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Nikola Tesla
1856-07-10 - 1943-01-07
Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, and mad scientist. Famous for AC power, radio, and dying broke despite changing the world.
Completeness:
9/10
Confidence:
9/10
The Overview
Deceased (1856-1943)
Where are we at ?Age 31 to 87 (56 years)
🚀
First Major Success
Age 31
🏢
Companies
1
💰
Peak Net Worth
$60,000 + royalties (briefly)
🌍
Industries
3
👥
People Employed
Fewer than 100 directly, but his inventions powered industries with millions of jobs
⚡
Major Failures
8
Dropout, NYC Arrival, Edison Betrayal & More
🎓
Education
Dropout
Austrian Polytechnic (Graz)
🤝
Key Partner
Thomas Edison
Boss/Competitor
⭐
Known For
Alternating Current (AC)
Tesla Coil, Radio (disputed)
The Timeline
1856
1861
1866
1871
1876
1881
1886
1891
1896
1901
1906
1911
1916
1921
1926
1931
1936
1941
1943
Click on a milestone or inactivity period to see details
Career
Personal
Education
Setback
Breakthrough
Financial
Relationship
Inactivity
Connections, Finances & Insights
Thomas Edison
Boss/Competitor
Edison’s betrayal and rivalry pushed Tesla to go solo and fight for AC. The feud made both men legends.
Timeframe: 1884-1888
George Westinghouse
Business partner
Westinghouse’s money and factories made Tesla’s AC system a reality. Without him, Tesla would’ve stayed broke and unknown.
Timeframe: 1888-1895
J.P. Morgan
Investor
Morgan’s funding made Wardenclyffe possible, but his pullout killed Tesla’s biggest dream.
Timeframe: 1901-1904
Data quality: 9/10 completeness, 9/10 confidence
Based on 12 sources • Last updated: 2024-06-10