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  • March 2022 (Revised November 2023)
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Doubling Down: Elon Musk's Big Bets in 2022

By: David Yoffie and Daniel Fisher
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:34
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Abstract

2021 was a banner year for Elon Musk. CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, the aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, and a few smaller startups, Musk became the richest person on Earth after Tesla reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion and SpaceX a private valuation of $100 billion. Both companies bet big on risky technologies. Now that they were leaders in booming industries, the task was to retain their lead. Musk had proposed a round of big new bets for each company: Tesla was to work with partners to rapidly expand battery production with a focus on lithium-iron phosphate batteries, and SpaceX was to launch thousands more of its Starlink satellites aboard Starship, the largest launch system ever devised. Meanwhile, Tesla faced litigation related to SEC complaints and safety concerns about its Autopilot driver-assistance system, and SpaceX's growing Starlink constellation similarly raised safety concerns. For Musk, the question was: should he consolidate gains and fix the operational, legal, and political problems before launching new initiatives, or should he proceed full speed ahead?

Keywords

Innovation and Management; Competitive Advantage; Competitive Strategy; Information Infrastructure; Applications and Software; Transportation; Strategic Planning; Leadership Style; Leading Change; Goals and Objectives; Aerospace Industry; Auto Industry; Battery Industry; United States; Europe; China

Citation

Yoffie, David, and Daniel Fisher. "Doubling Down: Elon Musk's Big Bets in 2022." Harvard Business School Case 722-439, March 2022. (Revised November 2023.)
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About The Author

David B. Yoffie

Strategy
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Related Work

    • June 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Doubling Down: Elon Musk’s Big Bets in 2022

    By: David Yoffie
    • March 2022 (Revised November 2023)
    • Faculty Research

    Doubling Down: Elon Musk's Big Bets in 2022

    By: David Yoffie and Daniel Fisher
Related Work
  • Doubling Down: Elon Musk’s Big Bets in 2022 By: David Yoffie
  • Doubling Down: Elon Musk's Big Bets in 2022 By: David Yoffie and Daniel Fisher
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