From South Africa to Silicon Valley

Elon Musk has become a household name as a visionary entrepreneur and innovator. While his current accomplishments often dominate headlines, his formative years played a crucial role in shaping the man he would become. Musk’s childhood experiences laid the foundation for his future success and innovative mindset.

Exploring lesser-known aspects of Musk’s early life provides valuable insights into the factors that influenced his development. From his upbringing in South Africa to his passion for reading and technology, these surprising facts shed light on the experiences that helped mold one of the most influential figures in modern business and technology.

1) He read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica by age nine.

Elon Musk displayed an exceptional thirst for knowledge from a very young age. Reports indicate that he managed to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica by the time he was just nine years old.

This remarkable feat demonstrates Musk’s early intellectual curiosity and capacity for absorbing vast amounts of information. The Encyclopedia Britannica is a comprehensive reference work covering a wide range of topics across various fields of knowledge.

Musk’s voracious reading habits extended beyond encyclopedias. He reportedly spent up to 10 hours a day immersed in books, particularly science fiction novels.

This early exposure to a diverse array of subjects and ideas likely contributed to Musk’s broad knowledge base and innovative thinking in later years. His childhood reading habits laid the foundation for his future pursuits in technology, space exploration, and entrepreneurship.

Musk has acknowledged the significant role that books played in his upbringing. He once stated, “I was raised by books. Books, and then my parents,” highlighting the importance of reading in shaping his worldview and ambitions.

2) He was bullied severely in school.

Elon Musk’s childhood was not without its challenges. During his school years in South Africa, he faced severe bullying from his peers. The bullying was so intense that it resulted in physical harm to Musk.

On one occasion, the bullying escalated to the point where Musk had to be hospitalized. The incident was serious enough that it led to him changing schools. This drastic step highlights the severity of the bullying he endured.

Musk’s experiences with bullying were not limited to physical aggression. He also faced social isolation and verbal harassment from his classmates. These difficult experiences likely shaped his personality and outlook on life.

Despite the challenges, Musk demonstrated resilience. He continued to pursue his interests in technology and science, which would later become the foundation of his successful career. The bullying, while traumatic, did not deter him from his ambitions.

3) He created a video game called ‘Blastar’ at age 12.

In 1984, 12-year-old Elon Musk programmed a computer game called Blastar. The young Musk wrote the code for this space-themed video game on his home computer.

Blastar was a simple game that reflected Musk’s early interest in space and technology. The source code for the game was published in PC and Office Technology, a South African consumer technology magazine.

Musk received $500 for his creation, an impressive sum for a pre-teen developer. The game appeared on page 69 of the magazine, credited to “E. R. Musk.”

Years later, a Google software engineer recreated Blastar as a playable HTML5 game. This modern version allows people to experience Musk’s early foray into programming.

Blastar’s release coincided with the debut of other iconic games like Duck Hunt and Tetris. While not as complex, it demonstrated Musk’s early aptitude for coding and his fascination with space.

This childhood project foreshadowed Musk’s future endeavors in technology and space exploration. It serves as an early example of his innovative spirit and technical skills.

4) He taught himself computer programming in his early teens.

Elon Musk’s fascination with technology began at a remarkably young age. By the time he was 12 years old, Musk had already taught himself computer programming.

This self-directed learning demonstrated his natural aptitude for technology and his drive to acquire new skills. Musk’s early programming efforts were not just academic exercises.

He put his newly acquired skills to practical use by creating a video game called Blastar. This space-themed game was more than just a hobby project for young Musk.

He managed to sell the game’s code to a computer magazine for approximately $500. This early success hinted at Musk’s future entrepreneurial spirit and his ability to monetize his technical skills.

Musk’s self-taught programming skills laid the foundation for his future endeavors in the tech industry. This early experience with coding and software development would prove invaluable in his later business ventures.

5) He moved from South Africa to Canada at age 17.

Elon Musk’s journey from South Africa to North America began at the age of 17. Born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk made the bold decision to leave his home country in 1989.

His move to Canada was motivated by several factors. Musk held Canadian citizenship through his mother, which made the transition easier. He also saw Canada as a gateway to the United States, where he aspired to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.

Upon arriving in Canada, Musk stayed with relatives in Saskatchewan. He took on odd jobs to support himself, including working on a farm and at a lumber mill. These experiences shaped his work ethic and resourcefulness.

Musk’s time in Canada was not without challenges. He reportedly lived on a budget of just $1 a day for food, relying on affordable staples like hot dogs and oranges. This frugal lifestyle helped him save money for his future endeavors.

After spending three years in Canada, Musk transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. This move marked the next chapter in his journey towards becoming a prominent entrepreneur and innovator.

6) His father owned an emerald mine in Zambia.

The claim that Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, owned an emerald mine in Zambia has been a topic of debate and speculation for years. This rumor gained traction through various online sources and media reports.

Elon Musk himself has consistently denied these claims, stating that his father never owned an emerald mine. Despite this, the story persisted, with some believing it explained the origin of the Musk family’s wealth.

Recent investigations and biographical research have shed new light on this topic. Walter Isaacson, in his upcoming biography of Elon Musk, reportedly found no evidence to support the emerald mine ownership claim.

It appears that Errol Musk may have had a small share in an emerald mine, rather than outright ownership. This detail emerged from an archived interview where Elon mentioned his father having “a share in an emerald mine in Zambia.”

The exact nature and extent of Errol Musk’s involvement in the emerald business remain unclear. The story has likely been exaggerated over time, contributing to misconceptions about the Musk family’s background.

7) He made his first million dollars by age 28.

Elon Musk’s entrepreneurial journey began early, leading to his first million-dollar success before turning 30. In 1999, at the age of 27, Musk sold Zip2, a web software company he co-founded with his brother Kimbal.

The sale of Zip2 to Compaq Computer Corporation netted Musk over $300 million. This transaction marked his entry into the millionaire club, just shy of his 28th birthday.

Musk’s success with Zip2 laid the foundation for his future ventures. He invested a significant portion of his earnings into his next project, X.com, which later became PayPal.

This early financial windfall provided Musk with the capital and experience to pursue his ambitious goals in various industries. It set the stage for his later endeavors in electric vehicles, space exploration, and renewable energy.

8) He attended the University of Pretoria before moving to Canada.

Elon Musk’s academic journey began at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He enrolled there briefly before making a significant life change.

At age 17, Musk decided to leave his home country and move to Canada. This decision marked a pivotal moment in his educational path.

Musk’s time at the University of Pretoria was short-lived, lasting only about five months. During this brief period, he likely took introductory courses typical of a first-year university student.

After leaving Pretoria, Musk set his sights on North America. He chose Canada as his destination, partly due to his Canadian citizenship through his mother.

In Canada, Musk initially lived with a cousin in Saskatchewan. He worked various jobs, including labor at a farm and a lumber mill, while preparing for his next educational step.

Musk’s transition from the University of Pretoria to Canada set the stage for his future academic pursuits. He would later attend Queen’s University in Ontario before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.

Early Family Influences

Elon Musk’s childhood was shaped by his parents’ diverse backgrounds and his relationships with siblings. His family environment exposed him to entrepreneurship, engineering, and international perspectives from a young age.

Parental Background

Elon’s father, Errol Musk, was a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and property developer. His mother, Maye Musk, worked as a model and dietitian. This combination of technical and creative influences played a significant role in Elon’s development.

Errol’s engineering background likely sparked Elon’s interest in technology and problem-solving. Maye’s modeling career exposed young Elon to the world of business and self-promotion.

The family’s frequent travels and international connections broadened Elon’s worldview. These experiences may have contributed to his later global business ventures.

Siblings and Family Dynamics

Elon has two younger siblings: brother Kimbal and sister Tosca. The Musk children often engaged in intense discussions and debates, fostering critical thinking skills.

Kimbal and Elon were particularly close, collaborating on various childhood projects and later in business ventures. This early teamwork laid the foundation for their future entrepreneurial endeavors.

The siblings faced challenges together, including their parents’ divorce when Elon was 9. This event had a significant impact on family dynamics and may have contributed to Elon’s resilience.

Despite difficulties, the Musk children supported each other’s ambitions. This family bond provided a strong support system for Elon’s early pursuits in technology and business.

Education and Early Interests

Elon Musk’s childhood education and interests laid the foundation for his future innovations. His voracious appetite for learning and fascination with technology emerged at a young age, shaping his path forward.

School Experiences

Musk attended Waterkloof House Preparatory School and later Pretoria Boys High School in South Africa. He was a quiet, studious child who often felt like an outsider among his peers. His photographic memory allowed him to excel academically, particularly in subjects like physics and computer science.

At age 12, Musk attended a summer economics course at Stanford University. This early exposure to higher-level education fueled his ambition and expanded his horizons beyond South Africa.

First Encounters with Technology

Musk’s fascination with technology began early. He taught himself computer programming at age 10 and sold his first computer game, Blastar, for $500 at age 12.

His interests extended beyond computers to include speculative science and science fiction. He devoured books on these topics, even reading entire encyclopedias after exhausting the local libraries’ collections.

This combination of technical skills and imaginative thinking laid the groundwork for Musk’s future technological innovations and entrepreneurial ventures.