Elon Musk Biography,Age 2025, career, Early Life,Net worth

Elon Musk stands as one of the most known names in technology today. Born in 1971, he grew up in South Africa and later moved to North America. He started companies that changed online payments, cars, and space travel. This article follows his life step by step. It answers common questions like where he was born, how he made money, and what he works on now. Readers will see his wins, challenges, and plans in simple words.

Early Life

Elon Reeve Musk entered the world on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. His mother, Maye Musk, worked as a model and diet expert. His father, Errol Musk, was an engineer. The family had money from Errol’s work in engineering and emerald mines.

Elon faced a hard childhood. His parents divorced when he was ten. He stayed with his father but later called the time difficult. School brought bullying because he was quiet and loved books. At age twelve, he taught himself computer coding. He created a game called Blastar and sold it for 500 dollars in 1984.

He has two younger siblings. Brother Kimbal later joined him in business. Sister Tosca became a film maker. Books and science fiction shaped young Elon’s mind. He read a lot, including the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov.

Education

At seventeen, Elon left South Africa in 1988. He moved to Canada using his mother’s citizenship. He started college at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, in 1990. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.

There, he earned two bachelor’s degrees in 1997. One was in physics, the other in economics. He won a scholarship that helped pay costs. After graduation, he began a PhD program in applied physics at Stanford University in California. He quit after two days in 1995 to join the growing internet world.

First Ventures

Elon and his brother Kimbal started Zip2 in 1995. The company made online city guides for newspapers. They worked from a small office and slept there to save money. In 1999, Compaq bought Zip2 for 307 million dollars. Elon’s share came to 22 million dollars.

Next, he founded X.com in 1999. It offered online banking and payments. The company merged with Confinity, which had a service called PayPal. In 2002, eBay purchased PayPal for 1.5 billion dollars in stock. Elon received about 180 million dollars after taxes. These sales gave him money to start bigger projects.

SpaceX

Elon started SpaceX in 2002 with 100 million dollars from his PayPal money. The goal was to lower space travel costs and reach Mars one day. Early years were tough. The first three rocket launches failed between 2006 and 2008.

The fourth launch succeeded on September 28, 2008. It was the Falcon 1, the first private rocket to reach orbit. In 2008, NASA gave SpaceX a 1.6 billion dollar contract to fly cargo to the International Space Station. This saved the company.

SpaceX created the Falcon 9 rocket, which lands back on Earth for reuse. The first reuse happened in 2017. By 2025, SpaceX has launched over 300 Falcon rockets. The company also builds Starlink satellites for global internet. Over 6,000 satellites orbit Earth in 2025. The giant Starship rocket tests continue for future Mars trips.

Tesla

Elon joined Tesla Motors as chairman in 2004 after investing 6.5 million dollars. He became CEO in 2008. Tesla makes electric cars. The Roadster came out in 2008 as the first model.

The Model S launched in 2012 and won many awards. Model 3 started sales in 2017 and became the best selling electric car. Tesla builds large factories called Gigafactories to make batteries and cars. By 2025, Tesla operates factories in the United States, China, Germany, and Texas.

The company works on self driving software called Full Self Driving. In 2024, Tesla showed a robotaxi plan. Market value passed 1 trillion dollars again in 2025.

Beyond Tesla and SpaceX

Elon started Neuralink in 2016. It builds devices to connect brains to computers. The first human received an implant in January 2024. The goal is to help people with brain injuries and later improve human skills.

The Boring Company began in 2016 to dig tunnels for faster city travel. It completed a loop system in Las Vegas by 2021.

xAI launched in 2023 to build artificial intelligence that seeks truth. Its chatbot Grok became public in 2024. Elon worries about AI safety and wants systems that help humans understand the universe.

The Twitter Saga

Elon bought Twitter for 44 billion dollars on October 27, 2022. He changed the name to X in July 2023. He fired many workers and changed rules for verified accounts.

X added voice and video calls by 2024. Elon uses the platform to share views on politics and business. In 2024, he supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. After the election, he co leads a group called Department of Government Efficiency with Vivek Ramaswamy to cut government spending.

Personal Life

Elon married Canadian writer Justine Wilson in 2000. They had six children. Their first child died at ten weeks in 2002. The couple divorced in 2008.

He married British actress Talulah Riley twice, from 2010 to 2012 and 2013 to 2016.

He dated musician Grimes starting in 2018. They have three children: X Æ A XII born in 2020, Exa Dark Sideræl in 2021, and Tau Techno Mechanicus in 2022.

Elon has twins and triplets with Shivon Zilis, a Neuralink executive, born in 2021 and 2023. As of 2025, he has fourteen living children. He is not married.

On May 8, 2021, he told the world on Saturday Night Live that he has Asperger’s syndrome.

Controversies, Legacy, and the Road Ahead

Elon faced legal issues. In 2018, he tweeted that he had funding to take Tesla private at 420 dollars per share. The SEC charged him with fraud. He paid a 20 million dollar fine and stepped down as Tesla chairman for three years.

Workers at Tesla factories filed complaints about safety and union issues. SpaceX faced similar claims.

Some criticize his posts on X about politics, COVID 19, and social topics. In 2022, he limited Starlink use in Ukraine for military actions, then changed the decision.

Despite issues, his companies create jobs and new technology. SpaceX lowered launch costs by ninety percent. Tesla sped up the move to electric cars. Forbes listed him as the richest person in December 2024 with 421 billion dollars.

He plans a city on Mars by 2040. Starship flights will carry people there. xAI works on advanced AI. Tesla grows robot and energy storage sales.

Conclusion

Elon Musk’s life shows what bold ideas and hard work can achieve. From a boy coding games in South Africa to a leader sending rockets to space, he keeps pushing limits. His story teaches that failure is part of success. The world watches to see what he builds next.

FAQs

Where was Elon Musk born?

He was born in Pretoria, South Africa, on June 28, 1971.

How did Elon Musk get rich?

He sold Zip2 for 22 million dollars in 1999 and PayPal for 180 million dollars in 2002. He used the money to start SpaceX and invest in Tesla.

How many kids does Elon Musk have?

He has fourteen living children as of 2025.

Is Elon Musk married?

No, he is not married in 2025.

What is Elon Musk famous for?

He is famous for leading Tesla electric cars, SpaceX rockets, and owning X.

Where did Elon Musk go to school?

He studied at Queen’s University, then earned degrees in physics and economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He started but left a PhD at Stanford.

What is Elon Musk doing now?

In 2025, he runs Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and xAI. He also advises the U.S. government on spending cuts.

What is Elon Musk’s net worth?

Forbes reported 421 billion dollars in December 2024.

How old is Elon Musk?

He is 54 years old in 2025.

Who is Elon Musk’s family?

His mother is Maye Musk, father is Errol Musk, brother is Kimbal, sister is Tosca. He has children with Justine Wilson, Grimes, and Shivon Zilis.