Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, son of Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, and Maye Musk, a Canadian-South African model and dietitian. He showed an early interest in technology and entrepreneurship. His parents divorced when he was young, and he later moved to Canada to pursue higher education.
He has two siblings, Kimbal Musk, an entrepreneur in the food industry, and Tosca Musk, a filmmaker.
Education
In his youth, he moved to Canada, attending Queen’s University before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S., where he earned degrees in economics (Wharton School) and physics.
Musk briefly attended Stanford University for a PhD in applied physics but left after two days to pursue entrepreneurial ventures during the Internet boom.
Elon Musk's interest in technology and innovation started at a young age, driven by his early exposure to science fiction, computers, and engineering. As a child, he was fascinated by books, particularly science fiction novels like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which sparked his curiosity about space, the future, and the potential for human advancement. Musk taught himself computer programming at the age of 10, and by 12, he had created and sold his first video game, Blastar.
His fascination with space and technology deepened as he grew older. Musk has mentioned that his early desire to explore space and make humanity a multi-planetary species was influenced by these science fiction books, and his technical inclination was further reinforced by his education in physics and economics.
Career
ZIP 2
In 1995, Musk founded Zip2, a software company that provided city guides for newspapers. Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million in 1999, giving Musk his first significant entrepreneurial success.
PAYPAL
After selling Zip2, Musk co-founded X.com, an online payment company, which later became PayPal after a merger with Confinity. PayPal revolutionized online transactions, and in 2002, eBay bought it for $1.5 billion in stock. Musk received $165 million from this sale.
SpaceX
In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel and colonizing Mars. The company struggled in its early years, but in 2008, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract to transport cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX has since developed several successful rockets, including the Falcon 9 and Starship, and is a key player in the commercial space industry.
Tesla
In 2004, Musk joined Tesla Motors, an electric vehicle startup, as chairman and later became CEO. Under his leadership, Tesla introduced groundbreaking electric vehicles like the Model S, Model 3, and Model Y, becoming the world’s most valuable carmaker by market capitalization. Tesla also expanded into solar energy with SolarCity and energy storage solutions with Powerwall and Powerpack.
Neuralink and The Boring Company
Musk co-founded Neuralink in 2016 to develop brain-machine interfaces, aiming to treat neurological diseases and eventually merge human consciousness with AI. He also founded The Boring Company to develop underground tunneling systems that could revolutionize urban transportation and reduce traffic congestion.
Twitter (X)
In 2022, Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion. In 2023, he rebranded it as X, aiming to transform it into a multi-functional platform for social media, payments, and more, envisioning a "super app."
Elon Musk did not found Twitter; it was created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, Evan Williams, and Noah Glass. However, in 2022, Musk acquired the platform for $44 billion, marking a major shift in its direction. Following the acquisition, Musk implemented significant changes, including leadership restructuring, staff reductions, and introducing new features like a subscription model for account verification. In 2023, he rebranded Twitter as "X," aiming to evolve it into a multi-purpose "super app" that integrates social media, payments, and various other services.
Legacy and Vision
Musk’s long-term goals include reducing reliance on fossil fuels, improving human-machine integration, and creating a sustainable human presence on Mars. His companies — SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and The Boring Company — continue to push the boundaries of innovation across various industries.