The Tech Billionaire Who Wants to Change the World
Early Life and Education
Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, on June 28, 1971. He was born to a white South African father and a Canadian mother. Musk's parents divorced when he was 10 years old, and he lived with his father for most of his childhood.Musk showed an early aptitude for science and engineering. He taught himself how to program computers when he was 10 years old, and he built his own space rocket when he was 12 years old. Musk attended Queen's University in Canada for two years before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned degrees in physics and economics.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Musk moved to Silicon Valley to pursue a career in technology. In 1995, he co-founded Zip2, a web software company that was acquired by Compaq Computers for $307 million in 1999. Musk then co-founded X.com, an online financial services company that merged with Confinity in 2000 to form PayPal. PayPal was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002.
In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX, a private space exploration company. SpaceX has developed a number of innovative technologies, including the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX has also become the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station.
PayPal and SpaceX
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Musk moved to Silicon Valley to pursue a career in technology. In 1995, he co-founded Zip2, a web software company that was acquired by Compaq Computers for $307 million in 1999. Musk then co-founded X.com, an online financial services company that merged with Confinity in 2000 to form PayPal. PayPal was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002.
Musk used the proceeds from the sale of PayPal to start his next company, SpaceX, a private space exploration company. SpaceX has developed a number of innovative technologies, including the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX has also become the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station.
In 2004, Musk invested in Tesla Motors, an electric car company. Musk became CEO of Tesla in 2008, and he has overseen the company's rapid growth. Tesla is now one of the leading electric car companies in the world.
In 2012, Tesla released the Model S, an electric luxury sedan that was praised for its performance and range. The Model S was a commercial success, and it helped to put Tesla on the map. In 2015, Tesla released the Model X, an electric SUV. The Model X was also a commercial success, and it helped to further increase Tesla's popularity.