{"id":14712,"date":"2024-01-21T07:40:13","date_gmt":"2024-01-21T06:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ceoinfluencers.com\/?p=14712"},"modified":"2024-01-21T07:40:13","modified_gmt":"2024-01-21T06:40:13","slug":"how-much-government-money-has-elon-musk-received","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ceoinfluencers.com\/how-much-government-money-has-elon-musk-received\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Government Money Has Elon Musk Received"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When it comes to innovators and leaders who are pushing the envelope of technology, no one is more prominent than the billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Musk has long been a celebrated name in the business world, but many people might be surprised to know just how much government money he has received in the past. While he has been praised as a self-made man who succeeded with his own money and vision, there are hints that he might not have done it all by himself.<\/p>\n

The most well known example of government money given to Elon Musk is the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, which resulted in a $465 million loan to Tesla Motors in 2009. Although the loan was eventually paid back in full, it likely enabled Musk and Tesla to rapidly expand their operations in the early days of the company.
\nIn addition to the Manufacturing Loan Program, which focused on advancing technology and renewable energy sources, Elon Musk has also benefited from several other government initiatives. For example, the “State of California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard Program” gave Tesla Motors up to $25 million in tax credits in 2019, and the Investment Tax Credit program provided Tesla a $US7,500 credit for every electric car sold in the US.<\/p>\n

Government money has also benefitted SpaceX, which has received up to $US536 million in NASA contracts for the development and testing of their Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. This is in addition to contract awards for the Crew Dragon capsule, which is slated to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. These federal contracts are important because they provide SpaceX with stability and a steady source of income.<\/p>\n

Critics of Elon Musk’s success tend to focus their attention on the government funding he receives. They argue that this “corporate welfare” allows Musk to take greater risks that other entrepreneurs may not be able to afford. According to these critics, federal funds are largely to thank for SpaceX and Tesla’s success, and Musk’s involvement is overstated.<\/p>\n