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Forget Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Elon Musk Is Redefining Innovation=> We have always looked upon Steve Jobs and Bill Gates as the most significant innovation gurus in the world. I mean, Steve Jobs’ Apple revolutionized the way we use our phones, creating the first smartphone along the way, and Microsoft established the widespread use of personal computers. Even nowadays we refer to a general computer as a PC.
These men were the starting point of an entire technological revolution that happened (still happening?) since the ’80s, where people started using computers for personal use. This growth was even more noticeable when the modern Internet was made available in 1995.
The following years brought new tools that made our lives easier almost every year. Windows was released, Google was created, Amazon was founded, PCs started to become cheaper and more people could afford to have one at home. At the moment, it’s hard to find someone without a computer and easy internet access in the developed world. Things changed a lot in 30 years.
Computers and Smartphones Are the Past in Terms of Innovation
The computer and smartphone industries are starting to stagnate. There is way too much competition for new companies to thrive, and the established players are hardly bringing something new to the table.
I mean, foldable smartphones? Yeah, it’s cool to show to our friends and all, but it is not something that one was hoping for their phones to have. Don’t take me wrong: It is an engineering marvel. I wonder how they managed to make a display that can be folded in half. But the average consumer doesn’t care about the technical stuff.
What can it do for me?
The functional part of technology is what makes it either be a success or a disaster. We have plenty of examples of great technology that were never a success because it didn’t match the user’s expectations:
Which Players Are Actually Designing the Future?
When we look at the current situation of the world in terms, we have two types of innovators:
- Startups and tech companies that provide some computer/internet-based product, like Uber, Amazon, Apple, and Google
- Companies that are building the future that our Descendents and we will live in, like Tesla, SpaceX, and BlueOrigin.
Notice that the same man owns two of the companies that I mentioned in the second line. Yes, maybe I’m being biased, but the truth is that when you think of real innovation it the latest years, the name of these two companies immediately pop up.
Elon Musk was one of the initial founders of x.com, which later became PayPal, which was also a great innovation, especially if you realize that this was back in 1990/2000. In 2002, eBay bought PayPal, and Elon Musk received 165 Million USD for his shares.
He has a dream: To make life interplanetary during his lifetime.
Well, the first time anyone heard this, the thought of a crazy person would rise in our head.
He invested 100 Million USD of his fortune in starting SpaceX: a company that would allow him to fulfill his dream. That is the goal of SpaceX.
If traveling between planets wasn’t enough of a goal, Musk also founded Tesla. A company focused on developing electric vehicles with the state of the art when it comes to car technology. From autonomous driving to sentinel recording, this company took a lot of steps further than its competition. Proof of that is that a whole trend of electric vehicles started to take place, and established car manufacturers like Mercedes and Volkswagen are copying Tesla, both on the technology used on their cars and the autonomous driving features.
Elon Musk is also tackling inter-city traveling by introducing HyperLoop, a series of underground tunnels where travel pods are riding. Musk already promised a 10km tunnel for 2020, but with the current COVID-19 pandemic occurring, that deadline might be postponed.
Why Is Elon Musk’s Thirst for Innovation So Important?
There are a few moments that change the course of history. Most of them started with a crazy idea. Putting a man on the moon seems insane, even nowadays. But luck favors the bold. And the bold people are the ones that will lead the world to the future.
When we thought of having three rockets launching a payload into space and then return to earth, landing on their feet, everyone thought that it wouldn’t be possible. But now look at these beauties. Landing on their feet. Even on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic.
Now we start thinking: “What if it’s possible?”
He already proved that when he wants something, he will do whatever it takes to get it. He confirmed that with Tesla and SpaceX. But put a man on Mars is the biggest challenge that anyone ever had. It could be the starting point of becoming interplanetary.
There are very few people with this forward-thinking. I never saw anyone thinking this big. And those are the people who are going to make history with their achievements.
Final Thoughts
History is being made right in front of our eyes. The next two decades will be full of mind-blowing innovations that can change the course of history.
Launching a new app or website will no longer be news. But don’t think that it will be harder to have innovation. Rather the contrary.
As new worlds (literally) are discovered, new needs will surge. With that, new business opportunities will also appear. What if you think one step ahead and stay ready to catch the opportunity once it pops out?
Some love him. Some hate him. But what I think is unquestionable, is that he is one of the greatest innovators of our time.
And the rest will be history.
“Forget Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Elon Musk Is Redefining Innovation” first posted at: medium.com. Read the original article here.