Elon Musk is a visionary entrepreneur and engineer, best known for founding SpaceX and co-founding Tesla, Inc. His groundbreaking work in space exploration, electric vehicles, and sustainable energy solutions has solidified his reputation as a pioneer in technology and innovation.

Biography

Elon Musk Information Table
Attribute Details
Full Name Elon Reeve Musk
Date of Birth June 28, 1971
Nationality South African, Canadian, American
Fields Businessman, Investor
Key Roles
  • Founder, CEO of SpaceX
  • CEO, Product Architect of Tesla, Inc.
  • Owner of X Corp. (formerly Twitter)
  • Founder of The Boring Company
  • Founder of xAI
  • Co-founder of Neuralink, OpenAI
Net Worth (as of July 2024) US$221 billion
Education
  • University of Pretoria (briefly attended)
  • Queen’s University at Kingston, Canada
  • University of Pennsylvania (Bachelor’s in Economics and Physics)
Notable Ventures
  • Zip2 (co-founded, acquired by Compaq)
  • X.com (co-founded, merged to form PayPal)
  • SpaceX (founded in 2002)
  • Tesla, Inc. (early investor, later CEO)
  • SolarCity (helped create, acquired by Tesla)
  • OpenAI (co-founded in 2015)
  • Neuralink (co-founded in 2016)
  • The Boring Company (founded in 2016)
  • Twitter/X Corp. (acquired in 2022, rebranded in 2023)
  • xAI (founded in 2023)
Controversies
  • SEC lawsuit and $20 million fine (2018)
  • COVID-19 misinformation
  • Promotion of right-wing conspiracy theories
  • Endorsement of an antisemitic theory (later apologized)
  • Controversial management of Twitter (layoffs, increase in hate speech, misinformation)

Early Life

Early Life of Elon Musk

Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, to a Canadian mother, Maye Musk, and a South African father, Errol Musk. He grew up in Pretoria alongside his siblings, Kimbal and Tosca. From a young age, Elon exhibited a keen interest in science and technology, often getting lost in books and computers. His early years were not without challenges; he was frequently bullied by his classmates until he experienced a growth spurt in his teens that allowed him to stand up for himself. Despite these difficulties, Musk’s entrepreneurial spirit shone through, as he and his brother Kimbal went door-to-door selling homemade chocolate Easter eggs. His passion for technology and innovation eventually led him to move to Canada at the age of 17, where he attended Queen’s University before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania. These experiences laid the foundation for Musk’s future endeavors in the tech and space industries.

Family

Elon Musk’s Family
Relation Name Information
Father Errol Musk Errol Musk is a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor, consultant, and property developer. He partly owned a rental lodge at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
Mother Maye Musk Maye Musk is a Canadian model and dietitian. She has appeared on the covers of various magazines and has authored a book on her experiences.
Brother Kimbal Musk Kimbal Musk is an entrepreneur and restaurateur. He co-founded Zip2 with Elon and is involved in various food and farming initiatives.
Sister Tosca Musk Tosca Musk is a filmmaker and producer. She is the co-founder of the streaming service Passionflix, which focuses on romance films.

Height, Weight, And Other Body Measurements

Elon Musk Body Measurements
Attribute Measurement
Height 6’2″ (188 cm)
Weight 187 lbs (85 kg)
Age 52
Net Worth $230.9 Billion
Shoe Size Not publicly available

Wife/husband / Girlfriend/boyfriend

Elon Musk’s Relationships

As of the latest information available, Elon Musk is not currently married. He was last known to be in a relationship with singer Grimes (Claire Boucher), but they have since broken up.

Name Relationship Type Duration Additional Information
Justine Wilson Wife 2000-2008 They have five children together: a set of twins and a set of triplets.
Talulah Riley Wife 2010-2012, 2013-2016 They married twice and divorced twice.
Amber Heard Girlfriend 2017 They dated for a brief period after her divorce from Johnny Depp.
Grimes (Claire Boucher) Girlfriend 2018-2021 They have a son named X Æ A-Xii and a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl Musk.

Elon Musk has had a series of high-profile relationships. He was first married to Canadian author Justine Wilson, with whom he has five children. After their divorce, he married British actress Talulah Riley twice; they eventually divorced both times. Musk also dated actress Amber Heard briefly in 2017. His most recent relationship was with singer Grimes, with whom he shares two children.

Career, Achievements And Controversies

Elon Musk: Career, Achievements, and Controversies

Elon Musk became famous through his pioneering work in technology and transportation. His ventures in online payments with PayPal, electric vehicles with Tesla, and space exploration with SpaceX have made him a prominent figure in the tech industry.

Elon Musk’s career began with Zip2, a software company he co-founded with his brother Kimbal Musk. The company was sold to Compaq for nearly $300 million. He then co-founded X.com, which eventually became PayPal and was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock.

Musk’s notable works include:

  • SpaceX: Founded in 2002, the company aims to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.
  • Tesla, Inc.: Co-founded in 2003, Tesla is known for its electric vehicles and renewable energy products.
  • The Boring Company: Founded in 2016, the company aims to reduce traffic through underground tunneling systems.
  • Neuralink: Founded in 2016, this neurotechnology company develops implantable brain–machine interfaces.
  • X Corp: Formerly known as Twitter, Musk acquired the social media platform and rebranded it.

Elon Musk has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including:

  • National Space Society’s Astronautics Award
  • Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World
  • Royal Aeronautical Society’s Gold Medal
  • IEEE Honorary Membership
  • Axel Springer Award

Elon Musk’s career has been marked by several controversies, including:

  • Tweets and Market Impact: Musk’s tweets have sometimes caused significant fluctuations in the stock market, leading to scrutiny from the SEC.
  • Labor Practices: Tesla has faced multiple lawsuits and complaints regarding labor practices and working conditions in its factories.
  • COVID-19 Response: Musk’s comments and actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including downplaying the virus and defying lockdown orders, have been controversial.
  • Personal Life: Musk’s personal life, including his relationships and family matters, has often been in the public eye, sometimes overshadowing his professional achievements.
  • Autopilot and Safety Concerns: Tesla’s Autopilot system has been involved in several high-profile accidents, raising questions about its safety and readiness for widespread use.

Despite these controversies, Elon Musk continues to be a significant figure in technology and innovation, driving forward ambitious projects that aim to change the world.

Faq

Elon Musk FAQs
Q: Who is Elon Musk?
A: Elon Musk is a business magnate, industrial designer, and engineer. He is the CEO and lead designer of SpaceX, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc., CEO of Twitter, Inc., founder of The Boring Company, co-founder of Neuralink, and co-founder and initial co-chairman of OpenAI.
Q: What are some of Elon Musk’s notable achievements?
A: Some of Elon Musk’s notable achievements include the founding of PayPal (which was later sold to eBay), the development and successful landing of reusable rockets with SpaceX, and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles through Tesla. He has also been instrumental in the development of solar energy products with SolarCity, a company he co-founded.
Q: How did Elon Musk start his career?
A: Elon Musk started his career in the tech industry by co-founding Zip2, a software company that provided business directories and maps for newspapers. Compaq acquired Zip2 for nearly $300 million in 1999. Musk then founded X.com, an online payment company, which later became PayPal and was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock.
Q: What is SpaceX?
A: SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. The company’s goal is to reduce space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. SpaceX has developed the Falcon and Starship rockets, and the Dragon spacecraft.
Q: What is Tesla, Inc.?
A: Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, with Elon Musk joining the company shortly after as an investor and chairman. Musk became the CEO in 2008. Tesla is known for its electric cars, battery energy storage systems, and solar products.