As an aspiring entrepreneur, I’ve always been fascinated by the stories of those who’ve reached the pinnacle of financial success. Their journeys inspire me, challenge me, and sometimes even intimidate me. But above all, they remind me that with vision, perseverance, and a bit of luck, extraordinary achievements are possible.
That’s why I’ve decided to dive deep into the lives and fortunes of the world’s wealthiest individuals in 2024 based on data from the Real-Time Billionaires List. This isn’t just a list of numbers and net worths; it’s a collection of remarkable stories that showcase the power of innovation, strategic thinking, and relentless drive.
From tech visionaries who’ve reshaped our digital landscape to retail magnates who’ve revolutionized how we shop, these ten individuals represent the epitome of entrepreneurial success. Their paths to wealth are as diverse as they are impressive, spanning industries from social media and e-commerce to luxury goods and investment.
1. Elon Musk – $264.7 billion
Elon Musk, the enigmatic entrepreneur and innovator, currently holds the title of the world’s richest person with a staggering net worth of $264.7 billion as of 2024. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971, Musk showed an early aptitude for technology and entrepreneurship, creating his first computer game at the age of 12. After moving to North America for his studies, he briefly attended Stanford University before dropping out to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.
Musk’s journey to becoming the wealthiest individual on the planet has been marked by a series of groundbreaking ventures. He co-founded PayPal, which revolutionized online payments, and later sold it to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. However, it was his subsequent endeavors that truly catapulted him to unprecedented wealth. As the CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla, the electric vehicle and clean energy company, Musk has been at the forefront of the sustainable transportation revolution. Additionally, his leadership of SpaceX has pushed the boundaries of space exploration and commercialization.
Despite facing numerous challenges and controversies, including his high-profile acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022, Musk’s net worth has continued to grow. His wealth is primarily tied to his ownership stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, with the former contributing significantly to his fortune due to its soaring stock price in recent years. Musk’s vision extends beyond Earth, as he aims to make humanity a multi-planetary species through SpaceX’s ambitious Mars colonization plans. His other ventures, including Neuralink and The Boring Company, further demonstrate his commitment to pushing technological boundaries and shaping the future.
2. Jeff Bezos – $216.5 billion
Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, holds the second position on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $216.5 billion. Born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bezos displayed an early interest in technology and entrepreneurship. After graduating from Princeton University with degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, he worked on Wall Street before founding Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore.
Under Bezos’ leadership, Amazon transformed from a modest online retailer into a global e-commerce and technology giant, revolutionizing the way people shop and access services. The company’s expansion into cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been particularly lucrative, contributing significantly to Bezos’ wealth. In addition to his role at Amazon, Bezos owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin, a private space exploration company that reflects his passion for space travel and technology.
3. Larry Ellison – $209.1 billion
Larry Ellison, co-founder, executive chairman, and CTO of Oracle Corporation, rounds out the top three richest people in the world with a net worth of $209.1 billion. Born on August 17, 1944, in New York City, Ellison was adopted and raised in Chicago. Despite dropping out of college twice, he found his calling in the tech industry, working as a programmer before co-founding Software Development Laboratories in 1977, which would later become Oracle Corporation.
Under Ellison’s leadership, Oracle grew to become one of the largest and most influential software companies in the world, specializing in database management systems. His strategic acquisitions and focus on cloud computing have kept Oracle at the forefront of the tech industry. Ellison’s wealth has seen significant growth in recent years, particularly due to Oracle’s strong performance in the artificial intelligence market. Beyond his business endeavors, Ellison is known for his lavish lifestyle, including owning luxury real estate and yachts, as well as his philanthropic efforts in medical research and education.
4. Mark Zuckerberg – $198 billion
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), has solidified his position as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $198 billion in 2024. Born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York, Zuckerberg showed an early aptitude for computer programming. He famously created Facebook in his Harvard University dorm room in 2004, which would go on to become the world’s largest social media platform.
Zuckerberg’s journey to immense wealth has been closely tied to the meteoric rise of Facebook, now part of the Meta umbrella. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its reach through strategic acquisitions, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus VR. Despite facing numerous controversies and challenges, including concerns over privacy and the spread of misinformation, Zuckerberg has continued to drive innovation within his company, particularly in the realms of virtual and augmented reality.
In recent years, Zuckerberg has shifted his focus towards building the “metaverse,” a concept he believes represents the future of social interaction and digital experiences. This ambitious vision has led to significant investments in virtual reality technology and infrastructure. Beyond his business endeavors, Zuckerberg, along with his wife Priscilla Chan, has pledged to give away 99% of their Meta shares over their lifetimes through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, focusing on areas such as education, science, and social justice.
5. Bernard Arnault & family – $168 billion
According to the Real-Time Billionaires List, Bernard Arnault, the French business magnate and art collector, leads his family to the fifth position on the list of the world’s wealthiest people with a combined net worth of $168 billion. Born on March 5, 1949, in Roubaix, France, Arnault has built his fortune as the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury goods company.
Arnault’s journey to becoming a luxury goods titan began in 1984 when he acquired Financière Agache, a luxury goods company that owned Christian Dior. Through strategic acquisitions and mergers, he created LVMH in 1987, which now encompasses over 75 prestigious brands across various sectors including fashion, wines and spirits, perfumes and cosmetics, and watches and jewelry. Under Arnault’s leadership, LVMH has consistently grown its market share and profitability, cementing its position as a dominant force in the global luxury market.
Known for his business acumen and eye for long-term value, Arnault has earned nicknames such as “The Wolf in the Cashmere Coat” and “The Pope of Fashion.” His wealth is primarily tied to his substantial stake in LVMH, which accounts for about 96.23% of his total net worth. Arnault’s success has made him a prominent figure in both the business world and French society, with his family’s wealth fluctuating alongside LVMH’s stock performance.
6. Larry Page – $141 billion
Larry Page, the co-founder of Google and former CEO of its parent company Alphabet, holds the sixth position among the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $141 billion. Born on March 26, 1973, in East Lansing, Michigan, Page’s journey to becoming a tech billionaire began in the halls of Stanford University, where he met Sergey Brin while pursuing his Ph.D. in computer science.
Page and Brin’s collaboration led to the creation of Google in 1998, revolutionizing internet search with their innovative PageRank algorithm. Under Page’s leadership, first as Google’s CEO and later as the CEO of Alphabet, the company expanded far beyond its search engine roots, venturing into areas such as mobile operating systems (Android), video sharing (YouTube), and various moonshot projects through Google X.
Although Page stepped down as Alphabet’s CEO in 2019, his influence in the tech industry remains significant. His wealth primarily stems from his substantial stake in Alphabet, which continues to be one of the most valuable companies in the world. Page’s vision and contributions to technology have earned him numerous accolades and have fundamentally changed how people access and interact with information online. Beyond his work with Google and Alphabet, Page has shown interest in flying cars and other futuristic technologies, reflecting his ongoing passion for innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
7. Warren Buffett – $139.8 billion
Warren Buffett, often referred to as the “Oracle of Omaha,” is one of the most successful investors in history and currently ranks as the seventh-richest person in the world with a net worth of $139.8 billion. Born on August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett displayed an aptitude for business and investing from a young age. He graduated from the University of Nebraska and later earned a Master’s degree in economics from Columbia University, where he studied under renowned value investor Benjamin Graham.
Buffett’s journey to immense wealth began with the formation of Buffett Partnership Ltd. in 1956. In 1965, he acquired control of Berkshire Hathaway, a failing textile company that he transformed into a diversified holding company and one of the largest conglomerates in the world. Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway has become synonymous with successful value investing, owning significant stakes in major companies across various industries.
Despite his enormous wealth, Buffett is known for his frugal lifestyle and commitment to philanthropy. He still lives in the same house he bought in Omaha in 1958 for $31,500 and is famous for his modest tastes, including his preference for McDonald’s breakfasts. Buffett has pledged to give away 99% of his wealth to philanthropic causes, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He also co-founded The Giving Pledge with Bill Gates, encouraging other billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable causes.
8. Sergey Brin – $135 billion
Sergey Brin, with a net worth of $135 billion, is the co-founder of Google and currently serves as a board member and controlling shareholder of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. Born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, Russia, Brin immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of six. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Maryland and later pursued a Ph.D. in computer science at Stanford University.
It was at Stanford where Brin met Larry Page, and together they developed the idea for a new search engine that would become Google. Founded in 1998, Google quickly became the world’s leading search engine and has since expanded into various other technologies and services. Brin served as the president of Alphabet Inc. until stepping down in December 2019, but he remains actively involved in the company’s strategic decisions.
Brin’s wealth is primarily tied to his stake in Alphabet Inc., but he has also invested in other ventures, including space tourism and airship development. Known for his innovative thinking and passion for cutting-edge technology, Brin continues to be a significant figure in the tech industry and philanthropy.
9. Amancio Ortega – $128.5 billion
Amancio Ortega, with a net worth of $128.5 billion, is a Spanish fashion entrepreneur and founder of Inditex, the parent company of Zara and several other fashion retail chains. Born on March 28, 1936, in Busdongo de Arbás, Spain, Ortega came from humble beginnings and started his career in the textile industry at a young age.
In 1975, Ortega opened the first Zara store in A Coruña, Spain. His innovative approach to fashion retail, which focused on fast fashion and rapid inventory turnover, revolutionized the industry. Inditex, founded in 1985, grew to encompass multiple brands and expanded globally, making Ortega one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.
Despite his immense wealth, Ortega is known for maintaining a low profile and rarely gives interviews. He stepped down as chairman of Inditex in 2011 but remains actively involved in the company’s operations. Ortega has diversified his investments into real estate and other sectors, further solidifying his financial standing.
10. Steve Ballmer – $122.1 billion
Steve Ballmer, with a net worth of $122.1 billion, is an American businessman and investor best known for his role as the former CEO of Microsoft and current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team. Born on March 24, 1956, in Detroit, Michigan, Ballmer graduated from Harvard University and briefly attended Stanford Graduate School of Business before joining Microsoft in 1980 as its 30th employee.
Ballmer served as CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, overseeing the company’s growth in various sectors beyond its core Windows and Office products. During his tenure, Microsoft’s annual revenue surged from $25 billion to $70 billion. After retiring from Microsoft, Ballmer purchased the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion in 2014.
Known for his energetic and sometimes controversial leadership style, Ballmer has since focused on philanthropy through the Ballmer Group, which he co-founded with his wife. He has also invested in USAFacts, a non-profit organization aimed at making government data more accessible and understandable. Ballmer’s wealth continues to grow, largely due to his significant stake in Microsoft.
