Tuesday 17 May 2011

Famous Entrepreneurs

The 21st century is witnessing an upsurge of entrepreneurship. Be it the cradle of entrepreneurs, the US or the Asian countries India, China, Japan and several countries in the European continent, entrepreneurship is now a mainstream career that many people are not afraid of trying. Liberalization and globalization have made it possible for people to start their own businesses and expand it. Famous entrepreneurs who have redefined business rules and have changed the ways we look at life are an inspiration for working relentlessly to pursue our dreams. This article is dedicated to the spirit of entrepreneurship that has made significant contribution in creating employment and improving life around us.

Hall of Fame: Famous Entrepreneurs List

The list of famous entrepreneurs is endless. The 20th century has seen rise of some of the most amazing entrepreneurs all across the world especially in the US. Here is the list of some famous entrepreneurs of the 20th century and the 21st century who have been known for their sharp business acumen and sheer determination to prove their mettle in the business world.

Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)
The world famous scientist Thomas Edison was not only a scientific genius but a businessman with sharp understanding of consumer needs. He's credited for starting the concept of mass production and large teamwork for invention and innovation. He patented several path breaking inventions (1093 patents, to be precise!!) and started the first industrial research laboratory, the 'Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory Complex'.

John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937)
Rockefeller is still hailed to be one of the richest person in history. An American oil magnate, Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company. His wealth soared as he became the king of petroleum industry. He is said to have spend 40 years of life in retirement owing to the wealth he amassed!

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)
One of the greatest philanthropists in the history, and founder of Carnegie Steel Company, Andrew Carnegie is regarded to be one of the most famous American entrepreneurs. He sold his steel company to JP Morgan in 1911 and it came to be known as U.S. Steel.

Henry Ford (1863-1947)
Founder of the iconic Ford Motor Company and popular for his concept of assembly line technique of mass production, Henry Ford revolutionized the American transportation industry.

Warren Buffet (1930 till date)
The world's most successful investor, Warren Buffet, founder and CEO of the iconic investing company, Berkshire Hathaway, was rated as the 3rd richest person in the year 2010. With a net worth of US$45 billion (2010), Buffet has pledged to give 99% of his wealth to philanthropic causes.

Ted Turner (1938 till date)
A media tycoon and a living legend, Ted Turner is the founder of Cable News Network (CNN), the world's first 24 hour cable news channel. Like Buffet, Ted's philanthropic works are known worldwide.

Walt Disney (1901-1966)
One of the biggest motion pictures producers ever in the history of entertainment, Walt Disney co-founded Walt Disney Productions. Now, known as The Walt Disney Company, it is worth US$35 billion annually.

Some Most Famous Entrepreneurs List


Famous Entrepreneurs Life Period Founders
Bill Gates 1955 till dateOne of the main founders of software company Microsoft. Ranked consistently among the wealthiest people in the world.
Ray Kroc 1902-1984Founder - McDonald's. Need I say more?
Dhirubhai Ambani 1932 - 2002Dhirubhai Ambani is an Indian rags to riches story. He was the founder of iconic Reliance Industries in the Indian State of Mumbai. In 2007, the combined fortune of his sons (Anil and Mukesh) was 60 billion dollars, placing them 2nd to the legendary Walton's family. One of the greatest billionaires on the list of Forbes and biggest Asian Businessmen.
Steve Jobs 1955 till dateCo-founder, Apple Computers. He changed the way we thought about the word 'innovation'. In fact, Steve redefined innovation!
Richard Branson 1950 till dateOne of the most famous British Industrialists and founder of the Virgin Group that has almost 360 subsidiary companies!
Sam Walton 1918-1992Nothing bigger has ever been spotted in the world business than the legendary Wal Mart. Sam Walton is the founder of retail giant Wal-Mart stores.
Donald Trump 1946 till dateChairman and CEO Trump Organization, a real estate giant.
Vijay Mallya 1955 till dateKnown as the 'Liquor Baron', Vijay Mallya is the chairman of United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines. He has a net worth of US$1 billion.
Sergey Brin/Larry Page 1973 till dateAs the Universe expands, so does the Google Search Engine! The founders of the biggest search engine of the world, Google, these two young entrepreneurs have changed the Internet world.
Mark Zuckerberg 1984 till dateAt 26 years of age, Mark Zuckerberg, one of the co-founders of 'Facebook' is one of the youngest famous entrepreneurs. He has amassed wealth and success at such a tender age that it seems, he would be the next biggie of the Internet world.
Laxmi Niwas Mittal 1950 till dateAmong the top 10 richest people in the world and a steel tycoon. He is the richest man in Europe and became more popular after the iconic Arcelor acquisition. He is the chairman of World Steel Association and hails from India.


This was just a glimpse into the famous entrepreneurs list of the world. Certainly, there are many other names that can be included in the successful entrepreneurs list but their names are not here. This doesn't undermine their contribution in any way. As readers, if you're reminded of some of the most popular and famous entrepreneurs whose names are not here, don't hesitate to comment in the column below.

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