year.