Early Years and Zip2
Elon Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. In 1995, he founded Zip2, a company providing business directories and maps for newspapers, which Compaq acquired for $307 million in 1999.
X.com to PayPal
In 1999, Musk founded X.com, an online payment company. It later became PayPal after a merger, focusing on secure payment solutions. eBay bought PayPal in 2002 for $1.5 billion in stock.
SpaceX's Ambitious Start
In 2002, Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable Mars colonization. SpaceX developed the Falcon 1, the first privately funded liquid-fuel rocket to reach orbit in 2008.
Tesla's Electric Revolution
Musk joined Tesla Motors in 2004, becoming its CEO in 2008. Under his leadership, Tesla released the Roadster, Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y, revolutionizing the electric vehicle industry.
SolarCity and Sustainability
In 2006, Musk co-founded SolarCity, a solar energy services company. It became the second largest provider of solar power systems in the United States and was acquired by Tesla in 2016.
Boring Company's Urban Vision
Founded in 2016, The Boring Company aims to reduce traffic via underground tunnels. It proposes an innovative transportation system called Hyperloop that could travel at over 700 mph using a low-pressure tube.
Neuralink's Brain Interfaces
Musk's venture, Neuralink, founded in 2016, is developing implantable brain–machine interfaces. Its ambitious goal is to meld human brains with artificial intelligence, potentially enhancing memory or allowing for direct interfacing with devices.
What year was Zip2 founded?
1995, providing business directories
1999, as an online payment company
2002, focusing on space exploration
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