MIT Education
Elon Musk is an engineering and technology entrepreneur who has founded and funded several businesses, including Zip2, PayPal, SpaceX, SolarCity, Tesla Motors and Neuralink. Although he is well known for his contributions to business and technology, what is lesser known is whether or not he attended college, particularly the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
By the time Musk left South Africa – the country of his birth – to attend the University of Pennsylvania, he was already well versed in mathematics and physics. However, even with his intelligence and profound knowledge, he was still unable to gain admission to MIT. In a CNBC interview, Musk revealed that he applied for admission to the elite institute but “was rejected seven times.” This information was also confirmed by his father in a 2018 South African television interview. Undeterred, Elon Musk used his knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication to learn engineering and technology on his own in order to pursue his dreams.
Musk enrolled in the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and during his second year at the university, transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in economics and physics in 1995. After graduating from Berkeley, he pursued a Ph.D. in Applied Physics and Materials Science at Stanford University. He left Stanford after two days to launch his first startup, the online financial services company Zip2.
Time at PayPal
Also during this time at Stanford, he partnered with his brother Kimbal to co-found online financial services company X.com. In 2000, X.com merged with Confinity to create PayPal, which was later purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion. Musk also worked for PayPal for a year before leaving to concentrate full-time on his other business interests.
In 2003, Musk became the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, which was founded to manufacture and launch rockets and spacecraft in the pursuit of space exploration. His next venture was SolarCity, a solar service provider and energy efficiency company, of which he is Chairman. In 2008, Musk also joined Tesla Motors, another electric car company, as CEO. Currently, Musk holds the position of CEO and CTO of SpaceX and Chairman of SolarCity and Tesla Motors. He is also the founding chairman of OpenAI, a research organization devoted to artificial intelligence.
SpaceX Achievements
SpaceX’s goals are to reduce space transportation costs and increase access to space. Its major accomplishments include launching of the Falcon 1 rocket, the first private spacecraft to reach Earth’s orbit, the Dragon spacecraft, the first commercial spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station (ISS), and the Falcon Heavy, the most powerful operational launch vehicle in the world. The Falcon Heavy is estimated to be capable of carrying a payload of 63,800 kilograms, and it is being used for missions to launch satellites, deliver cargo to the ISS and the Moon, and even eventually send a manned mission to Mars.
Musk’s current main focus is on preparing for a human mission to Mars and to establish a permanent human settlement on the red planet. To this effect he has been designing rockets and spacecraft and devising plans to equip ships with the necessary life support and energy systems as well as to aid in navigation control and to refine manufacturing, resource collections and recycling.
The ultimate aim of SpaceX and Musk is to use space technology to improve life on Earth. Towards this, Musk has generated an interest in space exploration, which has changed the culture of space agencys and spacecraft when compared to the early space-exploration days.
Tesla Motors
Another one of Elon Musk’s ventures is Tesla Motors – a company started in 2003 for designing, manufacturing and selling electric cars. The first Tesla car ever built was a two-seater electric car known as the Tesla Roadster. It was followed by several other models such as the Model S, Model X and Model 3.
Tesla Motors has seen a remarkable growth over the past years. As of 2018, the company had sold over 250,000 vehicles, making it the world’s best-selling all-electric car maker in terms of unit sales. Tesla’s success has been attributed to its focus on customer service and its unique approach to electric powertrains and car batteries.
In addition to its vehicles, Tesla Motors has also become a leader in charging station technology. The company has developed a network of ‘superchargers’ around the world and is working to expand its charging stations in order to make its vehicles more accessible to consumers. It has also put forth a plan to build an entire ecosystem in which electric cars can be recharged and serviced.
SolarCity
SolarCity is another one of the companies funded by Elon Musk. It allows individuals and businesses to access the power of the sun using solar panels. The company builds solar panels, provides solar panel installation services, and develops solar energy storage solutions.
The company also provides a leasing option for individuals who want to install solar panels on their property. These individuals do not have to purchase solar panels to install them, as SolarCity owns and maintains the system. In addition to buying solar energy, SolarCity also offers energy efficiency solutions such as LED lighting, energy efficient appliances, and home energy audits.
SolarCity is the largest provider of solar energy in the United States, boasting of operations in 18 states. The company has installed over 5,100 megawatts of solar energy, and it is estimated that the electricity generated from its systems will reduce 8.3 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.
Neuralink
In 2016, Musk founded Neuralink, a Neural network research company. The company is working to make brain-computer interfaces (BCI) technology a reality. It focuses on developing implantable brain-computer interfaces that can be used to treat neurological disorders and injuries, as well as to enhance human cognition.
Neuralink has been developing sophisticated technology and hardware to achieve this goal. The main goal of Neuralink is to enable people to control computers and prosthetic devices with their minds, with the ultimate aim of enhancing human intelligence. Neuralink is currently in its early stages, but has already made progress in terms of developing reliable brain-computer interfaces and devices.
The company’s work is an incredible achievement, and shows the potential for BCI technology to revolutionize the world of neurological medicine and technology.
Conclusion
Elon Musk did not go to MIT; however, he has had a remarkable success in business and technology without having attended the world’s most prestigious university for engineering and technology. He has founded and funded several companies, including Zip2, PayPal, SpaceX, SolarCity and Tesla Motors. He is now working on advancing artificial intelligence. His inventions and business ventures have revolutionized the world and have been of great benefit to humanity.
