Early Life and Education
Lawrence Joseph Ellison was born in New York City on August 17, 1944. He was raised in Chicago by his aunt and uncle, Lillian and Louis Ellison, who adopted him. Ellison attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he was named science student of the year, but dropped out after his sophomore year. He also briefly attended the University of Chicago.
Rise to Success
Ellison's career began as a computer programmer. In 1977, he co-founded Software Development Laboratories (SDL) with Bob Miner and Ed Oates, later renamed Relational Software, Inc. (RSI) and eventually Oracle Systems Corporation. Inspired by Edgar F. Codd's work on relational database systems, Ellison aimed to create a database compatible with IBM's System R. Oracle quickly became a leader in database management. Despite a near-bankruptcy in 1990, due to an 'up-front' marketing strategy, Ellison steered Oracle to become the industry leader, notably with the release of Oracle 7 in 1992.
Key Business Strategies
Ellison's strategic moves included embracing the internet and acquiring rival software companies. Oracle made several acquisitions, including PeopleSoft, Siebel, BEA, and Sun Microsystems. These acquisitions helped Oracle expand into various business applications and cloud services, with major contracts with AI companies. In 2014, Ellison stepped down as CEO, taking on the roles of CTO and Executive Chairman, keeping him actively involved in the company's direction.
Philanthropy
Ellison has been involved in philanthropy, donating to medical research and education. He signed the Giving Pledge in 2010, committing to donate the majority of his wealth. Ellison's philanthropic efforts are now channeled through the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), a for-profit organization partnered with Oxford University. He has also made donations for cancer research.
