Jeff Bezos, born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is an American entrepreneur, investor, and media proprietor. He is the founder of Amazon, one of the largest and most influential companies in the world. Bezos graduated from Princeton University in 1986 with degrees in electrical engineering and computer science. He worked in several roles on Wall Street before founding Amazon in 1994.
Bezos launched Amazon as an online bookstore from his garage in Seattle, Washington, but the company quickly expanded its offerings to include a wide range of products and services. Under his leadership, Amazon grew to become a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Bezos transformed Amazon into one of the "Big Tech" companies, alongside Apple, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. In 2018, Amazon became the second U.S. company to reach a market capitalization of $1 trillion.
In addition to Amazon, Bezos founded Blue Origin, an aerospace company, in 2000. Blue Origin focuses on developing space technologies with the long-term goal of enabling private human space travel. The company has conducted several test flights and successfully launched reusable rockets as part of its mission to lower the cost of access to space.
In 2013, Bezos purchased The Washington Post, one of the most prominent newspapers in the United States, for $250 million. His ownership has helped revitalize the newspaper, particularly in its digital operations.
Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO in July 2021, transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman. He cited a desire to focus on other ventures, including Blue Origin and his philanthropic efforts. His wealth, estimated to be among the largest in the world, has enabled him to pursue various charitable initiatives, including through the Bezos Earth Fund, a $10 billion commitment to combat climate change.
Bezos has four children with his former wife, MacKenzie Scott, whom he divorced in 2019 after 25 years of marriage. He is an active figure in business and media and is frequently involved in discussions surrounding technology, innovation, and philanthropy.
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