Born: January 12, 1964 | Country: United States

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. It grew into one of the largest e-commerce and cloud computing companies in the world.

He also owns The Washington Post and founded the space company Blue Origin.

Impact: Transformed global retail and cloud computing.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos (born January 12, 1964) is an American entrepreneur and investor best known as the founder of Amazon. He transformed online retail, expanded into cloud computing, and later founded Blue Origin, advancing private spaceflight. His ventures in technology, media, and space have made him one of the world’s most influential business figures and wealthiest individuals.

Key facts

• Full name: Jeffrey Preston Bezos

• Born: January 12, 1964 (age 61), Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.

• Education: B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Princeton University (1986)

• Founded: Amazon (1994), Blue Origin (2000)

• Net worth: About $239 billion (2025, Forbes estimate)

• Spouse: Lauren Sánchez (married 2025); formerly married to MacKenzie Scott

Early Life and Education

Born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, Bezos was adopted by Miguel “Mike” Bezos after his mother, Jacklyn Gise, remarried. Raised in Texas and Florida, he displayed early curiosity and mechanical talent. As valedictorian of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, he created the “Dream Institute,” a summer camp promoting creative thinking. He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1986, majoring in electrical engineering and computer science. 

Founding and Growth of Amazon

After working on Wall Street at D. E. Shaw & Co., Bezos left in 1994 to start an online bookstore from his Seattle garage. Amazon quickly expanded into a broad e-commerce platform offering everything from electronics to apparel and pioneered customer reviews, personalized recommendations, and one-click shopping. Under his leadership, Amazon Web Services (AWS) became the world’s largest cloud-computing provider, and Amazon Studios extended the company into entertainment. Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021, becoming executive chair. 

Other Ventures and Investments

Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 to develop reusable rockets and lower the cost of space access. Its New Shepard vehicle achieved crewed flights, including one with Bezos and his brother Mark in 2021. In 2013, he purchased The Washington Post for $250 million, revitalizing its digital model. His investment firm, Bezos Expeditions, holds stakes in Uber, Airbnb, and other technology startups. 

Personal Life and Public Image

Bezos married novelist MacKenzie Scott in 1993; they divorced in 2019, with Scott receiving 4 % of Amazon stock. In 2025, he married journalist and pilot Lauren Sánchez in Venice. Known for his philanthropy through the Bezos Earth Fund and the Bezos Day One Fund, he also attracts media attention for his luxury lifestyle, including ownership of the $500 million super-yacht Koru. 

Legacy

Bezos’s vision reshaped global commerce, logistics, and cloud infrastructure. His leadership ethos—“customer obsession” and long-term innovation—set new corporate standards. Through Blue Origin, he continues to advocate for expanding human life beyond Earth, cementing his influence on both technology and space exploration.