Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. Even as a child, he showed an extraordinary fascination for science, computers, and the universe. At just 12 years old, he coded and sold a video game called Blastar.

Driven by ambition and curiosity, Musk left South Africa at 17 and eventually moved

to the U.S., where he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He later dropped out

of a Ph.D. program at Stanford after just two days, sensing the explosive potential

of the internet.

The First Millions: Zip2 and PayPal

Zip2 (1996): Musk’s first startup provided online city guide software to newspapers.

In 1999, it was acquired by Compaq for $307 million, giving Elon $22 million.

X.com → PayPal (1999-2002): Musk launched X.com, an online banking platform,

which later became PayPal after a merger. In 2002, eBay acquired PayPal for $1.5

billion, and Elon walked away with around $180 million.

Instead of retiring, Musk took that fortune and bet it all on his next three ventures:

SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity.

SpaceX: Betting It All on the Stars

In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX with a dream of colonizing Mars. But the early days

were full of failures:

The first three Falcon 1 launches failed between 2006–2008.

The company nearly went bankrupt.

Musk had invested almost his entire PayPal fortune and had to borrow money for

rent.

But in September 2008, the fourth launch succeeded-making SpaceX the first

private company to put a liquid-fueled rocket in orbit.

Shortly after, NASA awarded SpaceX a $1.6 billion contract, saving the company

and beginning a new era in spaceflight.

Tesla: The Electric Revolution

Musk joined Tesla Motors in 2004 as chairman and later became CEO. Despite

skepticism about electric vehicles, Tesla began delivering groundbreaking cars:

Roadster (2008): First highway-legal electric sports car.

Model S, 3, X, Y: Redefined performance and design standards for EVs.

Tesla wasn’t profitable for years, but Musk held firm. When Model 3 production

finally scaled, Tesla’s stock surged. By 2020, Tesla had become the most valuable

automaker on Earth.

Starlink: Internet in the Sky

To support long-term Mars missions and generate recurring revenue, Musk

launched Starlink, a satellite internet service.

As of 2025:

6,000+ satellites are in low Earth orbit.

Starlink serves millions globally, including rural areas and war zones.

It generates over $8 billion annually, making it one of Musk’s most profitable

ventures.

Net Worth: From Millions to Billions

Here’s how Elon Musk’s wealth exploded:

Most of Musk’s wealth isn’t cash. It comes from ownership in SpaceX (~42%), Tesla

(~13%), and majority control of Starlink. His success is directly tied to the

companies he built from scratch.

Vision Beyond Earth

Musk believes humanity should become a multiplanetary species-to ensure

long-term survival in case of catastrophes like climate change, war, or asteroid

impact.

His flagship Starship rocket is designed to carry 100+ passengers and cargo to the

Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Quote from Musk:

“I want to die on Mars. Just not on impact.”

Challenges & Controversies

Despite his brilliance, Elon Musk remains a polarizing figure:

Labor issues at Tesla and SpaceX.

Firings and lawsuits over workplace safety.

His X (formerly Twitter) acquisition led to mass layoffs and criticism of platform

moderation.

He allegedly restricted Starlink services during military operations in

Ukraine-raising ethical concerns.

Still, his companies continue to grow, and governments around the world rely on

his technology.

Lessons from Musk’s Rise (Hindi Perspective)

In India, Elon Musk’s journey inspires entrepreneurs, engineers, and students alike.

His story is a case study in:

Risk-taking: He put his own money on the line, repeatedly.

Vision: He sees decades into the future.

Persistence: He failed-publicly-but never quit.

Innovation: Whether it’s reusable rockets or mass-market EVs, he solves big

problems differently.

Conclusion: The Man Who Rewrote Capitalism

Elon Musk didn’t inherit wealth. He built companies the world called

impossible and succeeded.

He’s not just the world’s richest man. He’s a symbol of bold, disruptive innovation.

And whether you agree with his methods or not, the future he’s building-space

travel, global internet, electric cars-is already shaping the 21st century.