Elon Musk, born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, is a prominent entrepreneur known for his roles in companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. Recently, he welcomed his 14th child, Seldon Lycurgus, with Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink.
The name "Seldon" is believed to be inspired by Hari Seldon, a character from Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series, while "Lycurgus" refers to the ancient Spartan lawgiver.
Musk's ventures continue to make headlines. SpaceX is preparing for its eighth Starship flight test, aiming to revolutionize space travel. Starlink, another of his projects, is expanding its global satellite internet coverage, providing high-speed internet to remote areas. As of February 25, 2025, Musk's net worth is estimated at $343 billion, primarily from his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX.
Elon Musk’s Early Life and Family Background
Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. He is the eldest of three siblings in a family with diverse talents and interests.
His early life was marked by intellectual curiosity but also challenges, including bullying at school and a difficult relationship with his father. Musk showed an early aptitude for technology and entrepreneurship, creating and selling a video game called Blastar at the age of 12.
Parents
Maye Musk: A Canadian model and nutritionist, Maye began her modeling career at 15 and later appeared on covers of major magazines like TIME. After divorcing Errol Musk in 1980, she moved to Canada with her children and built a successful career.
Errol Musk: A South African electromechanical engineer, Errol was known for his intelligence but also described by Elon as a "terrible human being." He was involved in construction and emerald mining during Elon’s childhood. After the divorce, Elon initially lived with his father but later grew estranged due to their strained relationship.
Siblings
Elon has two younger siblings:
- Kimbal Musk: An entrepreneur who founded several food-related companies.
- Tosca Musk: A filmmaker and owner of Passionflix, a streaming service for romance films.
Education and Early Interests
Musk attended Pretoria Boys High School in South Africa, where he was often bullied. Despite this, he immersed himself in books and computers.
At age 10, he began programming on a Commodore VIC-20 computer. His passion for technology became an escape from the difficulties of his upbringing.
In 1988, Musk left South Africa for Canada after obtaining citizenship through his mother. He sought to avoid mandatory military service under apartheid and pursue better opportunities abroad.
He later attended Queen’s University in Canada before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, where he earned degrees in physics and economics.
Major Business Ventures: Tesla, SpaceX, and Beyond
Elon Musk is renowned for his innovative and ambitious business ventures across various industries. Here are some of his most notable endeavors:
1. Tesla
- Industry: Automotive and Clean Energy
- Founded: 2003 (Musk joined in 2004)
- Purpose: Tesla is a leading electric vehicle manufacturer and clean energy company. It designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars, solar panels, and energy storage systems.
- Impact: Tesla has revolutionized the automotive industry by popularizing electric vehicles and making them more accessible to consumers worldwide.
2. SpaceX
- Industry: Aerospace
- Founded: 2002
- Purpose: SpaceX aims to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars. It develops rockets, spacecraft, and satellite constellations.
- Impact: SpaceX has achieved numerous milestones, including being the first private company to launch astronauts into orbit and establishing a satellite internet constellation called Starlink.
3. Neuralink
- Industry: Neurotechnology
- Founded: 2016
- Purpose: Neuralink focuses on developing implantable brain–machine interfaces (BMIs) to enhance human cognition and potentially treat neurological disorders.
- Impact: The company aims to integrate the human brain with computers, potentially revolutionizing medical treatments and enhancing human capabilities.
4. The Boring Company
- Industry: Infrastructure and Construction
- Founded: 2016
- Purpose: The Boring Company aims to reduce urban traffic congestion by developing advanced tunneling technology for high-speed transportation systems.
- Impact: It has completed several tunnel projects, including the Vegas Loop, and is working on expanding its infrastructure solutions.
5. Twitter (Now X)
- Industry: Social Media
- Acquired: 2022
- Purpose: X is a microblogging platform where users can share short messages. Musk acquired it with plans to enhance its functionality and user experience.
- Impact: The acquisition has led to significant changes in the platform's policies and features, aiming to increase user engagement and reduce misinformation.
6. xAI
Industry: Artificial Intelligence
Founded: 2023
Purpose: xAI is focused on developing AI technologies similar to those of OpenAI, with which Musk was previously involved. It aims to advance human scientific discovery through AI.
Impact: The company is valued highly and is working closely with X (formerly Twitter) to integrate AI capabilities into the platform.
Elon Musk’s Personal Life: Family, Relationships, and Children
Elon Musk comes from a prominent family with roots in South Africa, Canada, and the United States. His parents are:
- Maye Musk: A Canadian-South African model and dietitian who has had a successful career spanning decades.
- Errol Musk: A South African electromechanical engineer and entrepreneur. Elon has described his relationship with Errol as strained due to personal issues, including Errol’s controversial personal life137.
- Relationships
- Justine Wilson (2000–2008): Elon married Canadian author Justine Wilson in 2000. The couple divorced in 2008 but share six children together, including twins and triplets.
- Talulah Riley (2010–2016): Elon married British actress Talulah Riley twice—first in 2010 (divorced in 2012) and again in 2013 (divorced in 2016). They did not have children together.
- Grimes (Claire Boucher): Musk had an on-and-off relationship with the Canadian musician Grimes, with whom he shares three children.
- Shivon Zilis: A Neuralink executive, Shivon Zilis, welcomed twins with Musk in 2021.
Children
Elon Musk is the father of 12 children from three women. Despite his fame, Musk has emphasized his love for all his children while maintaining a relatively private family life amidst public scrutiny.
Net Worth, Achievements, and Future Plans
As of February 2025, Elon Musk's net worth is estimated at $424 billion, making him the richest person in the world.
His wealth is primarily tied to his stakes in Tesla (13%), SpaceX, and other ventures like Neuralink and xAI. Tesla alone accounts for over $161 billion of his fortune.
Musk's net worth has seen significant fluctuations, peaking at $442 billion in late 2024, driven by Tesla's stock surge and a $50 billion insider sale of SpaceX shares.
Major Achievements
- Tesla: Revolutionized the electric vehicle industry, making EVs mainstream and leading the clean energy movement.
- SpaceX: Achieved milestones like reusable rockets, the first private crewed spaceflight, and Starlink's global satellite internet.
- Neuralink: Advanced brain-machine interface technology for medical applications and cognitive enhancement.
- Twitter/X: Acquired the social media platform in 2022 and transformed it into "X," aiming to create a super app integrating social media, payments, and AI.
Future Plans
- Mars Colonization: Musk remains committed to making life multiplanetary through SpaceX's Starship program.
- Super App Vision: He plans to expand X into a comprehensive platform offering social networking, payments, and AI tools.
- Neuralink Trials: Pushing forward with human trials for brain-computer interfaces.
- AI Development: Through xAI, Musk aims to create advanced AI systems while ensuring they are aligned with human values.
- Infrastructure Projects: The Boring Company continues to work on urban transportation solutions like high-speed tunnels.
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