Larry Ellison, co-founder and chief technology officer of Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL), has led a life full of remarkable and lesser-known accomplishments.
Last week, he even achieved the rank of world's richest man, briefly edging past Elon Musk for the title.
- ORCL stock skyrocketed last week. See the details here.
Here are five more surprising facts many people may not know about Ellison:
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Surprising Origins
- Adopted and double dropout: Ellison was born to a single mother in New York and adopted by his aunt and uncle in Chicago after contracting pneumonia as a baby. He dropped out of the University of Illinois and later the University of Chicago and never received a college degree.
Founding Oracle with $2K
- Started Oracle with just $2,000: Ellison co-founded what would become Oracle in 1977 with only $2,000 of his own money and a $50,000 government contract from the CIA.
Island Owner and Health Utopian
- Owns almost an entire Hawaiian island: In 2012, Ellison purchased 98% of Lanai, Hawaii for about $300 million. He lives there and is working to turn the island into a model for wellness, sustainability and green living.
Hollywood Cameo
- Appeared in "Iron Man 2": Ellison had a cameo as himself in the film "Iron Man 2," where he was playfully called the "Oracle of Oracle."
Tech Investments and Philanthropy
- Early investor in Tesla and Salesforce: Beyond Oracle, Ellison was an early investor in companies like Tesla--now among its largest individual shareholders--and Salesforce.
- Ellison has committed large donations to cancer research and AI-driven healthcare.
At 81 years old, Ellison remains a central figure at Oracle and the broader tech industry, while showing no sign of stepping back.
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