“From College Dropout to Billionaire: Larry Ellison’s Inspiring Journey to Becoming the World’s 2nd Richest Man” – VnExpress International

At 80, Larry Ellison is still making headlines. He holds more than 40% of Oracle, a major player in the software world and a growing force in cloud computing. His wealth is staggering—around $251.2 billion as of July 15, making him the second richest person, just behind Elon Musk.

Ellison’s journey started in New York, where he grew up without knowing his father. At nine months old, his mother sent him to live with relatives in Chicago. His adoptive father, Louis, was a Russian immigrant who took on the name “Ellison” to honor Ellis Island. It wasn’t until he turned 12 that he learned he was adopted. From an early age, he had a knack for understanding electronics, often taking things apart to see how they worked. This curiosity would later fuel his love for technology.

He attended the University of Illinois but dropped out after his adoptive mother passed away. He then briefly enrolled at the University of Chicago but left after just one semester. Despite skipping formal programming classes, he dove into the tech world by teaching himself. Ellison once said, “I never took a computer science class in my life. I just picked up a book and started programming.”

In the mid-1970s, while others were building tech empires, Ellison faced financial struggles. In 1977, he, along with colleagues Bob Miner and Ed Oates, founded Oracle with just $2,000. Ellison’s daring vision quickly attracted clients like the CIA and later the U.S. Navy and NASA. Even when some dismissed Oracle’s early software, Ellison’s boldness turned skeptics into believers.

Oracle’s growth was remarkable. By 1981, the company’s revenue surged when IBM adopted its software. Within seven years, sales doubled annually, transforming Oracle from a small company into a billion-dollar entity. By 1986, when it went public, Oracle was a force to be reckoned with. To maintain its lead, Ellison aggressively acquired rival companies, spending over $400 billion on 50 acquisitions.

Aside from his business acumen, Ellison is known for his lavish lifestyle. Unlike many of his tech peers, he enjoys the high life, with a collection of cars, jets, and real estate, including a luxurious mansion in Silicon Valley and even the entire Hawaiian island of Lanai. He is also an avid sailor and has a yacht racing team.

Ellison has had a colorful personal life, marked by six marriages. His first marriage to historian Adda Quinn ended after seven years due to financial stress and lavish spending. His subsequent marriages were similarly defined by his extravagant lifestyle and the challenges of his entrepreneurial pursuits. His third wife was a receptionist at Oracle, and his fourth, Melanie Craft, had Steve Jobs as their wedding photographer.

As of now, he’s reportedly married to Keren Zhu, a 33-year-old who moved from China to attend the University of Michigan. This diverse history of relationships highlights the ups and downs in both his personal and professional life.

Ellison’s story is more than just about wealth. It’s a tale of resilience, adaptation, and daring choices that show success isn’t linear. He reminds us that the journey is often just as important as the destination.

For more insights into tech giants and their influence on our world, you can check out reports from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and other reputable sources.

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Inside Oracle founder Larry Ellison’s journey from college dropout to world’s 2nd richest man with a luxury lifestyle – VnExpress International