Elon Reeve Musk, born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, is a business magnate, industrial designer, and engineer. He is the founder, CEO, CTO, and chief designer of SpaceX, early investor, CEO, and product architect of Tesla, Inc., founder of The Boring Company and X.com (which merged with Confinity and took the name PayPal), and co-founder of Neuralink. Musk’s goal is to reduce the cost of space travel in order to make human life multiplanetary.
| Name | Elon Reeve Musk |
| Birth Date | June 28, 1971 |
| Birthplace | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Education | Pretoria Boys High School, Waterkloof House Preparatory School, Bryanston High School and eventually graduated from Pretoria Boys High School, Queen’s University (no degree), University of Pretoria (no degree), University of Pennsylvania |
| Profession | Business magnate, Industrial designer, Engineer |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Nationality | South African, Canadian, U.S. |
| Years Active | 1995 – Present |
| Marital Status | Twice Divorced, currently in a relationship |
| Estimated Net Worth | $234 billion (as of 2023) |
Early Life and Education
Elon Musk was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa. He spent his early childhood with his brother Kimbal and sister Tosca under the care of his parents, Maye Musk, a model and dietitian, and Errol Musk, an electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor. At age 17, Musk moved to Canada to attend Queen’s University and avoid mandatory service in the South African military. He transferred to the University of Pennsylvania two years later, where he received dual bachelor’s degrees in physics and economics.
Career Beginnings and Success
Musk moved to California in 1995 to begin a Ph.D. in applied physics and material sciences at Stanford University but decided instead to pursue a business career, co-founding web software company Zip2 with his brother Kimbal. Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million in cash in February 1999. Musk co-founded X.com, an online bank, in March 1999. It merged with Confinity in 2000, which had launched PayPal the previous year and was subsequently bought by eBay for $1.5 billion in October 2002.
In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company, of which he is CEO, CTO, and chief designer. In 2004, Musk joined electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors, Inc. (now Tesla, Inc.) as chairman and product architect, becoming its CEO in 2008. In 2006, he inspired the creation of SolarCity, a solar energy services company and current Tesla subsidiary. In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, a nonprofit research company that promotes friendly artificial intelligence. In 2016, he co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology company focused on developing implantable brain–machine interfaces, and founded The Boring Company, a tunnel services company.
Musk has also made headlines with his concept for a high-speed transportation system known as the Hyperloop.
Personal Life
Musk has been married and divorced twice and has six sons. He is known for his high-energy personality and eclectic interests, which include artificial intelligence, climate change and renewable energy, and plans to establish a human colony on Mars. As of 2023, Musk has been in a relationship with Canadian musician Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes.
Legacy and Influence
Elon Musk is known for his vision to change the world and humanity. His projects on neural technology, electric vehicles, and space travel are aimed at improving human life and securing its future. His ambitious goals and relentless drive have made him one of the most influential tech entrepreneurs of the 21st century. Despite facing criticism and controversy over his unconventional and often risky ventures, as well as his candid and sometimes erratic behavior, Musk continues to push the boundaries of innovation.
