Elon Musk is a South African-born Canadian-American entrepreneur, engineer, inventor, and investor. He was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. Musk is best known for his pivotal roles in several high-profile technology companies:
Musk grew up in a middle-class family, showing an early interest in computers and technology. He taught himself computer programming at the age of 12, selling his first software, a BASIC-based video game called "Blastar," for approximately $500. He attended University of Pretoria for a year before moving to Canada to attend Queen's University. Later, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Wharton School. After university, Musk moved to California to pursue a Ph.D. at Stanford University but dropped out after two days to pursue his entrepreneurial ventures.
His first significant business was Zip2, which provided business directories and maps to newspapers. Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million in 1999. Following this, Musk co-founded X.com, an online payment company, which merged with Confinity to become PayPal. eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion in stock in 2002.
Musk's vision for space exploration led to the founding of SpaceX in 2002, with the mission to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars. His interest in sustainable energy solutions resulted in his involvement with Tesla, Inc., where he has been instrumental in making electric vehicles mainstream.
Elon Musk's influence extends beyond his companies. He's known for his outspoken views on social media, particularly Twitter, where he has a significant following. His public persona often generates both admiration and controversy. Notable events include:
Musk has been married twice and has several children. His personal life often intersects with his public persona, particularly through his relationships with notable figures in technology and entertainment.