Ashlee Vance
Ashlee Vance | |
|---|---|
| Born | South Africa |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, author, filmmaker |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Biography of Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future |
| Notable work |
* Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (2015)* When the Heavens Went on Sale (2023) |
Ashlee Vance is an American journalist, author, and filmmaker recognized for his 2015 biography of Elon Musk, entitled Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.
Early life and education
Originally from South Africa, Vance spent most of his upbringing in Texas.[1]
He earned his degree from Pomona College in 2000.[2]
Career
Between March 2003Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and August 2008,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Vance contributed to The Register. He then joined The New York Times in September 2008,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name before moving to Bloomberg Businessweek in January 2011.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
While at The Register, he reported on significant technology firms such as IBM, HP, Intel, and Dell. His coverage included subjects like robotics, Segway scooters, and the R programming language.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name[3] In 2007, he authored Geek Silicon Valley, which explores the history of Silicon Valley.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Additionally, his writing has appeared in publications including The Economist, Chicago Tribune, CNN.com, The Globe and Mail, the International Herald Tribune, and CNET.
From 2007 to 2008, Vance hosted the podcast Semi-Coherent Computing, where he discussed enterprise computing topics such as blade servers and data center cooling, featuring guests like chip innovator David Ditzel.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2015, he initiated Bloomberg’s video series "Hello World", highlighting global technology ecosystems.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name This series earned an Emmy nomination in 2016.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name That year also saw the release of his bestselling biography of Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Vance revealed that Musk initially disapproved of parts of the book, resulting in a three-year period without communication.[3]
By late 2020, Vance was developing a television adaptation of his Musk biography for HBO.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In May 2023, he published When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space within Reach, which concentrates on commercial space enterprises such as Planet Labs, Rocket Lab, Astra Space, and Firefly Aerospace. The book rapidly became a bestseller.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name A documentary inspired by this work, titled Wild Wild Space, debuted on HBO in July 2024.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Early in 2025, Vance departed Bloomberg to establish Core Memory, a digital media venture focused on science and technology topics.[4] Core Memory produces content including a YouTube series, podcast, Substack newsletter, and plans to develop documentaries—the first project on brain-computer interfaces was underway as of January 2025.[4] He is also authoring a book about OpenAI, with film rights already secured.[4]
Personal life
Vance resides in California with his spouse and two children. He identifies as an atheist.
Works
- Geek Silicon Valley: The Inside Guide To Palo Alto, Stanford, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, San Jose, San Francisco (2007)
- Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future (2015)
- When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach (2023)
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAbout - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedElon - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSmith2025