At 80 years old, Larry Ellison remains a dominant force in technology, enterprise cloud, and AI. His $147 billion net worth, recent surge to become the world’s #2 richest person, relentless ambition, and public-private ventures from biotech to agritech. highlight a legacy defined by innovation, competition, and extravagance.
Whether steering Oracle’s future, reshaping Lanai, or influencing biotech, Ellison lives by his motto: “When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.”
Larry Ellison Biography
Lawrence Joseph Ellison commonly known as Larry Ellison was born on August 17, 1944, in the Bronx, New York, was given up by his mother, Florence Spellman, and adopted by her aunt and uncle, Lillian and Louis Ellison, after surviving pneumonia at nine months old.
Larry was raised in Chicago, he briefly attended the University of Illinois and later the University of Chicago, dropping out both times; his collegiate ambitions interrupted by his adoptive mother’s death.
From Programmer to Oracle Founder
In the early 1970s, Ellison moved to Berkeley, California, dipping into programming roles at Wells Fargo and Amdahl, where he honed the skills that would define his career.
Ellison was inspired by Edgar F. Codd’s research on relational databases, he co-founded Software Development Laboratories in 1977 alongside Bob Miner and Ed Oates, backed by a modest $2,000 from Ellison. Their early client was the CIA, and by 1982 the company had renamed itself Oracle, catalyzing its rise in enterprise tech.
Building a Database Empire
After Oracle’s IPO in 1986, Ellison steered the company through early financial turmoil, nearly facing bankruptcy in 1990 due to accounting missteps. Recovery came with Oracle7 in 1992, transforming the company into the leader in relational databases.
Ellison’s aggressive acquisition strategy including PeopleSoft, Siebel, BEA, Sun Microsystems, and NetSuite solidified Oracle’s dominance in enterprise software and cloud services.
Tech Leadership in the AI Era
Though Ellison stepped down as CEO in 2014, he remains Oracle’s executive chairman and CTO, driving its pivot to cloud computing, AI-enhanced databases, and cybersecurity platforms.
In May 2025, Oracle announced a $17 billion investment in global AI cloud infrastructure, expanding its presence into emerging markets like the UAE.
Wealth & Rivalries
Initially building wealth through Oracle’s success, Ellison has amassed a $259billion fortune as of June 2025, holding roughly 42.7% of Oracle’s stock. A June 2025 share-price surge added $26 billion, temporarily making him the world’s second-richest person, overtaking Bezos and Zuckerberg.
| Larry Ellison net worth | $259billion (June, 2025) |
His rivalry with Bill Gates dates back to the infamous “Trashgate” spy campaign, but his recent financial ascendancy is viewed as vindication.
Personal Life
Ellison’s personal life includes:
- Marriages and family: Married six times, including to Adda Quinn (1967–74), Nancy Jenkins (1977–78), Barbara Boothe (1983–86, with two children, David and Megan), Melanie Craft (2003–10), and Nikita Kahn (2010–20). In 2024, he married Jolin Ellison.
- Children: His son David and daughter Megan are both film producers; David is named CEO of Paramount post-merger, and Megan is Oscar-nominated.
- Health & longevity: A healthy, active nonagenarian with interest in aging science and anti-aging research.
Philanthropy & Public Initiatives
A survivor of prostate cancer, Ellison founded the Ellison Medical Foundation in 1997 and later donated $200 million to the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine at USC, with an Oxford branch launched in 2023.
He signed the Giving Pledge in 2010, committing to donate nearly all his wealth. His foundation also funds aging research, cancer treatment, education reform, and conservation efforts.
Other Ventures & Investments
Ellison has diversified interests including:
- Sensei Ag: A half‑billion-dollar agritech endeavor on Lanai, aimed at AI-driven farming, which has faced serious implementation issues through early 2025.
- Biotech: A major investor in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, recently increasing his stake to over 9%.
- AI infrastructure: Backing “Stargate,” a $500 billion AI initiative aligned with former President Trump, potentially influencing media consolidation deals.
Extravagant Ventures & Interests
Beyond tech, Ellison’s personal pursuits are legendary:
- Real estate: He owns 98% of Lanai, Hawaii, acquired in 2012 for about $300 million, a $200 million Japanese-style estate in Woodside, and properties in Lake Tahoe and Newport, RI.
- Yachting: Owner of the superyacht Rising Sun and a patron of Oracle Team USA, winning the America’s Cup in 2010 and 2013.
- Aviation & Autos: A licensed pilot with multiple jets, and collector of exotic vehicles including Audis, McLarens, Ferraris, and Bugattis.
- Sports: Owner of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and half-owner of the BNP Paribas Open, plus chairing SailGP.
Honors & Recognition
Ellison has received numerous accolades:
- Golden Plate Award (1997)
- Bay Area Business Hall of Fame (2013)
- Time 100 (2024)
- First “Rebels with a Cause” award (USC, 2019).
