History of Larry Ellison in Timeline

Lawrence Joseph Ellison is an American centibillionaire and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. He served as Oracle's CEO from 1977 to 2014 and currently holds the positions of CTO and executive chair. As of 2026, Forbes estimates his net worth at $245.3 billion, ranking him among the wealthiest individuals globally. Ellison's leadership and innovation have been pivotal in establishing Oracle as a leading software company.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1992: Bicycle crash and donation to UC Davis

In 1992, Larry Ellison shattered his elbow in a bicycle crash and subsequently donated $5 million to seed the Lawrence J. Ellison Musculo-Skeletal Research Center at University of California, Davis.

1995: America's Cup leaves American shores

In 1995, The America's Cup left American shores before returning in February 2010.

1997: Golden Plate Award

In 1997, Larry Ellison received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.

1998: Opening of the Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center

In 1998, the Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center opened on the Sacramento campus of the UC Davis Medical Center, following Larry Ellison's earlier donation.

1999: Cited for airport curfew violation

In 1999, Larry Ellison was cited by the city of San Jose, California, for violating limits on late-night takeoffs and landings at San Jose Mineta International Airport with planes weighing over 75,000 pounds.

January 2000: Lawsuit over airport rule interpretation

In January 2000, Larry Ellison sued over the interpretation of the San Jose airport rule regarding weight limits for late-night flights.

June 2001: Favorable ruling in airport curfew case

In June 2001, US District Judge Jeremy Fogel ruled in Larry Ellison's favor, calling for a waiver for Ellison's jet, but did not invalidate the curfew.

2001: Offer to donate software for national ID database

In 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks, Larry Ellison made a controversial offer to donate software to the federal government that would have enabled it to build and run a national identification database and issue ID cards.

2001: Settlement of insider trading lawsuit

In 2001, to settle an insider trading lawsuit arising from his selling nearly $1 billion of Oracle stock, a court allowed Larry Ellison to donate $100 million to his own charitable foundation without admitting wrongdoing.

2002: Introduction of kite yachting into America's Cup environment

In 2002, Larry Ellison's Oracle's team introduced kite yachting into the America's Cup environment. Kite sail flying lasting about thirty minutes was achieved during testing in New Zealand.

2003: Founding of BMW Oracle Racing

In 2003, following success racing Maxi yachts, Larry Ellison founded BMW Oracle Racing to compete for the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup.

2004: Charitable donations

According to Forbes's 2004 list, Larry Ellison had donated $151,092,103, about 1% of his estimated personal wealth.

2004: Purchase of properties in Malibu

In 2004, Larry Ellison purchased more than 12 properties in Malibu, California, worth more than $180 million.

2005: Continued property acquisitions in Malibu

In 2005, Larry Ellison continued purchasing properties in Malibu, California, including spending $65 million on five contiguous lots at Malibu's Carbon Beach.

June 2006: Withdrawal of pledge to Harvard University

In June 2006, Larry Ellison announced he would not honor an earlier pledge of $115 million to Harvard University due to the departure of former president Lawrence Summers.

2007: BMW Oracle Racing as Challenger of Record

In 2007, BMW Oracle Racing, representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco, was the "Challenger of Record" for the America's Cup in Valencia, Spain, but was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger-selection series.

2007: Pledge to fortify a community centre in Sderot, Israel

In 2007, Larry Ellison pledged $500,000 to fortify a community centre in Sderot, Israel, against rocket attacks.

2009: Purchase of Indian Wells Tennis Garden

In 2009, Larry Ellison purchased the Indian Wells Tennis Garden tennis facility and the Indian Wells Masters tournament for $100 million.

February 14, 2010: USA 17 Wins America's Cup Race

On February 14, 2010, Larry Ellison's yacht, USA 17, secured victory in the second race of the 33rd America's Cup, contributing to a historic win that brought the Cup back to the United States for the first time since 1995.

February 2010: Victory in the 33rd America's Cup

In February 2010, Larry Ellison's yacht USA 17 won the 33rd America's Cup, marking the return of the Cup to American shores for the first time since 1995.

August 2010: Signing "The Giving Pledge"

In August 2010, a report listed Larry Ellison as one of the 40 billionaires who had signed "The Giving Pledge".

2010: Cameo appearance in Iron Man 2

In 2010, Larry Ellison made a brief cameo appearance in the movie Iron Man 2.

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2010: Purchase of share in BNP Paribas Open

In 2010, Larry Ellison purchased a 50% share of the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament.

2010: Purchase of the Astors' Beechwood Mansion

In early 2010, Larry Ellison purchased the Astors' Beechwood Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, for $10.5 million.

2010: Sale of Rising Sun yacht and purchase of Musashi

With the economic downturn of 2010, Larry Ellison sold his share of Rising Sun, the 12th largest yacht in the world, and downsized to Musashi, a 288-foot yacht built by Feadship.

2011: Purchase of Porcupine Creek Estate

In 2011, Larry Ellison purchased the 249-acre Porcupine Creek Estate and private golf course in Rancho Mirage, California for $42.9 million.

July 2013: Opening of Nikita restaurant

In July 2013, Larry Ellison opened a restaurant in Malibu named Nikita.

September 25, 2013: Oracle Team USA wins the 34th America's Cup

On September 25, 2013, Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA defeated Emirates Team New Zealand to win the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco Bay, California, completing one of the greatest comebacks in sports history despite earlier penalties.

2013: Induction into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame

In 2013, Larry Ellison was inducted into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame.

December 2014: Closure of Nikita restaurant

In December 2014, the Malibu restaurant Nikita, which was opened by Larry Ellison, closed.

2014: Donation to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

In 2014, Larry Ellison donated $10 million to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

February 2016: Donation to Conservative Solutions PAC

In February 2016, Larry Ellison donated $4 million to Conservative Solutions PAC, a super PAC supporting Marco Rubio's presidential bid.

May 2016: Donation to University of Southern California

In May 2016, Larry Ellison donated $200 million to the University of Southern California to establish a cancer research center: the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC.

2017: Donation to support construction of well-being facilities

In 2017, Larry Ellison donated $16.6 million to support the construction of well-being facilities on a new campus for co-ed conscripts in Israel.

2017: Donation to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

In 2017, Larry Ellison donated $16.6 million to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), stating, "Since Israel's founding, we have called on the brave men and women of the IDF to defend our home". This was the largest donation in the organization's history.

2017: Funding of Sensei Ag

In 2017, Larry Ellison funded a farming company called Sensei Ag, aiming to revolutionize food production using AI, robotics, and software.

2019: Funding of archaeological project and lawsuit

In 2019, Larry Ellison helped fund an archaeological excavation project in East Jerusalem that was criticized. Additionally, a $1 billion lawsuit was filed against Ellison and others, accusing them of conspiring to ethnically cleanse Palestinians.

2019: Start of SailGP racing series

In 2019, Larry Ellison, along with Russell Coutts, started the SailGP international racing series, utilizing F50 foiling catamarans, which became the fastest class of boat in history.

December 2020: Move to Lānaʻi

In December 2020, Larry Ellison moved from California to the island of Lānaʻi, where he owns 98% of the land.

2020: Donald Trump fundraiser at Ellison's estate

In 2020, Larry Ellison allowed President Donald Trump to host a fundraiser at his Rancho Mirage estate, although Ellison was not present at the event.

2020: Conference Call Regarding Election Legitimacy

In 2020, days after the U.S. presidential election, Larry Ellison participated in a conference call that focused on strategies for challenging the legitimacy of the vote.

2021: Investment in Tony Blair Institute

In 2021, Larry Ellison invested $130 million in the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

2021: Offer of Oracle board seat to Netanyahu and vacation on Lānaʻi

In 2021, Larry Ellison offered Benjamin Netanyahu a board seat at Oracle, and Netanyahu and his family vacationed on Lānaʻi, an island owned by Ellison in Hawaii.

January 2022: Donation to Opportunity Matters Fund

In January 2022, Larry Ellison donated $15 million to the Opportunity Matters Fund super PAC associated with Senator Tim Scott, marking one of the biggest financial contributions of the 2022 midterm elections.

May 2022: Participation in conference call challenging 2020 election

In May 2022, it was reported that Larry Ellison participated in a conference call days after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, focusing on strategies to challenge the legitimacy of the vote. Other participants included Sean Hannity, Lindsey Graham, Jay Sekulow, and James Bopp.

August 2022: Warning to Lānaʻi Resorts about beach access

In August 2022, Maui County warned Larry Ellison's Lānaʻi Resorts not to block public access to Hulopoʻe Beach Park, but the park's gate was closed anyway, leading to disputes with local residents.

2022: Purchase of Manalapan, Florida property

In 2022, Larry Ellison bought a 22-acre property in Manalapan, Florida, for $173 million, making it the most expensive residential property purchase in Florida history.

2022: Bloomberg feature on Ellison as "King of Lānaʻi"

In 2022, a Bloomberg feature described Larry Ellison as a contemporary king of Lānaʻi, noting tensions between Ellison's businesses and some residents over housing and access.

2023: Investment in Tony Blair Institute

By 2023, Larry Ellison had invested $130 million in the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and pledged a further $218 million.

2023: Establishment of Ellison Institute campus in Oxford

In 2023, an additional campus of the Ellison Institute of Technology was established in Oxford, England, with the intention of providing a scholarship program for 20 students each year.

2023: Lānaʻi Water Company rate increase

In 2023, the Ellison-owned Lānaʻi Water Company proposed a significant multiyear rate increase, drawing concerns about affordability from some customers.

February 2024: Dismissal of lawsuit accusing Ellison of conspiring to ethnically cleanse Palestinians

In February 2024, a $1 billion lawsuit filed in 2019 against Larry Ellison and several other Israel supporters, accusing them of conspiring to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Israeli-occupied territories, committing war crimes, and funding genocide, was dismissed.

2024: Most Influential People by Time

In 2024, Larry Ellison was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

January 2025: Announcement of The Stargate Project at the White House

In January 2025, Larry Ellison joined Sam Altman of OpenAI and Masayoshi Son of Softbank at the White House to announce The Stargate Project.

February 2025: Criticism of Sensei Ag's progress

In February 2025, a Wall Street Journal report criticized Larry Ellison's farming company, Sensei Ag, stating that it was not fulfilling its promise due to technological and leadership challenges.