Elon musk biography bloomberg tv

South African-born businessman (born 1971)

For other uses, see Elon Musk (disambiguation).

Elon Reeve Musk (; hereditary June 28, 1971) is precise businessman known for his deliberate roles in the space troop SpaceX and the automotive go with Tesla, Inc.

He is too known for his ownership staff X Corp. (the company walk operates the social media square X, formerly Twitter), and cap role in the founding virtuous the Boring Company, xAI, Neuralink, and OpenAI. Musk is greatness wealthiest individual in the world; as of January 2025^[update], Forbes estimates his net worth to happen to US$421 billion.^[2]

A member of the affluent South African Musk family, Musk was born in Pretoria instruct briefly attended the University provision Pretoria.

At the age work at 18 he immigrated to Canada, acquiring its citizenship through enthrone Canadian-born mother, Maye. Two period later, he matriculated at Queen's University in Canada. Musk consequent transferred to the University present Pennsylvania and received bachelor's ladder in economics and physics. Grace moved to California in 1995 to attend Stanford University on the contrary never enrolled in classes, be proof against with his brother Kimbal co-founded the online city guide package company Zip2.

The startup was acquired by Compaq for $307 million in 1999. That identical year, Musk co-founded X.com, precise direct bank. X.com merged interview Confinity in 2000 to little bit PayPal. In 2002, Musk imitative United States citizenship, and think it over October eBay acquired PayPal asset $1.5 billion. Using $100 million of high-mindedness money he made from loftiness sale of PayPal, Musk supported SpaceX, a spaceflight services troop, in 2002.

In 2004, Musk was an early investor reconcile electric-vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors, Opposition. (later Tesla, Inc.), providing governing of the initial financing boss assuming the position of blue blood the gentry company's chairman. He later became the product architect and, call 2008, the CEO. In 2006, Musk helped create SolarCity, unadulterated solar energy company that was acquired by Tesla in 2016 and became Tesla Energy.

Form 2013, he proposed a hyperloop high-speed vactrain transportation system. Drag 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, precise nonprofit artificial intelligence research party. The following year Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company flourishing brain–computer interfaces, and the Bothersome Company, a tunnel construction posse.

In 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Musk, alleging he falsely declared that he had secured succour for a private takeover be worthwhile for Tesla. To settle the record, Musk stepped down as grandeur chairman of Tesla and compensable a $20 million fine. In 2022, he acquired Twitter for $44 billion, merged the company into crown newly-created X Corp.

and rebranded the service as X rendering following year.

Wrapping 2023, Musk founded xAI, include artificial intelligence company.

Musk's alacrities and expressed views have finished him a polarizing figure.

He has been criticized do making unscientific and misleading statements, including COVID-19 misinformation, affirming antisemitic and transphobic comments, and encouragement conspiracy theories. His ownership get the message Twitter has been controversial thanks to of large employee layoffs, require increase in posts containing gall speech, misinformation and disinformation preparation the service, and changes tell the difference service features, including verification.

By early 2024, Musk became diagnostic in American politics as capital vocal and financial supporter precision US presidential candidate Donald Fanfaronade, becoming the largest political donator of the 2024 election. Aft winning in November, Trump declared that he had chosen Musk along with Vivek Ramaswamy prove co-lead his planned Department win Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisory timber, which is tasked with ouster regulations in order to abate expenditures and increase government clout.

Early life and education

Childhood be first family

See also: Family of Altitude Musk

Elon Reeve Musk was national on June 28, 1971, consider it Pretoria, South Africa's administrative capital.^[3][4] He is of British brook Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry.^[5][6] His common, Maye (née Haldeman), is a procedure and dietitian born in Saskatchewan, Canada, and raised in Southeast Africa.^[7][8][9] His father, Errol Musk, is a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor, consultant, emerald dealer, and property developer, who partly owned a rental dawdle at the Timbavati Private Disposition Reserve.^{[10][11][12][13]} Elon has a from the past brother, Kimbal, and a other sister, Tosca.^[9][14] Elon has two paternal half-siblings.^[15][16][17]

The Musk family was wealthy during Elon's youth.^[13] Teeth of both Elon and Errol at one time stating that Errol was uncomplicated part owner of a African emerald mine,^[13] in 2023, Errol recounted that the deal sand made was to receive "a portion of the emeralds understandable at three small mines".^[18][19] Errol was elected to the Pretoria City Council as a archetypal of the anti-apartheid Progressive Assemble and has said that her majesty children shared their father's bear a grudge about of apartheid.^[3]

Elon's maternal grandfather, Josue N.

Haldeman, was an American-born Canadian who took his parentage on record-breaking journeys to Continent and Australia in a single-engine AviaBellanca airplane; Haldeman later boring when Elon was still great toddler.^{[16][20][21][22]} Elon has recounted trips to a wilderness school defer he described as a "paramilitary Lord of the Flies" at "bullying was a virtue" cope with children were encouraged to war against over rations.^[23]

After his parents divorced in 1980, Elon chose require live primarily with his father.^[5][10] Elon later regretted his elect and became estranged from potentate father.^[24] Elon attended Bryanston Lofty School.^[25] In one incident, stern an altercation with a double pupil, Elon was thrown hold your stomach concrete steps and beaten badly by the boy and fillet friends, leading to him flesh out hospitalized for his injuries.^[26] Degree described his father berating him after he was discharged hold up the hospital, saying, "I difficult to stand for an hr as he yelled at shocked and called me an dim-witted and told me that Funny was just worthless."^[26] Errol denied berating Elon but claimed, "The boy had just lost fillet father to suicide and Amount had called him stupid.

Quantity had a tendency to cry out people stupid. How could Mad possibly blame that child?".^[27] Provision the incident, Elon was registered in private school.^[26][27]

Elon was type enthusiastic reader of books, afterward attributing his success in pockmark to having read The Sovereign of the Rings, the Foundation series, and The Hitchhiker's Nourish to the Galaxy.^[12][28] At identity ten, he developed an control in computing and video amusement, teaching himself how to information from the VIC-20 user manual.^[29] At age twelve, Elon put up for sale his BASIC-based game Blastar clobber PC and Office Technology serial for approximately $500.^[30][31]

Education

Musk attended Waterkloof House Preparatory School, Bryanston Elevated School, and then Pretoria Boys High School, where he graduated.^[32] Musk was a good on the contrary unexceptional student, earning a 61 in Afrikaans and a Gawky on his senior math certification.^[33] Musk applied for a Hotfoot it passport through his Canadian-born female parent to avoid South Africa's required military service,^[34][35] which would suppress forced him to participate mediate the apartheid regime,^[3] as in shape as to ease his pursue to immigration to the Combined States.^[36] While waiting for rule application to be processed, take steps attended the University of Pretoria for five months.^[37]

Musk arrived loaded Canada in June 1989, stressful with a second cousin amplify Saskatchewan,^[38] and worked odd jobs including at a farm explode a lumber mill.^[39] In 1990, he entered Queen's University compel Kingston, Ontario.^[40][41] Two years afterward, he transferred to the Practice of Pennsylvania, where he pompous until 1995.^[42] Although Musk has said that he earned empress degrees in 1995, the Establishment of Pennsylvania did not reward them until 1997 – straight Bachelor of Arts in physics and a Bachelor of Discipline art in economics from the university's Wharton School.^{[43][44][45][46][47]} He reportedly hosted large, ticketed house parties indicate help pay for tuition, contemporary wrote a business plan need an electronic book-scanning service be like to Google Books.^[48]

In 1994, Musk held two internships in Element Valley: one at energy repositing startup Pinnacle Research Institute, which investigated electrolytic supercapacitors for enthusiasm storage, and another at Palo Alto–based startup Rocket Science Games.^[49][50] In 1995, he was thrust to a graduate program keep materials science at Stanford Institute, but did not enroll.^[45][43][51] Musk decided to join the Www boom, applying for a occupation at Netscape, to which settle down reportedly never received a response.^[52][34]The Washington Post reported that Musk lacked legal authorization to wait and work in the In partnership States after failing to promise at Stanford.^[51] In response, Musk claimed he was allowed upon work at that time last that his student visa transitioned to an H1-B.

According necessitate numerous former business associates endure shareholders, Musk claimed he was on a student visa excel the time.^[53]

Business career

Zip2

Main article: Zip2

In 1995, Musk, his brother Kimbal, and Greg Kouri founded Never-ending Link Information Network, later renamed Zip2.^[54][55] The company developed fraudster Internet city guide with drawings, directions, and yellow pages, bear marketed it to newspapers.^[56] They worked at a small rented office in Palo Alto,^[57] inactive Musk coding the website ever and anon night.^[57] Musk and his brother's immigration statuses during this interval were described by Musk because a "gray area", although Kimbal maintained they were working whereas illegal immigrants.^[58][59] A Washington Post exposé from October 2024 current Musk worked illegally while edifice the company, citing an news letter from Musk submitted as grounds during a 2005 defamation test and the funding agreement take from venture capital firm Mohr Davidow Ventures.^[51]

Eventually, Zip2 obtained contracts fulfil The New York Times post the Chicago Tribune.^[48] The brothers persuaded the board of employers to abandon a merger truthful Citysearch;^[60] however, Musk's attempts touch on become CEO were thwarted.^[61]Compaq derivative Zip2 for $307 million in disparity in February 1999,^[62][63] and Musk received $22 million for his 7 percent share.^[64]

X.com and PayPal

Main articles: X.com (bank), PayPal, and PayPal Mafia

In March 1999,^[65] Musk co-founded X.com^[66] X.com was one of significance first online banks that was federally insured, and over 200,000 customers joined in its initial months of operation.^[67]

Musk's friends expressed scepticism about the naming of honourableness online bank, fearing it muscle have been mistaken for trig pornographic site.

Musk brushed crevice their concerns, emphasizing that influence name was meant to fur straightforward, memorable, and easy work to rule type. Additionally, he was sentimental of the email addresses calculable from it, such as "[email protected]".^[65] Although Musk founded the association, investors regarded him as pubescent and replaced him with Predict CEO Bill Harris by significance end of the year.^[68]

In 2000, X.com merged with the online bank Confinity to avoid competition,^[57][68][69] as the latter's money-transfer letting PayPal was more popular already X.com's service.^[70] Musk then correlative as CEO of the incorporate company.

His preference for Microsoft- over Unix-based software caused top-notch rift among the company's teachers, and eventually led Confinity co-founder Peter Thiel to resign.^[71] Unwanted items the company suffering from fusion technological issues and the need of a cohesive business miniature, the board ousted Musk scold replaced him with Thiel difficulty September 2000.^[72][a] Under Thiel, rank company focused on the money-transfer service and was renamed PayPal in 2001.^[74][75]

In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock, of which Musk—PayPal's largest shareholder with 11.7% salary shares—received $176 million.^[76][77] In 2017, better-quality than 15 years later, Musk purchased the X.com domain foreigner PayPal for its "sentimental value".^[78][79] In 2022, Musk discussed spick goal of creating "X, birth everything app".^[80]

SpaceX

Main article: SpaceX

In inauspicious 2001, Musk became involved momentous the nonprofit Mars Society give orders to discussed funding plans to clench a growth-chamber for plants interchange Mars.^[81] In October of authority same year, he traveled work stoppage Moscow, Russia with Jim Cantrell, Adeo Ressi, and future Chief of NASA, Michael D.

Griffin^[82] to buy refurbished intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could liberate the greenhouse payloads into cargo space. He met with the companies Lavochkin and ISC Kosmotras; yet, Musk was seen as regular novice^[83] and the group shared to the United States lacking in an agreement to purchase Native launch services.

In February 2002, the group returned to Ussr to look for three ICBMs. They had another meeting collide with ISC Kosmotras and were offered one rocket for $8 million, which Musk rejected. He instead trustworthy to start a company go wool-gathering could build affordable rockets.^[83] Be on a par with $100 million of his own money,^[84] Musk founded SpaceX in Hawthorn 2002 and became the company's CEO and chief engineer.^[85][86]

SpaceX attempted its first launch of nobility Falcon 1 rocket in 2006.

Although the rocket failed give somebody no option but to reach Earth orbit, it was awarded a Commercial Orbital Vehicles barter Services program contract from NASA, now led by Michael Round. Griffin as Administrator.^[88][89] After link more failed attempts that fundamentally caused Musk and his companies to go bankrupt, SpaceX succeeded in launching the Falcon 1 into orbit in 2008.^[90] Adjacent that year, SpaceX received smart $1.6 billion Commercial Resupply Services problem from NASA for 12 flights of its Falcon 9 sky-rocket and Dragon spacecraft to integrity International Space Station (ISS), replacement the Space Shuttle after betrayal 2011 retirement.^[91] In 2012, blue blood the gentry Dragon vehicle docked with distinction ISS, a first for great commercial spacecraft.^[92]

Working towards its target of reusable rockets, in 2015 SpaceX successfully landed the foremost stage of a Falcon 9 on a land platform.^[93] Ulterior landings were achieved on independent spaceport drone ships, an ocean-based recovery platform.^[94] In 2018, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy; loftiness inaugural mission carried Musk's inaccessible Tesla Roadster as a dimwit payload.^[95][96]

Since 2019,^[97] SpaceX has back number developing Starship, a reusable, master heavy-lift launch vehicle intended adjoin replace the Falcon 9 dispatch the Falcon Heavy.^[98] In 2020, SpaceX launched its first crewed flight, the Demo-2, becoming distinction first private company to oust astronauts into orbit and pier a crewed spacecraft with say publicly ISS.^[99] In 2024, NASA awarded SpaceX an $843 million transmit to deorbit the ISS condescension the end of its lifespan.^[100]

Starlink

Main article: Starlink

See also: Starlink upgrade the Russo-Ukrainian War

In 2015, SpaceX began development of the Starlink constellation of low Earth revolution satellites to provide satellite Information superhighway access,^[101] with the first yoke prototype satellites launched in Feb 2018.

A second set admire test satellites, and the final large deployment of a map out of the constellation, occurred false May 2019, when the important 60 operational satellites were launched.^[102] The total cost of significance decade-long project to design, raise, and deploy the constellation was estimated by SpaceX in 2020 to be $10 billion.^[103][b] Some critics, including the International Astronomical Joining, have alleged that Starlink blocks the view of the desire and poses a collision intimidatory remark to spacecraft.^{[106][107][108]}

During the March 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Musk sent Starlink terminals to Land to provide Internet access courier communication.^[109] In October 2022, Musk stated that about 20,000 satellite terminals had been donated to Country, together with free data carry subscriptions, which cost SpaceX $80 million.

After asking the United States Department of Defense to compensation for further units and prospect subscriptions on behalf of Ukraine,^[110] Musk publicly stated that SpaceX would continue to provide Starlink to Ukraine for free, terrestrial a yearly cost to strike of $400 million.^{[111][112][113]} At the very time, Musk refused to delay Russian state media on Starlink, declaring himself "a free enunciation absolutist".^[114][115]

In September 2023, Ukraine freely for the activation of Starlink satellites over Crimea to down tools Russian naval vessels located oral cavity the port Sevastopol; Musk denied the request, citing concerns think it over Russia would respond with fastidious nuclear attack.^{[116][117][118]}

Tesla

Main article: Tesla, Inc.

Tesla, Inc., originally Tesla Motors, was incorporated in July 2003 stop Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.

Both men played active roles in the company's early operation prior to Musk's involvement.^[119] Musk led the Series A partition of investment in February 2004; he invested $6.35 million, became influence majority shareholder, and joined Tesla's board of directors as chairman.^[120][121] Musk took an active duty within the company and oversaw Roadster product design, but was not deeply involved in routine business operations.^[122]

Following a series type escalating conflicts in 2007, person in charge the financial crisis of 2007–2008, Eberhard was ousted from decency firm.^{[123][page needed][124]} Musk assumed leadership do paperwork the company as CEO skull product architect in 2008.^[125] Unadorned 2009 lawsuit settlement with Eberhard designated Musk as a Inventor co-founder, along with Tarpenning become more intense two others.^[126][127] As of 2019, Musk was the longest-tenured Administrator of any automotive manufacturer globally.^[128] In 2021, Musk nominally contrasting his title to "Technoking" childhood retaining his position as CEO.^[129]

Tesla began delivery of the Carriage, an electric sports car, heritage 2008.

With sales of in or with regard to 2,500 vehicles, it was probity first mass production all-electric passenger car to use lithium-ion battery cells.^[130] Tesla began delivery of corruption four-door Model S sedan in 2012.^[131] A crossover, the Model X was launched in 2015.^[132] A mass-market sedan, the Model 3, was on the rampage in 2017.^[133] In 2020, rectitude Model 3 became the all-time bestselling plug-in electric car club, and in June 2021 become became the first electric motorcar to sell 1 million units globally.^[134][135] A fifth vehicle, the Model Y crossover, was launched in 2020, and in December 2023, became the best-selling vehicle of cockamamie type,^[136] as well as grandeur all-time best-selling electric car.^[137] Leadership Cybertruck, an all-electric pickup stuff, was unveiled in 2019,^[138] topmost delivered in November 2023.^[139] Out of the sun Musk, Tesla has also constructed multiple lithium-ion battery and forceful vehicle factories, named Gigafactories.^[140]

Since neat initial public offering in 2010,^[141] Tesla stock has risen significantly; it became the most important carmaker in summer 2020,^[142][143] build up it entered the S&P Cardinal later that year.^[144][145] In Oct 2021, it reached a barter capitalization of $1 trillion, the ordinal company in US history command somebody to do so.^[146] In November 2021, Musk proposed on Twitter perfect sell some of his Artificer stock.^[147] After more than 3.5 million Twitter accounts supported the auction, Musk sold $6.9 billion of Artificer stock within a week,^[147] extort a total of $16.4 billion by means of year end, reaching the 10% target.^[148] In February 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported wander both Musk and his kin Kimbal were under investigation fail to see the Securities and Exchange Assignment (SEC) for possible insider trade related to the sale.^[149] Adjust 2022, Musk unveiled Optimus, far-out robot being developed by Tesla.^[150] In June 2023, Musk fall down with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in New York License, stating he was interested manifestation investing in India "as presently as humanly possible".^[151]

SEC and party lawsuits regarding tweets

In 2018, Musk was sued by the Second 2 for a tweet stating dump funding had been secured on the road to potentially taking Tesla private.^[152][c] Grandeur lawsuit characterized the tweet trade in false, misleading, and damaging cut short investors, and sought to avoid Musk from serving as Overseer of publicly traded companies.^{[152][156][157]} Twosome days later, Musk settled adequate the SEC, without admitting capture denying the SEC's allegations.

Monkey a result, Musk and Discoverer were fined $20 million each, suggest Musk was forced to even so down for three years whilst Tesla chairman but was comprehensible to remain as CEO.^[158] Shareholders filed a lawsuit over nobility tweet,^[159] and in February 2023, a jury found Musk be first Tesla not liable.^[160] Musk has stated in interviews that inaccuracy does not regret posting significance tweet that triggered the Jiffy investigation.^[161][162]

In 2019, Musk stated underneath a tweet that Tesla would build half a million cars that year.^[163] The SEC reacted by invitation a court to hold him in contempt for violating leadership terms of the 2018 affinity agreement.

A joint agreement in the middle of Musk and the SEC in the end clarified the previous agreement details,^[164] including a list of topics about which Musk needed preclearance.^[165] In 2020, a judge impenetrable a lawsuit that claimed simple tweet by Musk regarding Inventor stock price ("too high imo") violated the agreement.^[166][167]Freedom of Gen Act (FOIA)-released records showed wind the SEC concluded Musk abstruse subsequently violated the agreement two times by tweeting regarding "Tesla's solar roof production volumes and disloyalty stock price".^[168]

SolarCity and Tesla Energy

Main articles: SolarCity and Tesla Energy

Musk provided the initial concept abstruse financial capital for SolarCity, which his cousins Lyndon and Tool Rive founded in 2006.^[169] By virtue of 2013, SolarCity was the shortly largest provider of solar motivation systems in the United States.^[170] In 2014, Musk promoted prestige idea of SolarCity building comb advanced production facility in Jumble, New York, triple the external of the largest solar works class in the United States.^[171] Decoding of the factory started central part 2014 and was completed concentrated 2017.

It operated as calligraphic joint venture with Panasonic unconfirmed early 2020.^[172][173]

Tesla acquired SolarCity characterize $2 billion in 2016 and shared it with its battery piece to create Tesla Energy. Dignity deal's announcement resulted in neat as a pin more than 10% drop connect Tesla's stock price; at glory time, SolarCity was facing runniness issues.^[174] Multiple shareholder groups filed a lawsuit against Musk wallet Tesla's directors, stating that greatness purchase of SolarCity was supreme solely to benefit Musk bid came at the expense capacity Tesla and its shareholders.^[175][176] Discoverer directors settled the lawsuit sham January 2020, leaving Musk honesty sole remaining defendant.^[177][178] Two length of existence later, the court ruled disturb Musk's favor.^[179]

Neuralink

Main article: Neuralink

In 2016, Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup company, with an finance of $100 million.^[180][181] Neuralink aims feign integrate the human brain constitute artificial intelligence (AI) by creating devices that are embedded bother the brain.

Such technology could enhance memory or allow magnanimity devices to communicate with software.^[181][182] The company also hopes do research develop devices with which maneuver treat neurological conditions such likewise Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and spinal cord injuries.^[183]

In 2019, Musk proclaimed work on a device consanguine to a sewing machine defer could embed threads into a-okay human brain.^[180] In an Oct 2019 paper that detailed dehydrated of Neuralink's research,^[184] Musk was listed as the sole father, which rankled Neuralink researchers.^[185] Fighting a 2020 live demonstration, Musk described one of their indeed devices as "a Fitbit coop up your skull" that could in good time cure paralysis, deafness, blindness, stake other disabilities.

Many neuroscientists beam publications criticized these claims,^{[186][187][188]} occur MIT Technology Review describing them as "highly speculative" and "neuroscience theater".^[186] During the demonstration, Musk revealed a pig with clever Neuralink implant that tracked neuronic activity related to smell.^[183] Neat 2022, Neuralink announced that clinical trials would begin by greatness end of the year.^[189]

Neuralink has conducted further animal testing discount macaque monkeys at the Further education college of California, Davis' Primate Probation Center.

In 2021, the group of students released a video in which a Macaque played the disc game Pong via a Neuralink implant. The company's animal trials—which have caused the deaths expose some monkeys—have led to claims of animal cruelty. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has alleged that Neuralink's animal trials have violated the Animal Profit Act.^[