Atharva Salvi Rollno.

117 TYCO-B

Entrepreneurship Development (EDE)

AIM: Submit a profile summary of a successful entrepreneur indicating

 Elon Musk – CEO of Tesla and SpaceX

Elon Musk is one of the most influential and ambitious entrepreneurs of the modern
era. Born in South Africa in 1971, he showed an early interest in technology and
innovation. He taught himself programming at the age of 12 and created a video game
called Blastar,
which he sold for $500.
Musk moved to the United States and studied Physics and Economics at the University of
Pennsylvania. In 1995, he dropped out of Stanford University after just two days to pursue
business opportunities in Silicon Valley.
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His first major success came with Zip2, a company that provided maps and business
directories for newspapers, which was later sold to Compaq for $307 million. Musk then
co- founded X.com, an online banking system, which evolved into PayPal and was later
acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion.
With the wealth from PayPal, Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, aiming to make space travel
more affordable and ultimately colonize Mars. A year later, he joined Tesla Motors,
transforming the electric vehicle industry.

Milestones:
Elon Musk co-founded SpaceX in 2002, with the ambitious goal of reducing the cost of space
travel and making Mars colonization a reality. Initially facing multiple rocket failures, SpaceX
achieved its first successful launch in 2008, securing a $1.6 billion NASA contract for ISS
resupply missions. This milestone positioned SpaceX as a leader in commercial space
exploration.
In 2004, Musk invested in Tesla, which was then a struggling startup. Under his leadership,
Tesla launched the Roadster in 2008, proving that electric cars could be both high-
performance and sustainable. The release of the Model S in 2012 and the affordable Model
3 in 2017 helped Tesla dominate the EV market, making it the world’s most valuable car
company by 2020.
Musk’s vision extended beyond cars and space. In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, aiming
to develop AI safely for humanity. In 2016, he launched Neuralink, a company focused on
brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, which aims to revolutionize urban
transport through underground tunnels.
By 2021, SpaceX’s Starship prototype completed a high-altitude flight, bringing Musk’s
dream of interplanetary travel closer to reality. That same year, Tesla became the first car
company to surpass a $1 trillion valuation, cementing Musk’s legacy as one of the greatest
innovators of the century. His relentless pursuit of groundbreaking technologies continues
to push the boundaries of transportation, AI, and space exploration.
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 Jeff Bezos – Founder of Amazon and Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos is widely recognized as the pioneer of e-commerce and cloud computing. Born
in 1964, Bezos had a strong passion for science and technology from an early age. He
studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Princeton University before
working at Wall Street firms in the late 1980s.
In 1994, Bezos saw an opportunity in the emerging internet boom and quit his high-paying
job to start Amazon from a small garage in Seattle. Initially launched as an online bookstore,
Amazon rapidly expanded into a global e-commerce powerhouse, offering everything from
electronics to groceries.
To scale Amazon beyond retail, Bezos introduced Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2006,
revolutionizing cloud computing and making it a major revenue driver for the company.
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Milestones:
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, starting as an online bookstore operating from his
garage. Within three years, Amazon went public in 1997, raising $54 million, which
enabled it to expand into a global e-commerce giant. By 1999, Amazon had diversified
into selling electronics, clothing, and household goods, revolutionizing online shopping.
A major turning point came in 2006, when Bezos launched Amazon Web Services (AWS), a
cloud computing division that transformed the tech industry. AWS quickly became
Amazon’s most profitable segment, securing its dominance in cloud computing.
In 2013, Bezos acquired The Washington Post, revitalizing the traditional media industry
through digital innovation. His interest in space led him to Blue Origin, founded in 2000,
which made headlines in 2021 when Bezos himself flew to space aboard the New Shepard
rocket.
Under Bezos' leadership, Amazon became the second company after Apple to hit a $1
trillion valuation in 2018. His long-term vision, customer-centric approach, and innovation
in e-commerce, AI, and cloud computing have made Amazon a global powerhouse. Even
after stepping down as CEO in 2021, Bezos continues to focus on space exploration and
sustainability.
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 Mark Zuckerberg – Co-founder and CEO of Meta (Facebook)

Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest self-made billionaire in history and one of the most
influential figures in social media and technology. Born in 1984, Zuckerberg showed an early
passion for coding. While at Harvard University, he built "Facemash," a website that allowed
students to rank their peers based on attractiveness.

This idea evolved into Facebook, which he launched in 2004 from his dorm room. Initially
meant for Harvard students, Facebook rapidly expanded to universities across the U.S. and
later, the entire world.
Under Zuckerberg's leadership, Facebook acquired Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus VR,
making it a dominant force in social media and virtual reality.
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Milestones:
Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook in 2004 while studying at Harvard University,
initially as a social networking platform for students. The platform quickly gained
popularity, leading to a $12.7 million investment from Accel Partners in 2005. By 2006,
Facebook had expanded beyond universities, allowing anyone over 13 to join, fueling its
global growth.
In 2012, Facebook went public with a record-breaking $104 billion IPO, solidifying its
position as the leading social media company. That same year, Zuckerberg acquired
Instagram for $1 billion, recognizing the shift towards visual content. In 2014, he made
another strategic move by purchasing WhatsApp for $19 billion, expanding Facebook’s
dominance in messaging services.
Zuckerberg also invested heavily in virtual reality, acquiring Oculus VR in 2014 and later
rebranding Facebook as Meta in 2021, signaling a shift towards the Metaverse. By 2023,
Meta had integrated AI-driven features across its platforms, further enhancing user
engagement.
Through strategic acquisitions and continuous innovation, Zuckerberg has shaped how
billions of people connect online. His vision for the future of social interaction through AI
and virtual reality continues to drive Meta’s growth.