Elon Reeve Musk FRS (/ˈiːlɒn/ EE-lon; born June 28, 1971) 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; co-founder of Neuralink; and co-founder and initial co-chairman of OpenAI. A centibillionaire, Musk is one of the richest people in the world.
Musk was born to a Canadian mother and South African father and raised in Pretoria, South Africa. He briefly attended the University of Pretoria before moving to Canada aged 17 to attend Queen's University. He transferred to the University of Pennsylvania two years later, where he received dual bachelor's degrees in economics and physics. He moved to California in 1995 to attend Stanford University but decided instead to pursue a business career, co-founding web software company Zip2 with his brother Kimbal. The start-up was acquired by Compaq for $307 million in 1999. Musk co-founded online bank X.com that same year, which merged with Confinity in 2000 to form PayPal and was 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 lead designer. In 2004, he joined electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors, Inc. (now Tesla, Inc.) as chairman and product architect, becoming its CEO in 2008. In 2006, he helped create SolarCity, a solar energy services company (now a subsidiary of Tesla). 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 brain–machine interfaces, and founded The Boring Company, a tunnel construction company. In addition to his primary business pursuits, Musk has also envisioned a high-speed transportation system known as the Hyperloop.
Musk has stated that the goals of SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity revolve around his vision to change the world and humanity. His goals include reducing global warming through sustainable energy production and consumption, and reducing the risk of human extinction by establishing a human settlement on Mars.
Musk has faced controversy for his public statements and actions, including his participation in the COVID-19 pandemic, his use of Twitter, and his involvement in the Tesla Autopilot car crash. He has been described by some as a modern-day Tony Stark, a fictional character in the Marvel Comics series who is the alter ego of superhero Iron Man.
Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa, the son of Maye Musk (née Haldeman), a model and dietician from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor.
Elon Musk has two younger siblings: a brother, Kimbal Musk, and a sister, Tosha Musk.
Kimbal Musk is also an entrepreneur and business leader. He co-founded Zip2 with Elon and has since founded or co-founded several other companies, including OneRiot, a social media advertising platform, and The Kitchen Community, a nonprofit organization that builds outdoor classrooms in schools. He is currently the CEO of The Kitchen Community and a board member of Tesla, Inc.
Tosha Musk is a filmmaker and producer. She has produced several documentaries, including "The Lifestyle," "An American Dream," and "The Space Between." She has also produced a number of short films and music videos.
Musk is a highly ambitious and innovative entrepreneur who has pursued a wide range of business ventures, including space travel, electric vehicles, and sustainable energy. He has also been involved in a number of high-profile projects, such as the Hyperloop and Neuralink, which are focused on developing innovative technologies that could have significant impacts on society.
Given his track record of success and his continued involvement in a number of cutting-edge projects, it is likely that Musk will continue to be a influential and innovative figure in the business world in the future. However, it is also important to note that the future is uncertain, and the success or failure of his future ventures will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions, regulatory environments, and the overall state of the global economy.