Jeff Bezos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeff Bezos
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Bezos in 2017
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Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen
January 12, 1964 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
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| Education | Princeton University (BSE) |
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| Known for | Founding Amazon |
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| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Lauren Sánchez (2019–present; engaged) |
| Children | 4 |
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| Relatives | Mark Bezos (half-brother) |
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Jeffrey Preston Bezos (born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman, investor, and founder. He is best known for starting Amazon, which became the world's largest online shopping and cloud computing company. He also founded Blue Origin, a company focused on space travel.
As of early 2025, Jeff Bezos is one of the richest people in the world. He has used his success to invest in new technologies and support important causes.
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Jeff Bezos' Early Life
Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on January 12, 1964. His mother, Jacklyn, was a high school student, and his father, Ted Jorgensen, was 19. When Jeff was 17 months old, his parents divorced.
In 1968, his mother married Miguel "Mike" Bezos, a Cuban immigrant. Mike adopted four-year-old Jeff, and his last name was changed to Bezos.
Jeff Bezos' Education
After his stepfather finished college, the family moved to Houston, Texas. Jeff went to River Oaks Elementary School there.
During his summers, Jeff often visited his maternal grandfather's ranch near Cotulla, Texas. His grandfather, Lawrence Preston Gise, had worked for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Jeff later bought this ranch and made it much larger.
The family then moved to Miami, Florida, where Jeff attended Miami Palmetto High School. He was very interested in science and space. In his graduation speech, he talked about his dream for humans to colonize space.
In 1986, Jeff graduated with top honors from Princeton University. He earned a degree in electrical engineering and computer science.
Jeff Bezos' Business Journey
Starting His Career
After college in 1986, Jeff Bezos received job offers from several big companies. He first worked at Fitel, a company that built networks for international trade. He then moved into banking, working at Bankers Trust. From 1990 to 1994, he worked at D. E. Shaw & Co., a company that used math to make investments. By age 30, he became a senior vice-president there.
Founding Amazon
Jeff Bezos started Amazon in late 1994 during a road trip. It began as an online bookstore. Over time, Amazon grew to sell many other products and services. These include video and audio streaming, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Today, Amazon is the world's largest online sales company. It is also a leading provider of virtual assistants and cloud services through Amazon Web Services.
On July 5, 2021, Jeff Bezos stepped down as Amazon's CEO. He became the executive chairman instead. Andy Jassy, who was the CEO of Amazon Web Services, took over as Amazon's new CEO.
In 2024, Bezos sold some of his Amazon shares. He also shared that he is spending most of his time on artificial intelligence projects at Amazon.
Blue Origin: Exploring Space
Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000. This company builds aerospace vehicles and offers sub-orbital spaceflight services.
In 2015, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard space vehicle into space. It reached an altitude of over 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) and then landed vertically back at the launch site. This was a big step towards human space travel.
Bezos has often talked about his dream to colonize the solar system. He sells about $1 billion in Amazon stock each year to fund Blue Origin. His main goal for Blue Origin is to help preserve Earth's natural resources by making humans a "multi-planetary" species.
In July 2021, Jeff Bezos himself flew into space on the NS-16 mission. He was joined by his half-brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemen. His suborbital flight lasted over 10 minutes.
The Washington Post
In 2013, Jeff Bezos bought the major American newspaper The Washington Post for $250 million. He worked to transform the newspaper into a modern media and technology company. He focused on improving its digital platforms and software. After these changes, the newspaper became profitable again in 2016.
Altos Labs: Life Extension Research
In 2021, Bezos co-founded Altos Labs. This biotechnology company focuses on using cellular reprogramming to develop treatments for longevity. It aims to help people live longer and healthier lives. The company has brought together many famous scientists in this field.
Bezos also manages other investments through his company, Bezos Expeditions.
Jeff Bezos' Public Image
Over the years, Jeff Bezos's public image has changed. In the early 2000s, he was seen as more "geeky." Later, he became known for his strong business methods.
In the 2010s, Bezos started to change his physical appearance. He began to wear tailored clothes, work out, and follow a strict diet. This physical change was often compared to how Amazon grew and changed. He is sometimes seen as a symbol of the company's power.
Awards and Recognition
- In 1999, Time magazine named him Person of the Year.
- In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University.
- The Economist gave him an Innovation Award in 2011 for the Amazon Kindle.
- In 2012, Fortune named him Businessperson of the Year.
- From 2014 to 2018, he was ranked the best-performing CEO in the world by Harvard Business Review.
- In 2018, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his work in space exploration and technology.
- He received the Buzz Aldrin Space Exploration Award in 2018.
- In 2019, he was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation.
- In February 2023, he received the Légion d'honneur, which is the highest French award.
Jeff Bezos' Personal Life
In 1992, Jeff Bezos met MacKenzie Tuttle while working at D. E. Shaw. They married a year later. In 1994, they moved to Seattle, Washington, where Bezos started Amazon. Jeff and MacKenzie have four children: three sons and one daughter adopted from China.
In January 2019, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie announced they were getting divorced after 25 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized in April 2019. MacKenzie received a portion of their Amazon stock, making her one of the richest women in the world.
In May 2023, Jeff Bezos became engaged to media personality Lauren Sánchez.
Interesting Facts About Jeff Bezos
- As a child, Jeff was very interested in science. He once set up an electric alarm to keep his younger siblings out of his room.
- In high school, he worked at McDonald's as a cook.
- He was the top student in his high school class.
- While at Princeton, he was president of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS).
- Bezos became a millionaire in 1997 after Amazon's first stock offering.
- He was the first person to have a net worth of $150 billion in July 2018, making him the "richest man in modern history" at that time.
- He owns a very large luxury superyacht called the Y721.
- He had a small role as a Starfleet official in the 2016 movie Star Trek Beyond.
- Bezos's family company, Zefram LLC, is named after Zefram Cochrane, a character from Star Trek.
- He is the Honorary Chair of The Explorers Club.
Jeff Bezos' Quotes
- "Life's too short to hang out with people who aren't resourceful."
- "If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting."
- "I believe you have to be willing to be misunderstood if you're going to innovate."
- "What's dangerous is not to evolve."
- "A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well."
Jeff Bezos' Philanthropy
Jeff Bezos has given money to various causes over the years. He has donated to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Worldreader, a non-profit that helps provide books.
In September 2018, Bezos announced he would give about $2 billion to help with homelessness in the U.S. He also planned to create a network of free preschools for children from low-income families. These schools, called Bezos Academy, use a method similar to Montessori.
He also donated to TheDream.US, which provides college scholarships for young undocumented immigrants. In 2018, he supported Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a fund started by Bill Gates to promote clean energy.
In February 2020, Bezos pledged $10 billion to fight climate change through the Bezos Earth Fund. He has since announced large donations to environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund and World Wildlife Fund. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated $100 million to food banks.
In November 2022, Bezos gave a $100 million "Courage and Civility Award" to singer Dolly Parton. This was to recognize her charity work, especially her efforts to improve children's literacy. He also awarded $123 million to organizations that help homeless families find permanent housing.
Images for kids
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Bezos in 2010
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Bezos receives the James Smithson Bicentennial medal on June 14, 2016.
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Bezos on October 25, 2017, visiting Los Angeles Air Force Base.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting an award to Bezos in Washington, D.C. on June 7, 2016.
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See Also
In Spanish: Jeff Bezos para niños
- List of Princeton University alumni
- List of richest Americans in history
- List of Time Person of the Year recipients
- The World's Billionaires
