12 Elon Musk inventions and how the billionaire is changing the world
When mentioning the top inventors of the 21st century, one of the leading names that will come up is Elon Musk. The entrepreneur has achieved a lot, and his innovations have helped improve the way of living for humankind. But how has the billionaire changed the world? Learn more about Elon Musk's inventions.
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Elon Musk's inventions have made him influential in the world. He has helped humanity improve livelihood through various innovations. As a result, his creations are changing the world and making it a better place.
Best Elon Musk's inventions
Elon Musk is a South African-born American businessman well known for his innovations. His success in his ventures has earned him huge financial success and has seen him become among the top inventors of the current century. Below are his 12 innovations and how Elon Musk changed the world.
1. Blastar video game
What did Elon Musk invent? In 1984, while aged 12, Elon Musk developed his first known invention, the Blastar video game for Spectravideo. The game is a simple and classic space invader and asteroid game consisting of mainly two in-game ships with few sound effects but no natural ending. Musk later sold the game source code to PC and Office Technology for $500.
2. Zip2
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What has Elon Musk actually invented? In 1995, Musk invented Global Link Information Network (Zip2), a company for supplying and licensing online city guide software to newspapers. The company initially provided local businesses with an Internet presence. However, later it began providing and licensing online city guide software to newspapers.
In 1996, Mohr Davidow Ventures invested $3 million in majority shares. In return, the company's name changed to Zip2, changing its strategy from localised businesses to national ones. In 1999, Zip2 was purchased by Compaq for $307 million, with Musk earning $22 million from the deal.
3. X.com
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Has Elon Musk actually invented anything? Yes, he has. In 1999, Elon Musk, Harris Fricker, Ed Ho and Christopher Payne established X.com, an online banking platform. The website was created in Palo Alto, California, with Musk as the majority shareholder.
One year later, in 2000, X.com merged with competitor Confinity Inc with Musk as the CEO. In June 2001, the company changed its name to PayPal and on 3 October 2002, eBay purchased PayPal for US$1.5 billion. On 5 July 2017, Musk repurchased the domain X.com from PayPal.
4. SpaceX
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Elon Musk's vision of a man on Mars is not farfetched, considering his strides with SpaceX. The company was founded in 2022 to explore Mars and commercialise space travel. As of 2023, the company is among the leading brands in space travel, having completed many missions into space.
Elon has also used SpaceX to launch and facilitate the Starlink project using satellite constellation to provide internet coverage worldwide.
5. Tesla
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Why did Elon Musk invent Tesla? He co-invented the company to create affordable mass-market EV vehicles. However, Musk didn't join Tesla until 2004. Tesla Inc, formerly Tesla Motors, began as an electric vehicle manufacturer and clean energy company founded in 2001 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in San Carlos, California.
After incorporating the company in 2003, the duo sought investors, hiring Ian Wright. In January 2004, Musk joined the company via a $6.5 million investment. He was the largest shareholder, becoming the chairman of the board of directors.
The company has progressed to become the leading EV manufacturer in the world. Some of its models include the Roadster, Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Tesla Semi.
6. SolarCity
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SolarCity was created in 2006 by Peter Rive and Lyndon Rive as a solar energy startup. Elon Musk, the brother's cousin, assisted in the establishment of the corporation. The company grew over time and was purchased by Tesla Inc for $2.6 billion in 2016, becoming a subsidiary of Tesla Solar.
The company has become the leading solar energy provider in the United States, with services available in over thirty states.
7. Falcon 9 Rocket
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The Falcon 9 Rocket is among the inventions that changed the world. It is a reusable rocket created by Elon Musk's aerospace company, SpaceX. The rocket's purpose is to aid in exploring space and Mars.
SpaceX launched the first Falcon 9 mission on 8 October 2012, becoming the first company to have an orbital-class reusable rocket.
8. The Hyperloop
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The Hyperloop project is a proposal involving a vacuum tube train to transport people at high speeds (above 700 mph). Elon announced the idea in 2013 but revealed the concept later.
To get the project started, the entrepreneur built a test track at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthrone, California. Despite completing the test track and multiple press displays, the project has encountered some setbacks, casting doubt on its future.
9. The Tesla Powerwall
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The Powerwall is a 2015 limited-production innovation by Tesla Energy. Tesla Energy's Tesla Powerwall is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery stationary home energy storage system. The Powerwall stores electricity for solar self-consumption, load shifting at different times of day, and backup power.
10. OpenAI
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Musk co-founded OpenAI, a non-profit artificial intelligence (AI) research business, with Ilya Sutskever, Greg Brockman, and others in 2015. The fundamental goal of OpenAI is to develop social artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The research business has been successful with OpenAI producing Chat-GPT, which has proved successful. Another innovation from the program includes DALL-E, an image-generating deep-learning model. However, Elon Musk is no longer on the board of OpenAI due to a conflict of interest.
11. Neuralink
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Based in Fremont, California, Neuralink Corporation is an American neurotechnology business that develops implanted brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Neuralink was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of seven scientists and engineers and was first publicly disclosed in March 2017.
Neuralink said in April 2017 that it intended to build devices to treat significant brain illnesses in the medium term, with the ultimate goal of human improvement, sometimes known as transhumanism. Musk was the primary owner of Neuralink in September 2018 but did not hold any executive positions.
12. The Boring Company
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Musk founded the Boring Company in 2017 to avoid above-ground traffic in big cities by adopting subterranean transportation. The same year, the company began talking with regulatory bodies and started construction on the site of SpaceX's offices.
In 2018, the Boring Company revealed the Los Angeles tunnel to journalists using Tesla Model X automobiles.
Has Elon Musk changed the world?
Yes, he has. The entrepreneur has changed the world through his innovations by introducing electric vehicles and revolutionising space exploration, among other feats.
How did Elon Musk get rich?
He got rich by investing in startup tech companies and founding and growing his own companies. Some of Elon Musk's best inventions include Tesla, SpaceX and X.com.
FAQs
- Who is Elon Musk? He is a South African-born American businessman famous for his inventions and innovations, including the EV vehicle company Tesla and space company SpaceX.
- What did Elon Musk invent? Elon Musk's creations include the EV company Tesla, SpaceX space company, The Boring Company, and others.
- Why did Elon Musk invent Tesla? He developed the company to create affordable mass-market EV vehicles.
- What impact does Elon Musk have on the world? He has significantly impacted the world thanks to his innovations and inventions. His electric vehicles help reduce pollution while his space company is aiding in space exploration.
- How did Elon Musk get rich? He got rich by developing source codes for various applications and selling them for a profit. In addition, Musk is known for being an early investor in tech companies.
- How is Elon influential? He is significant because of his stake in the electric vehicle company Tesla, his influence in SpaceX and his recent acquisition of Twitter.
- What are three things Elon Musk has done for the world? He pioneered the electric vehicle industry and commercial space exploration and has helped improve sustainable living through various inventions.
Elon Musk's inventions make him one of the top innovators in the world. His inventions focus on aiding humans by solving real-world problems and promoting sustainability options. Some of his well-known innovations include Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company.
Are you searching for information about the top influential and famous tech women in the world? Yen.com.gh published an informative article about the top and most influential women in the technology industry who have altered the tech world.
If you thought that only men dominated the tech industry, these influential women in tech would surprise you. They are renowned for their inventions and accolades that have enabled them to rank among the best n the world. Who are they?
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