Elon Musk is a South African-born American entrepreneur who leads SpaceX and Tesla and owns the social media platform X. He co-founded PayPal, built SpaceX into the world’s leading rocket company and turned Tesla into the most valuable carmaker. After SpaceX’s record stock market debut in June 2026, he became the first person estimated to be worth more than $1 trillion. He also served as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump in 2025, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Elon Musk quick facts
| Full name | Elon Reeve Musk |
| Date of birth | 28 June 1971 |
| Birthplace | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Citizenship | South Africa, Canada and the US (since 2002) |
| Companies | SpaceX (CEO, including xAI), Tesla (CEO), X, Neuralink, The Boring Company |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (degrees awarded 1997) |
| Former wives | Justine Wilson (2000–2008); Talulah Riley (2010–2012, 2013–2016) |
| Children | At least 14 publicly known |
| Net worth | About $1.1 trillion (Forbes, June 2026) |
Early life and education
Elon Musk was born on 28 June 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa. His mother, the model and dietitian Maye Musk, was born in Canada, which gave him Canadian citizenship. He moved to Canada at 17, studied at Queen’s University and then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned degrees in physics and economics. He became a US citizen in 2002.
Career
- 1995 Co-founds Zip2 with his brother Kimbal; sold to Compaq in 1999
- 1999 Co-founds X.com, which becomes PayPal; eBay buys it in 2002
- 2002 Founds SpaceX
- 2004 Invests in Tesla; becomes CEO in 2008
- 2015 Co-founds OpenAI; leaves its board in 2018
- 2016 Co-founds Neuralink; founds The Boring Company the next year
- 2022 Buys Twitter for about $44 billion, later renamed X
- 2023 Launches the AI company xAI
- 2025 Leads DOGE; Tesla shareholders approve his pay package
- 2026 SpaceX merges with xAI and lists on Nasdaq
PayPal and early businesses
Musk’s first company, Zip2, provided online city guides and sold to Compaq in 1999. He then co-founded X.com, an online bank that merged with Confinity to form PayPal. eBay bought PayPal in 2002, giving Musk the money to start his next ventures.
SpaceX
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the aim of cutting the cost of spaceflight and eventually reaching Mars. It pioneered reusable rockets with the Falcon 9, carries NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, and runs the Starlink satellite internet network. In February 2026 SpaceX merged with xAI in a deal valuing the combined company at about $1.25 trillion. On 12 June 2026 it listed on Nasdaq, raising $75 billion in the largest stock market debut ever.
Tesla
Musk invested in Tesla in 2004 and became its CEO in 2008. It went on to make electric cars mainstream with the Model S, Model 3 and Model Y. In November 2025 Tesla shareholders approved a pay package potentially worth about $1 trillion over ten years, payable only if the company hits demanding targets.
X, AI and other ventures
Musk bought Twitter in October 2022 and renamed it X in 2023. He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left in 2018, and in 2023 launched his own AI company, xAI, which makes the Grok chatbot. He also founded the brain-implant company Neuralink and the tunnelling firm The Boring Company.
Politics and DOGE
Musk was the largest individual donor in the 2024 US election, backing Donald Trump. From January to May 2025 he served as a senior adviser to the president and was the public face of the Department of Government Efficiency, which sought to cut federal spending and staff. Supporters credited the effort with targeting waste. Critics, including many federal workers and lawmakers, said it caused harmful cuts and raised legal and conflict-of-interest concerns. Musk left the administration at the end of May 2025, after which he and Trump had a public falling-out; Musk later said he regretted some of his comments.
His political statements and support for right-wing parties abroad have made him a polarising figure.
Relationships and children
Musk has at least 14 publicly known children with four women. He was married to Canadian author Justine Wilson from 2000 to 2008; they had six children, one of whom died as a baby. He was married twice to British actress Talulah Riley, from 2010 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2016. He has three children with the musician Grimes and four with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis. In 2025 influencer Ashley St. Clair said Musk was the father of her son.
Elon Musk net worth
Most of Musk’s wealth comes from his stakes in SpaceX and Tesla. After SpaceX’s IPO in June 2026, Forbes estimated his net worth at about $1.1 trillion, making him the first person ever estimated to be a trillionaire. Estimates differ between trackers and move with the companies’ share prices.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Elon Musk?
He was born on 28 June 1971, so he is 55 years old in 2026.
Is Elon Musk a trillionaire?
According to Forbes, yes. His estimated net worth passed $1 trillion after SpaceX’s stock market debut in June 2026.
How many children does Elon Musk have?
At least 14 publicly known children.
Is Elon Musk still part of the Trump administration?
No. He left his role as a senior adviser and the head of DOGE at the end of May 2025.
What companies does Elon Musk run?
He is CEO of SpaceX, which now includes xAI, and of Tesla. He also owns X and founded Neuralink and The Boring Company.
Read about more business leaders and public figures on GeekyBar, including Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.
