From Elon Musk to Mark Zuckerberg, these 5 billionaires founded schools

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg In an era where technology, globalization, and evolving job markets are rapidly reshaping the skills students need, traditional education often falls short. Classrooms bound by rigid curricula and standardized testing struggle to cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills essential for the 21st century. Recognizing this gap, billionaires are establishing schools that break away from convention, experimenting with student-centered learning, STEM-driven curricula, and holistic development. These initiatives are not mere acts of philanthropy; they are deliberate attempts to reinvent how education is delivered and to prepare students for an unpredictable, rapidly changing world.

Elon Musk: Engineering curiosity

Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX, has long approached education with the same experimental mindset he applies to rockets and electric cars. He founded Ad Astra in California for his children and the children of SpaceX employees, a school that prioritized inquiry, project-based learning, and STEM excellence. This venture evolved into Astra Nova, an online platform designed to push the boundaries of student-led learning. In 2025, Musk expanded his vision with a private preschool in Bastrop, Texas, focused on nurturing curiosity and analytical skills from the earliest years. Backed by a $100 million foundation endowment, Musk’s schools are as much laboratories of innovation as they are institutions of learning.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan: Holistic development

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan approached education through a lens that marries academic rigor with personal well-being. Their Primary School, launched in 2016 via the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, integrated traditional instruction with health services, creating a learning environment attentive to both mind and body. Though slated to close after 2026, the school served as a bold experiment, demonstrating that educational success can stem from nurturing the whole child rather than focusing solely on grades.

Jeff Bezos: Early learning, scaled for impact

Jeff Bezos has turned his attention to the youngest learners, establishing the Bezos Academy in 2020—a network of Montessori-inspired, tuition-free preschools serving under-resourced communities. Emphasizing hands-on exploration, social-emotional growth, and early STEM engagement, the initiative reflects a strategic vision: equitable access to quality education begins at the foundation level. Through the Bezos Day One Fund, these schools exemplify how targeted philanthropy can create sustainable, scalable impact.

Global visionaries: Education without borders

The movement transcends Silicon Valley. Oprah Winfrey founded the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa in 2007, offering gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds a world-class boarding education. Laurene Powell Jobs, via the XQ Institute, funds experimental high school projects across the United States, challenging traditional curricula and fostering innovation. Globally, entrepreneurs like Sunny Varkey (GEMS Education) and Bertil Hult (EF Education First) have built extensive networks of schools and programs, reaching hundreds of thousands of students and redefining what it means to educate at scale.

Lessons for students and educators

These schools offer a critical insight: learning is evolving beyond rote memorization and standardization. For students, the emphasis on creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving provides a template for thriving in the modern world. For educators and policymakers, these initiatives offer blueprints for designing curricula that balance intellectual rigor with personal growth, preparing learners not just for exams, but for life.

Shaping the classroom of tomorrow

By redefining what schooling can be, these billionaires are not merely funding institutions—they are shaping a vision of education for the 21st century. In classrooms where curiosity is currency and innovation is expected, students are learning to think differently, question assumptions, and embrace complexity. The lesson is clear: the future of education belongs to those bold enough to reimagine it.



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