Editing Jeff Bezos (section)

== Business career ==
=== Early career ===
After Bezos graduated from college in 1986, he was offered jobs at [[Intel]], [[Bell Labs]], and [[Andersen Consulting]], among others.<ref name="Robinson 2010, p. 72">Robinson (2010), p. 7</ref> He first worked at Fitel, a [[fintech]] telecommunications [[Startup company|start-up]], where he was tasked with building a network for [[international trade]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html|title=The Inner Bezos|last=Bayers|first=Chip|date=July 2003|magazine=Wired|access-date=April 30, 2018 |url-status= live| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150624103507/http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html|archive-date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> Bezos was promoted to head of development and director of customer service. He transitioned into the banking industry when he became a product manager at [[Bankers Trust]] from 1988 to 1990. From 1990 to 1994, he worked at [[D. E. Shaw & Co.|D. E. Shaw & Co]], a newly created [[hedge fund]] with a strong emphasis on mathematical modelling. Bezos became D. E. Shaw's fourth senior vice-president by age 30.<ref name=Bayers /><ref name="Robinson 2010, p. 72" />

=== Amazon ===
{{Main|Amazon (company)|l1=Amazon}}
[[File:Jeff Bezos visits the Robot Co-op in 2005.jpg|thumb|Bezos (front row, center) at the Robot Co-op in 2005]]

In spring 1994, Bezos read that web usage was growing at a rate of 2300% a year and eventually decided to establish an [[Online shopping|online bookstore]].<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 9–12</ref> He and his then-wife, [[MacKenzie Scott]], left their jobs at D. E. Shaw and founded Amazon in a rented garage in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]], Washington on July 5, 1994, after writing its [[business plan]] on a cross-country drive from New York City to [[Seattle]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/how-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-went-from-the-son-of-a-teen-mom-to-the-worlds-richest-person.html|title=How Amazon's Jeff Bezos went from the son of a teen mom to the richest person in the world|last=Clifford|first=Catherine|date=October 27, 2017 |publisher=CNBC|access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307151053/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/how-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-went-from-the-son-of-a-teen-mom-to-the-worlds-richest-person.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="portfolio.com2">{{cite web|url=http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984|title=Top Executive Profiles – Jeffrey P. Bezos|website=Portfolio.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984|archive-date=February 4, 2009|url-status= dead}}</ref> With Bezos at the helm and Scott taking an integral role in its operation—writing checks, keeping track of the books, and negotiating the company's first freight contracts—the foundation was laid for this garage-run operation to grow exponentially.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Matsakis |first=Louise |title=MacKenzie Bezos and the Myth of the Lone Genius Founder |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/mackenzie-bezos-amazon-lone-genius-myth/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516162130/https://www.wired.com/story/mackenzie-bezos-amazon-lone-genius-myth/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to settling in Seattle, Bezos had investigated setting up his company at an [[Indian reservation]] near [[San Francisco]] in order to avoid paying taxes.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.fastcompany.com/27309/whos-writing-book-web-business| title= Who's Writing the Book on Web Business?| last=Taylor|first=William|date=October 31, 1996| magazine=Fast Company|access-date=November 24, 2020| archive-date=November 11, 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221110/https://www.fastcompany.com/27309/whos-writing-book-web-business| url-status=live}}</ref> Bezos initially named his new company ''Cadabra'' but later changed the name to ''Amazon'' after the [[Amazon River]] in South America, in part because the name begins with the letter ''A'', which is at the beginning of the alphabet.<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts">{{cite encyclopedia |url= https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amazoncom|title=Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts| encyclopedia= [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date= June 8, 2019| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190608125826/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amazoncom|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, website listings were alphabetized, so a name starting with "A" would appear sooner when customers conducted online searches.<ref name="Lebowitz">{{cite news |last=Lebowitz |first=Shana |date=July 5, 2019 |title=Amazon is celebrating its 25th birthday. Here's how the e-commerce giant got its name |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-jeff-bezos-chose-company-name-2018-5 |work=Business Insider |location=New York, NY |access-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611125234/https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-jeff-bezos-chose-company-name-2018-5 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, he regarded "Amazon," the name of the world's largest river as fitting for what he hoped would become the world's largest online bookstore.<ref name="Lebowitz" /> He accepted an estimated $300,000 from his parents as an investment in Amazon.<ref name="portfolio.com2" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Leibovich |first1=Mark |title=Child Prodigy, Online Pioneer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/09/03/child-prodigy-online-pioneer/2ab207dc-d13a-4204-8949-493686e43415/ |access-date=June 8, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 3, 2000 |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922221101/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/09/03/child-prodigy-online-pioneer/2ab207dc-d13a-4204-8949-493686e43415/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos convinced 22 investors to back his new company Amazon in 1994. Their returns? Mind-boggling |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2143375/1994-he-convinced-22-family-and-friends-each-pay |access-date=June 8, 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=April 26, 2018 |archive-date=June 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608202709/https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2143375/1994-he-convinced-22-family-and-friends-each-pay |url-status=live }}</ref> He warned many early investors that there was a 70% chance that Amazon would fail or go bankrupt.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 56</ref> Although Amazon was originally an online bookstore, Bezos had always planned to expand to other products.<ref name=Bayers /><ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Three years after Bezos founded Amazon, he took it public with an [[initial public offering]] (IPO).<ref>{{cite web| url= http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/amazon-stock-20-years-ipo|title=If You Invested in Amazon at Its IPO, You Could Have Been a Millionaire|last=Shen|first=Lucinda|date=May 15, 2017|website=Fortune|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date=March 8, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308103918/http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/amazon-stock-20-years-ipo/|url-status=live}}</ref> In response to critical reports from ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' and ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'', Bezos maintained that the growth of the Internet would overtake competition from larger book retailers such as [[Borders (retailer)|Borders]] and [[Barnes & Noble]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" />

In 1998, Bezos diversified into the online sale of music and video, and by the end of the year he had expanded the company's products to include a variety of other [[Final good|consumer goods]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Bezos used the $54&nbsp;million raised during the company's 1997 [[equity (finance)|equity offering]] to finance the aggressive acquisition of smaller competitors.<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Among these acquisitions were his purchase of a majority stake in [[pets.com]] in 1999 and a purchase of a portion of [[kozmo.com]] for $60 million, both of which would fail after the [[dot-com bubble]] collapse in 2000.<ref name="Rivlin"/> By the end of 2000, Bezos borrowed $2 billion from banks, as its cash balances dipped to only $350&nbsp;million.<ref name="Rivlin">{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|title=A Retail Revolution Turns 10|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|date=July 10, 2005|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date= January 12, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180112062707/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|url-status=live }}</ref> However, the company continued to expand despite its losses,<ref name="Rivlin"/> and in 2002, Bezos led Amazon to launch [[Amazon Web Services]], which compiled data from weather channels and [[Web traffic|website traffic]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Revenues stagnated later that year,<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|title=A Retail Revolution Turns 10|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|date=October 7, 2005|work= The New York Times |access-date=April 3, 2018 |archive-date=June 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604053943/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and after the company nearly went bankrupt, he closed distribution centers and laid off 14% of the Amazon workforce.<ref name="Rivlin" /> In 2003, Amazon rebounded from financial instability and turned a profit of $35&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_bezos_on_the_next_web_innovation|title=The electricity metaphor for the web's future|last=Bezos|first=Jeff|date=April 9, 2007 |access-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019224630/https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_bezos_on_the_next_web_innovation|archive-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Perez 2004 Amazon profitable ">{{cite web | last=Perez | first=Juan Carlos | title=Amazon records first profitable year in its history | website=Computerworld | date=2004-01-28 | url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2575106/amazon-records-first-profitable-year-in-its-history.html | access-date=2024-02-19 | archive-date=February 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219020424/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2575106/amazon-records-first-profitable-year-in-its-history.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2007, Bezos launched the [[Amazon Kindle]].<ref name="Amazon: Reinventing the Book">{{cite web |url= http://www.newsweek.com/amazon-reinventing-book-96909| title=Amazon: Reinventing the Book|date=November 17, 2007|website=Newsweek|access-date=March 7, 2018 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231436/http://www.newsweek.com/amazon-reinventing-book-96909|archive-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> According to a 2008 ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' profile, Bezos wished to create a device that allowed a "[[Flow (psychology)|flow state]]" in reading similar to the experience of video games.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733758_1736345,00.html|title=The 2008 Time 100 |last=Quittner|first=Josh|date=May 12, 2008|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=March 7, 2018|issn=0040-781X|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120193819/http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733758_1736345,00.html|archive-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref> In 2013, Bezos secured a $600-million contract with the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) on behalf of Amazon Web Services.<ref name="Davenport">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-jeff-bezos-was-selected-but-never-joined-the-defense-innovation-board/2018/02/23/e3dd42d6-1828-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html|title=How Jeff Bezos was selected for, but never joined, the Defense Innovation Board|last1=Davenport|first1=Christian|date=February 23, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 7, 2018|last2=Lamothe|first2=Dan|issn=0190-8286|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-jeff-bezos-was-selected-but-never-joined-the-defense-innovation-board/2018/02/23/e3dd42d6-1828-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html|archive-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> In October of that year, Amazon was recognized as the largest online shopping retailer in the world.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2013/01/14/bezos-i-never-expected|title=Bezos: I never expected this'|date=January 4, 2013|work=Digital Commerce 360|access-date=March 11, 2018|archive-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724032133/https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2013/01/14/bezos-i-never-expected/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jeff Bezos' iconic laugh.jpg|thumb|upright|Bezos in 2010]]
In May 2016, Bezos sold slightly more than one million shares of his holdings in the company for $671&nbsp;million, the largest sum he had ever raised from selling some of his Amazon stock.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidermole.com/insider/bezos-jeffrey-p/transactions|title=Bezos Jeffrey P.: Insider Trading Transactions|publisher=InsiderMole.com|access-date=July 14, 2016|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816081439/https://www.insidermole.com/insider/bezos-jeffrey-p/transactions|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 4, 2016, Bezos sold another million of his shares for $756.7&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davemanuel.com/net-worth/jeff-bezos|title=Jeff Bezos Net Worth|website=Davemanuel.com|access-date=December 29, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230114711/https://www.davemanuel.com/net-worth/jeff-bezos| archive-date=December 30, 2017}}</ref> A year later, Bezos took on 130,000 new employees when he ramped up hiring at company distribution centers.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/amazon-posts-profits-of-19-billion-its-highest-ever/2018/02/01/402aa9c2-06c5-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html |title=Amazon posts quarterly profit of $1.9&nbsp;billion, its highest ever|last=Bhattarai|first=Abha|date=February 1, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|issn=0190-8286|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=March 10, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180310135605/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/amazon-posts-profits-of-19-billion-its-highest-ever/2018/02/01/402aa9c2-06c5-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By January 19, 2018, his Amazon stock holdings had appreciated to slightly over $109&nbsp;billion; months later he began to sell stock to raise cash for other enterprises, in particular, [[Blue Origin]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bezos-amazon-blue-origin-20180312-story.html|title=Bezos is putting $1&nbsp;billion a year into rocket-maker Blue Origin by selling Amazon stock|agency=Bloomberg|date=March 12, 2018|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=April 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430114728/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bezos-amazon-blue-origin-20180312-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 29, 2018, he was featured in Amazon's [[Super Bowl commercials|Super Bowl commercial]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308222|title=Billionaire Jeff Bezos Will Star in Amazon's Super Bowl Ad|last=Belanger|first=Lydia|date=January 29, 2018|work=Entrepreneur|access-date=April 7, 2018|archive-date=April 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010023/https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308222 |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 1, 2018, Amazon reported its highest ever profit with quarterly [[earnings]] of $2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-results/amazon-posts-largest-profit-in-its-history-on-sales-tax-boost-idUSKBN1FL6H0|title=Amazon posts largest profit in its history on sales, tax boost|last=Dastin|first=Jeffrey|date=February 1, 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=April 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430114537/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-results/amazon-posts-largest-profit-in-its-history-on-sales-tax-boost-idUSKBN1FL6H0|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the growth of [[Alibaba Group|Alibaba]] in China, Bezos has often expressed interest in expanding Amazon into [[India]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/after-losing-china-jeff-bezos-really-wants-to-win-in-india/articleshow/63204865.cms|title=After losing China, Jeff Bezos really wants to win in India|agency=Bloomberg|date=March 9, 2018|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=June 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180611184844/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/after-losing-china-jeff-bezos-really-wants-to-win-in-india/articleshow/63204865.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 27, 2017, Bezos momentarily became the [[The World's Billionaires|world's wealthiest person]] over [[Microsoft]] co-founder [[Bill Gates]] when his estimated [[net worth]] increased to just over $90&nbsp;billion. His wealth surpassed $100&nbsp;billion for the first time on November 24, 2017, and he was formally designated the wealthiest person in the world by ''[[Forbes]]'' on March 6, 2018, with a net worth of $112&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/billions/2018/09/04/jeff-bezos-is-18-billion-richer-as-amazons-market-cap-briefly-hits-1-trillion/|title=Jeff Bezos Is $1.8 Billion Richer As Amazon's Market Cap Briefly Hits $1 Trillion|magazine=Forbes|date=September 4, 2018|last=Debter|first=Lauren|access-date=June 19, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621183449/https://www.forbes.com/sites/billions/2018/09/04/jeff-bezos-is-18-billion-richer-as-amazons-market-cap-briefly-hits-1-trillion/|archive-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Naturalization Ceremony (27590970472).jpg|thumb|left|Bezos receives the [[Smithsonian Institution|James Smithson Bicentennial]] medal on June 14, 2016, for his work with Amazon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yoursurvivalguy.com/financial-security/the-benefits-of-billionaires/|title=The Benefits of Billionaires|date=March 20, 2019|website=Young Research & Publishing Inc.|access-date=October 10, 2021|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010183229/https://www.yoursurvivalguy.com/financial-security/the-benefits-of-billionaires/|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In March 2018, Bezos dispatched Amit Agarwal, Amazon's global senior vice president, to India with $5.5&nbsp;billion to localize operations throughout the company's [[supply chain]] routes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-05/five-things-you-need-to-know-to-start-your-day-jeeqzcof|title=Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day|work=Bloomberg News|date=March 5, 2018|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306010642/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-05/five-things-you-need-to-know-to-start-your-day-jeeqzcof|archive-date=March 6, 2018|url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the month, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Amazon and Bezos, specifically, of [[sales tax]] avoidance, misusing [[Mail|postal routes]], and [[Anti-competitive practices|anti-competitive]] business practices.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/forget-zuckerberg-trump-is-obsessed-with-breaking-jeff-bezos|title=Forget Zuckerberg: Why Trump Is "Obsessed" with Breaking Bezos|last=Kosoff|first=Maya|work=The Hive|access-date=January 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810055258/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/forget-zuckerberg-trump-is-obsessed-with-breaking-jeff-bezos|archive-date=August 10, 2020}}</ref> Amazon's share price fell by 9% in response to the President's negative comments; this reduced Bezos's personal wealth by $10.7&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2018/03/29/amazon-stock-amzn-jeff-bezos-net-worth|title=The World's Richest Man Just Lost $10.7 Billion as Trump Tweets About Amazon|last=Shen|first=Lucinda|date=January 2, 2018|work=Fortune|access-date=April 4, 2018|archive-date=April 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404090913/http://fortune.com/2018/03/29/amazon-stock-amzn-jeff-bezos-net-worth/|url-status=live}}</ref> Weeks later, Bezos recouped his losses when academic reports out of [[Stanford University]] indicated that Trump could do little to regulate Amazon in any meaningful way.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-a-trump-led-antitrust-case-against-amazon-is-a-long-shot-1522501200|title=Why a Trump-Led Antitrust Case Against Amazon Is a Long Shot|last=Stevens|first=Laura|date=April 9, 2018|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=April 9, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408183802/https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-a-trump-led-antitrust-case-against-amazon-is-a-long-shot-1522501200|archive-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref> During July 2018, a number of members of the U.S. Congress called on Bezos to detail the applications of Amazon's [[Facial recognition system|face recognition]] software, [[Amazon Rekognition|Rekognition]].<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.fastcompany.com/90209707/congress-demands-jeff-bezos-explain-amazons-face-recognition-software| title=Congress demands Jeff Bezos explain Amazon's face recognition software|magazine=Fast Company|date=July 26, 2018|last=Captain|first=Sean|access-date=July 26, 2018|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727224612/https://www.fastcompany.com/90209707/congress-demands-jeff-bezos-explain-amazons-face-recognition-software|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jeff Bezos-171027-F-DC888008 (25610066788).jpg|thumb|upright|Bezos on October 25, 2017, on his visit to [[Los Angeles Air Force Base]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129133022@N07/25610066788/|title=171027-F-DC888008|date=December 31, 2011|via=Flickr|access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307071819/https://www.flickr.com/photos/129133022@N07/25610066788/|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Criticism of Amazon's business practices continued in September 2018 when Senator [[Bernie Sanders]] introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act and accused Amazon of receiving [[corporate welfare]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-stop-bezos-act-senate/|title=Bernie Sanders introduces 'Stop BEZOS Act'|first=Abha|last=Bhattarai|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914152737/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-stop-bezos-act-senate/|url-status=live}}</ref> This followed revelations by the non-profit group New Food Economy which found that one third of Amazon workers in [[Arizona]], and one tenth of Amazon workers in [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Ohio]], relied on food stamps.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/5/17819450/bernie-sanders-stop-bezos-amazon-worker-pay-corporate-welfare-tax-bill|title=Bernie Sanders introduces 'Stop BEZOS' bill to tax Amazon for underpaying workers|first=Adi|last=Robertson|website=The Verge|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914131936/https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/5/17819450/bernie-sanders-stop-bezos-amazon-worker-pay-corporate-welfare-tax-bill|url-status=live}}</ref> While preparing to introduce the bill, Sanders opined: "Instead of attempting to explore Mars or go to the moon, how about Jeff Bezos pays his workers a living wage?"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/5/17822810/bernie-sanders-bill-bezos-amazon-ro-khanna|title=Bernie Sanders's BEZOS bill takes aim at how Amazon pays workers|first=Emily|last=Stewart|publisher=Vox|date=September 5, 2018|access-date= September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914094424/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/5/17822810/bernie-sanders-bill-bezos-amazon-ro-khanna|url-status=live}}</ref> He later said: "Bezos could play a profound role. If he said today, nobody who is employed at Amazon will receive less than a living wage, it would send a message to every corporation in America."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-amazon-walmart-with-100-tax/|title=Bernie Sanders targets Amazon, Walmart with 100% tax|first=Kate|last=Gibson|publisher=CBS|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914131946/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-amazon-walmart-with-100-tax/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sanders's efforts elicited a response from Amazon which pointed to the 130,000 jobs it created in 2017 and called the $28,446 figure for its median salary "misleading" as it included part-time workers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/response-to-senator-sanders|title=Response to Senator Sanders|date=August 29, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914005442/https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/response-to-senator-sanders|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Sanders countered that the companies targeted by his proposal have placed an increased focus on part-time workers to escape benefit obligations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-amazon_us_5b8eecade4b0511db3dcfd55|title=What the Bernie Sanders Amazon welfare fight is really about|newspaper=[[HuffPost]]|date=September 5, 2018|first1=Arthur|last1=Delaney|first2=Dave|last2=Jamieson|access-date=September 14, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914181926/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-amazon_us_5b8eecade4b0511db3dcfd55|archive-date=September 14, 2018}}</ref> On October 2, 2018, Bezos announced a company-wide wage increase, which Sanders applauded.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/business/amazon-minimum-wage.html|title=Amazon to raise minimum wage to $15 for all U.S. workers|first=Karen|last=Weise|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=October 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021233433/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/business/amazon-minimum-wage.html|archive-date=October 21, 2018}}</ref> The American workers who were being paid the minimum wage had this increased to $15 per hour, a decision that was interpreted as support for the [[Fight for $15]] movement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/story/why-amazon-really-raised-minimum-wage/|title=Why Amazon really raised its minimum wage to $15|first=Louise|last=Matsakis|magazine=Wired|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=October 22, 2018|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030030200/https://www.wired.com/story/why-amazon-really-raised-minimum-wage/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2021, Bezos announced that in the [[Third quarter of a calendar year|third quarter]] of 2021 he would step down from his role as CEO of Amazon to become the Executive Chairman of the Amazon Board. He was succeeded as CEO by [[Andy Jassy]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Amazon.com Announces Financial Results and CEO Transition|url=https://ir.aboutamazon.com/news-release/news-release-details/2021/Amazon.com-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-Results/default.aspx|access-date=|website=|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210202211950/https://ir.aboutamazon.com/news-release/news-release-details/2021/Amazon.com-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-Results/default.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Weise|first=Karen|date=February 2, 2021|title=Jeff Bezos to Step Down as Amazon C.E.O.|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202211253/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon.html |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Gartenberg|first1=Chaim|date=February 2, 2021|title=Amazon will have a new CEO as Jeff Bezos transitions to executive chair later this year|work=The Verge|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/2/22263039/amazon-new-ceo-jeff-bezos-andy-jassy-executive-chair-board-q3-2021|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602172459/https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/2/22263039/amazon-new-ceo-jeff-bezos-andy-jassy-executive-chair-board-q3-2021|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 2, 2021, Bezos sent an email<ref>{{cite web|title=Bezos' memo to fellow Amazonians|date=February 2, 2021|publisher=Amazon.com|url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/email-from-jeff-bezos-to-employees|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202225200/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/email-from-jeff-bezos-to-employees|url-status=live}}</ref> to all Amazon employees, telling them the transition would give him "the time and energy [he] need[s] to focus on the [[#Day 1 Fund|Day 1 Fund]], the [[Bezos Earth Fund]], [[Blue Origin]], [[The Washington Post]], and [his] other passions."<ref name=StillCEOTillThirdQuarter>{{cite web|title=NBC News reports Jeff Bezos' intention to stand down as CEO of Amazon in the third quarter of 2021|website=[[NBC]] News|date=February 2, 2021|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/jeff-bezos-steps-down-amazon-ceo-n1256540|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202221303/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/jeff-bezos-steps-down-amazon-ceo-n1256540|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2024, Bezos sold 24 million shares in Amazon at a total value of $4 billion. Bezos announced that he intended to sell 50 million shares in Amazon over the next year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68277678|title=Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sells shares worth over $4bn|website=BBC News|date=14 February 2024|access-date=14 February 2024|archive-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214172622/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68277678|url-status=live}}</ref> During an interview at the [[DealBook]] Summit in December 2024, Bezos said that he was dedicating 95% of his time to artificial intelligence initiatives at Amazon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mann |first=Jyoti |date=December 5, 2024 |title=Jeff Bezos says he's 'putting a lot of time' in at Amazon to help it become an AI winner |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-ai-efforts-blue-origin-2024-12 |website=Business Insider |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241205142840/https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-ai-efforts-blue-origin-2024-12 |archive-date=December 5, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Del Rey |first=Jason |date=December 9, 2024 |title=Amazon's top AI exec says industry concerns that LLMs hit a 'wall' are overblown, says Jeff Bezos 'very involved' in AI efforts |url=https://fortune.com/2024/12/09/amazon-rohit-prasad-ai-wall-new-dimension-alexa-brainstormai/ |work=Fortune |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241210030011/https://fortune.com/2024/12/09/amazon-rohit-prasad-ai-wall-new-dimension-alexa-brainstormai/ |archive-date=December 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Blue Origin ===
{{Main|Blue Origin}}<!-- This section is NOT about Blue Origin. It is about how Bezos relates (interacts) to (with) Blue Origin. Any other contributions can be taken to the main article. -->
[[File:NASA Deputy Administrator Tours Blue Origin.jpg|thumb|Bezos and [[Rob Meyerson]] (fifth from left) giving NASA Deputy Administrator [[Lori Garver]] (fourth from left) a tour of Blue Origin's crew capsule in 2011]]
[[File:Secretary of Defense Ash Carter meets with Jeff Bezos, May 5, 2016 (1).jpg|thumb|Then U.S. Secretary of Defense [[Ash Carter]] meets with Bezos in 2016 at [[The Pentagon]].]]

In September 2000, Bezos founded Blue Origin, a [[human spaceflight]] [[startup]].<ref name="msnbc2007-01-03">{{cite web|last=Boyle|first=Alan|title=Blue Origin Revealed|url=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/01/03/26062.aspx|publisher=[[MSNBC]]|date=December 9, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223032428/http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/01/03/26062.aspx|archive-date=December 23, 2009}}</ref> Bezos has long expressed an interest in space travel and the development of human life in the Solar System.<ref name="st20120331" /> His 1982 high school [[valedictorian]] senior graduation speech was followed up with a ''[[Miami Herald]]'' interview in which he expressed an interest to build and develop hotels, amusement parks, and colonies for human beings who were in orbit.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/node/21548487|title=Taking the long view|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=March 3, 2012|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430114118/https://www.economist.com/node/21548487|archive-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref> The 18-year-old Bezos stated that he wanted to preserve Earth from overuse through [[resource depletion]].<ref name=Whoriskey>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-bezos-the-post-represents-new-frontier/2013/08/10/ba7cfeb6-013c-11e3-9a3e-916de805f65d_story.html|title=For Jeff Bezos, a new frontier|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 12, 2013|last=Whoriskey|first=Peter|access-date=February 20, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916053753/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-bezos-the-post-represents-new-frontier/2013/08/10/ba7cfeb6-013c-11e3-9a3e-916de805f65d_story.html|archive-date=September 16, 2017}}</ref> [[Rob Meyerson]] led Blue Origin from 2003 to 2017 and served as its first president.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 8, 2018|title=Former Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson leaves Jeff Bezos' space venture|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/veteran-aerospace-engineer-rob-meyerson-leaves-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-space-venture/|access-date=April 9, 2021|website=GeekWire|language=en-US|archive-date=March 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301162826/https://www.geekwire.com/2018/veteran-aerospace-engineer-rob-meyerson-leaves-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-space-venture/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After its founding, Blue Origin maintained a low profile until 2006 when it purchased a large tract of land in [[West Texas]] for a launch and test facility.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116312683235519444|title=Buzz in West Texas is about Jeff Bezos space craft launch site|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=November 10, 2006|last=Mangalindan|first=Mylene|access-date=May 28, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205053621/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116312683235519444|archive-date=February 5, 2015}}</ref> After the company gained the public's attention during the late 2000s, Bezos additionally indicated his interest in reducing the [[Human spaceflight|cost of space travel]] for humans while also increasing the safety of extraterrestrial travel.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/11/ff_bezos/all/1|title=Jeff Bezos Owns the Web in More Ways Than You Think|magazine=Wired|date=November 13, 2011|last=Levy|first=Steven|access-date=December 9, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210145216/http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/11/ff_bezos/all/1|archive-date=December 10, 2011}}</ref> In September 2011, one of the company's uncrewed prototype vehicles crashed during a short-hop test flight. Although the crash was viewed as a setback, news outlets noted how far the company went from its founding-to-date in advancing [[spaceflight]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/21548487|title=Taking the long view: Jeff Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon, owes much of his success to his ability to look beyond the short-term view of things|date=March 3, 2012|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=August 10, 2013|quote=''Mr Bezos's willingness to take a long-term view also explains his fascination with space travel, and his decision to found a secretive company called Blue Origin, one of several start-ups now building spacecraft with private funding.''|archive-date=August 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808064440/http://www.economist.com/node/21548487|url-status=live}}</ref> After the crash, Bezos has been superstitiously wearing his "lucky" Texas [[Cowboy boots]] to all rocket launches.<ref>{{Cite video |title=Fireside Chat with Jeff Bezos; Shah Rukh Khan, Zoya Akhtar; Amazon Prime Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJB7eb-1u0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207141134/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJB7eb-1u0 |archive-date=February 7, 2021 |time=34m10s |via=YouTube |access-date=February 18, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2013, Bezos met with [[Richard Branson]], chairman of [[Virgin Galactic]], to discuss commercial spaceflight opportunities and strategies.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/05/27/richard-branson-space-flight-jeff-bezos-elon-musk-amazon-spacex/2356245|title=Unplugged: Richard Branson's otherworldly space quest|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=May 27, 2013|last=Veverka|first=Mark|access-date=May 28, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527155653/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/05/27/richard-branson-space-flight-jeff-bezos-elon-musk-amazon-spacex/2356245/|archive-date=May 27, 2013}}</ref> He has been compared to Branson and Elon Musk as all three are billionaires who prioritize spaceflight among their business interests.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/three-billionaires-are-racing-to-space--who-will-win- |title=Three Billionaires Are Racing to Space. Who Will Win? |last=Worrall |first=Simon |date=April 7, 2018 |work=National Geographic |access-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407184158/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/three-billionaires-are-racing-to-space--who-will-win-/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2015, Bezos announced that a new [[orbital launch vehicle]] was under development and would make its first flight in the late-2010s.<ref name="sn20150915">{{cite web |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |title=Bezos Not Concerned About Competition, Possible ULA Sale |url=http://spacenews.com/bezos-not-concerned-about-competition-possible-ula-sale |access-date=September 16, 2015 |website=Space News |date=September 15, 2015 |archive-date=December 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161218180647/http://spacenews.com/bezos-not-concerned-about-competition-possible-ula-sale/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in November, Blue Origin's [[New Shepard]] space vehicle successfully rocketed into space and reached its planned test altitude of 329,839 feet (100.5 kilometers) before executing a [[VTVL|vertical landing]] back at the launch site in West Texas. In 2016, Bezos allowed select journalists to visit, tour, and photograph his facility.<ref name="gw20160308">{{cite web |last=Boyle |first=Alan |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2016/jeff-bezos-lifts-curtain-blue-origin-rocket-factory-vision-space |title=Jeff Bezos lifts curtain on Blue Origin rocket factory, lays out grand plan for space travel that spans hundreds of years |website=[[GeekWire]] |date=March 8, 2016 |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310101109/http://www.geekwire.com/2016/jeff-bezos-lifts-curtain-blue-origin-rocket-factory-vision-space/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He has repeatedly called for increased inter-space energy and industrial manufacturing to decrease the negative costs associated with [[Pollution|business-related pollution]].<ref name="ars20160310">{{cite web|last=Berger|first=Eric|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/03/jeff-bezos-says-he-wants-to-fly-into-space-as-soon-as-possible|title=Jeff Bezos says he wants to fly into space 'as soon as possible'|website=[[Ars Technica]]|date=March 10, 2016|access-date=March 11, 2016|quote=Bezos: ''I want to change the whole cost structure of accessing space.''|archive-date=March 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310202956/http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/03/jeff-bezos-says-he-wants-to-fly-into-space-as-soon-as-possible/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2017, New Shepard successfully flew and landed [[Crash test dummy|dummy passengers]], amending and pushing its human space travel start date into late 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.space.com/39111-blue-origin-mannequin-skywalker-dummy-launch.html |title=Later, Vader! Watch Blue Origin Fly 'Mannequin Skywalker' to Space and Back |last=Malik |first=Tariq |work=Space.com |access-date=April 4, 2018 |archive-date=April 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405214436/https://www.space.com/39111-blue-origin-mannequin-skywalker-dummy-launch.html |url-status=live }}</ref> To execute this program, Blue Origin built six of the vehicles to support all phases of testing and operations: no-passenger test flights, flights with test passengers, and commercial-passenger weekly operations.<ref name="sn20160308">{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-plans-growth-spurt-this-year|title=Blue Origin plans growth spurt this year|last=Foust|first=Jeff|date=March 8, 2016|website=[[SpaceNews (publication)|SpaceNews]]|access-date=March 11, 2016}}</ref> Since 2016, Bezos has spoken more freely about his hopes to [[Extraterrestrial life|colonize the solar system]], and has been selling $1 billion in Amazon stock each year to capitalize Blue Origin in an effort to support this endeavor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/science/blue-origin-rocket-jeff-bezos-amazon-stock.html|title=Jeff Bezos Says He Is Selling $1 Billion a Year in Amazon Stock to Finance Race to Space|last=St. Fluer|first=Nicholas|date=April 5, 2017|access-date=April 8, 2017|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=April 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408021704/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/science/blue-origin-rocket-jeff-bezos-amazon-stock.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/29279/20160927/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-colonize-solar-system.htm|title=Jeff Bezos: Blue Origin Wants to Colonize the Solar System|last=Ayque|first=Jamie|date=September 27, 2016|access-date=September 27, 2016|archive-date=September 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928164651/http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/29279/20160927/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-colonize-solar-system.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2018, Bezos maintained that the primary goal of Blue Origin is to preserve the [[Natural resource|natural resources of Earth]] by making the human species [[Extraterrestrial life|multi-planetary]].<ref name=Boyle>{{cite news|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/jeff-bezos-isdc-space-vision|title=Jeff Bezos: 'We will have to leave this planet ... and it's going to make this planet better'|last=Boyle|first=Alan|date=May 29, 2018|work=GeekWire|access-date=May 31, 2018|archive-date=May 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529170353/https://www.geekwire.com/2018/jeff-bezos-isdc-space-vision/|url-status=live}}</ref> He announced that ''New Shepard'' would begin transporting humans into [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|sub-orbital space]] by November 2018.<ref name=Boyle /> In July 2018, it was announced that Bezos had priced commercial spaceflight tickets from $200,000 to $300,000 per person.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-blueorigin-exclusive/exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources-idUSKBN1K301R|title=Exclusive: Jeff Bezos plans to charge at least $200,000 for space...|last=Johnson |first=Eric M.|date=July 16, 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=July 18, 2018|archive-date=July 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717235741/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-blueorigin-exclusive/exclusive-jeff-bezos-plans-to-charge-at-least-200000-for-space-rides-sources-idUSKBN1K301R|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Spaceflight====
{{Infobox astronaut
| type = Commercial Astronaut<br />[[File:US - FAA Astronaut Wings version 2.png|150px]]
| selection = [[Blue Origin]]
| flight_time = 10m 18s
| missions = [[Blue Origin NS-16|NS-16]]
| insignia = 
}}
On July 20, 2021, he launched on the [[NS-16]] mission with his half-brother Mark Bezos, [[Wally Funk]], and [[Oliver Daemen]].<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57386049|title = Jeff Bezos and brother to fly to space in Blue Origin flight|work = BBC News|date = June 7, 2021|access-date = June 7, 2021|archive-date = December 3, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211203094634/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57386049|url-status = live}}</ref> He launched nine days after [[Richard Branson]] launched on board the [[Virgin Galactic Unity 22]] mission. Bezos's [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|suborbital flight]] lasted over 10 minutes, reaching a peak altitude of {{convert|66.5|mi|km}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, Wally Funk and Oliver Daemen reach edge of space, return safely on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/20/bezos-space-flight-live-updates-video/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 20, 2021 |language=en |access-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720130659/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/20/bezos-space-flight-live-updates-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== ''The Washington Post'' ===
{{See also|The Washington Post}}
On August 5, 2013, Bezos announced his purchase of ''The Washington Post'' for $250&nbsp;million in cash,<ref>{{cite news|last=Farhi|first=Paul|title=Washington Post to be sold to Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 5, 2013|date=August 6, 2013|archive-date=January 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101175929/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> at the suggestion of his friend, [[Donald E. Graham|Don Graham]].<ref>{{Cite video |title=Jeff Bezos at the Economic Club of Washington |date=September 14, 2018 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=xv_vkA0jsyo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208081725/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv_vkA0jsyo |archive-date=February 8, 2021 |time=13m |via=YouTube |access-date=February 22, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> To execute the sale, he established [[limited liability company]] '''<!-- Nash Holdings is a re-direct to this section. -->Nash Holdings''' to serve as a [[holding company]] through which he would own the newspaper.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/08/06/jeff-bezos-is-buying-the-washington-post-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-sale|title=Jeff Bezos is buying The Washington Post. Here's what you need to know about the sale.|last=Matthews|first=Dylan|date=August 8, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 11, 2018|archive-date=March 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311140725/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/08/06/jeff-bezos-is-buying-the-washington-post-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-sale/|url-status=live}}</ref> The sale closed on October 1, 2013, and Nash Holdings took control.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/washington-post-closes-sale-to-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos/2013/10/01/fca3b16a-2acf-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html|title=The Washington Post closes sale to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos|last=Farhi|first=Paul|date=October 1, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 31, 2014|archive-date=May 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528092936/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/washington-post-closes-sale-to-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos/2013/10/01/fca3b16a-2acf-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2014, Bezos made his first significant change at ''The Washington Post'' and lifted the online paywall for subscribers of a number of U.S. local newspapers in [[Texas]], Hawaii, and [[Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Luckerson|first=Victor|title=Jeff Bezos Makes His First Major Move at the Washington Post|url=https://time.com/30243/jeff-bezos-makes-his-first-major-move-at-the-washington-post/|access-date=February 20, 2016|magazine=Time|date=March 19, 2014|archive-date=February 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207013940/http://time.com/30243/jeff-bezos-makes-his-first-major-move-at-the-washington-post/|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2016, Bezos set out to reinvent the newspaper as a media and technology company by reconstructing its digital media, mobile platforms, and analytics software.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40495770/the-washington-post-is-a-software-company-now|title=The Washington Post Is a Software Company Now|last=McCrakken|first=Harry|date=November 17, 2017|magazine=Fast Company|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=March 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310135709/https://www.fastcompany.com/40495770/the-washington-post-is-a-software-company-now|url-status=live}}</ref> After a surge in online readership in 2016, the paper was profitable for the first time since Bezos made the purchase in 2013.<ref name="Fortune">{{cite news |last=Wieczner |first=Jen |title=How Jeff Bezos Reacts to 'Negative' Amazon Articles in the Washington Post |url=http://fortune.com/2017/10/27/amazon-jeff-bezos-washington-post |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301153000/http://fortune.com/2017/10/27/amazon-jeff-bezos-washington-post/ |archive-date=March 1, 2018 |access-date=March 9, 2018 |work=Fortune}}</ref> However, Bezos' ownership of the ''Post'' has been subject to scrutiny and [[#Criticism|criticism]] regarding his treatment of employees<ref name="Hamilton"/> as well as his influence on the paper's content, in particular [[The Washington Post#Suppression of views Bezos disfavors|2024-25 interference]] with the editorial and opinion pages.

=== Bezos Expeditions ===
{{Main|Bezos Expeditions}}
Bezos makes personal investments through his [[venture capital]] vehicle, Bezos Expeditions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html|title=Inside Jeff Bezos' $80&nbsp;billion empire|last=Hess|first=Abigail|date=August 29, 2017|publisher=CNBC|access-date= September 13, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913183250/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was one of the first [[investor|shareholders]] in Google, when he invested $250,000 in 1998. That $250,000 investment resulted in 3.3&nbsp;million shares of Google stock, worth about $3.1&nbsp;billion in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998|title=The Story of Jeff Bezos' $250,000 Investment into Google in 1998|last=Turo|first=Jay|website=Growthink|access-date= February 28, 2017|archive-date=March 5, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170305002724/http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://allthingsd.com/20091005/new-yorker-bezos-initial-google-investment-was-250000-in-1998-because-i-just-fell-in-love-with-larry-and-sergey|title=New Yorker: Bezos' Initial Google Investment Was $250K in 1998 Because 'I Just Fell in Love with Larry and Sergey'|last=Swisher|first=Kara|year=2009|website=All Things D|access-date=February 28, 2017|archive-date=March 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317215509/http://allthingsd.com/20091005/new-yorker-bezos-initial-google-investment-was-250000-in-1998-because-i-just-fell-in-love-with-larry-and-sergey/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also invested in [[Unity Biotechnology]], a life-extension research firm hoping to slow or stop the process of aging.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/31/google-co-founders-and-silicon-valley-billionaires-try-to-live-forever.html|title=Google's co-founders and other Silicon Valley billionaires are trying to live forever|last=Bloom|first=Ester|date=March 31, 2017|publisher=CNBC|access-date=June 29, 2017|archive-date=July 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704231656/http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/31/google-co-founders-and-silicon-valley-billionaires-try-to-live-forever.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bezos is involved in the healthcare sector, which includes investments in Unity Biotechnology, [[GRAIL (company)|GRAIL]], [[Juno Therapeutics]], and [[Zocdoc]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/03/bezos-health-investments-reveal-strategy.html|title=We can learn a lot about Jeff Bezos' health strategy by looking at his investments|last1=Farr|first1=Christina|date=February 3, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2018|publisher=CNBC|archive-date=February 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203224219/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/03/bezos-health-investments-reveal-strategy.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2018, an announcement was made concerning Bezos's role within a new, unnamed healthcare company. This venture, later named [[Haven (healthcare)|Haven]], is expected to be a partnership between Amazon, [[JPMorgan Chase|JPMorgan]], and [[Berkshire Hathaway]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://fortune.com/2018/01/31/jeff-bezos-amazon-health-care|title=Why Jeff Bezos Might Be the One to Crack the Health Care Challenge|last1=Lashinsky|first1=Adam|date=January 31, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2018|work=Fortune|archive-date=February 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204185148/http://fortune.com/2018/01/31/jeff-bezos-amazon-health-care/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/technology/amazon-berkshire-hathaway-jpmorgan-health-care.html|title=Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Team Up to Try to Disrupt Health Care|last1=Wingfield|first1=Nick|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|last2=Thomas|first2=Katie|last3=Abelson|first3=Reed|archive-date=February 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203171550/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/technology/amazon-berkshire-hathaway-jpmorgan-health-care.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bezos also supports philanthropic efforts through direct donations and non-profit projects funded by Bezos Expeditions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon-twitter-charity.html|title=Jeff Bezos Wants Ideas for Philanthropy, So He Asked Twitter| last=Wingfield|first=Nick|date=June 15, 2017|work= The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date= March 8, 2018|archive-date=March 9, 2018| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180309054222/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon-twitter-charity.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bezos used Bezos Expeditions to fund several philanthropic projects, including an Innovation center at the Seattle Museum of History and Industry and the Bezos Center for Neural Circuit Dynamics at [[Princeton Neuroscience Institute]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/billionaire-bezos-adds-to-eclectic-interests/|title=Billionaire Bezos adds to eclectic interests|last=Martinez|first=Amy|date=August 5, 2013|website=The Seattle Times|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402165909/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/billionaire-bezos-adds-to-eclectic-interests/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration|title=Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Flip the Switch on New Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI, Kicking Off Saturday Launch Celebration|website=mohai.org|access-date=December 31, 2017|archive-date=August 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150817213203/http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Bezos Expeditions funded the recovery of two [[Saturn V]] first-stage [[Rocketdyne F-1]] engines from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/the-engines-that-propelled-us-into-space-recovered-from-the-ocean-floor/274204/|title=The Engines That Propelled Us into Space, Recovered From the Ocean Floor|last=Garber|first=Megan|date=March 20, 2013|website=The Atlantic|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402165908/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/the-engines-that-propelled-us-into-space-recovered-from-the-ocean-floor/274204/|url-status=live}}</ref> They were positively identified as belonging to the [[Apollo 11]] mission's [[S-1C|S-1C stage]] from July 1969.<ref name="Apollo 11 F1 Engines Found">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html|title=Rocket Engine Part Recovered by Amazon CEO Has Apollo 11 History|last=Pearlman|first=Robert Z.|date=July 19, 2013|location=New York|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724005810/http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html|archive-date=July 24, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013|newspaper=Space.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.pcmag.com/news/309462/bezos-salvage-team-plucks-apollo-rocket-engines-from-atlanti|title=Bezos Salvage Team Plucks Apollo Rocket Engines from Atlantic|last=Poeter|first=Damon|website=PC Magazine|access-date=April 2, 2019|date=March 20, 2013|archive-date= April 2, 2019| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190402165911/https://www.pcmag.com/news/309462/bezos-salvage-team-plucks-apollo-rocket-engines-from-atlanti|url-status=live}}</ref> The engines are currently on display at the [[Museum of Flight|Seattle Museum of Flight]].<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.museumofflight.org/Exhibits/apollo-f-1-engine-preview|title=Apollo F-1 Engine Preview {{!}} The Museum of Flight|website=museumofflight.org|access-date=April 4, 2018|archive-date=April 4, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404200740/http://www.museumofflight.org/Exhibits/apollo-f-1-engine-preview|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2019/apollo-11-moon-landing-anniversary-nears-space-fans-get-ready-celebrate/|title=As Apollo 11 moon landing anniversary nears, space fans get ready to celebrate|date=March 16, 2019|website=GeekWire|access-date=April 2, 2019|archive-date= April 2, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190402180300/https://www.geekwire.com/2019/apollo-11-moon-landing-anniversary-nears-space-fans-get-ready-celebrate/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Altos Labs ===
{{Main|Altos Labs}}
In September 2021, Bezos co-founded Altos Labs with [[Mail.ru]] founder [[Yuri Milner]]. Altos Labs is a well-funded biotechnology company dedicated to harnessing [[Induced pluripotent stem cells|cellular reprogramming]] to develop [[Life extension|longevity therapeutics]].<ref name="Regalado2021">{{cite news |last1=Regalado |first1=Antonio |title=Meet Altos Labs, Silicon Valley's latest wild bet on living forever |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/04/1034364/altos-labs-silicon-valleys-jeff-bezos-milner-bet-living-forever/ |date=September 4, 2021 |work=[[MIT Technology Review]] |access-date=September 18, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210905014902/https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/04/1034364/altos-labs-silicon-valleys-jeff-bezos-milner-bet-living-forever/ |archive-date=September 5, 2021 }}</ref> The company has recruited prominent scientists such as [[Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte|Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte]] (known for work on rejuvenation through reprogramming), [[Steve Horvath]] (known for work in [[epigenetic clock|epigenetic aging clocks]]), and [[Shinya Yamanaka]] (the [[Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine|Nobel Prize]]-winning inventor of cellular reprogramming in mammalian cells).<ref name="Regalado2021" /> The company left [[stealth mode]] and launched on January 19, 2022, with a start capital of $3 billion and an executive team led by [[Hal Barron]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Philippidis|first=Alex|date=January 19, 2022|title=Altos Labs Launches with $3B and a Focus on Reversing Disease, Aging|url=https://www.genengnews.com/aging/altos-labs-launches-with-3b-and-a-focus-on-reversing-disease-aging/|access-date=January 23, 2022|website=Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News|language=en-US|archive-date=January 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123161608/https://www.genengnews.com/aging/altos-labs-launches-with-3b-and-a-focus-on-reversing-disease-aging/|url-status=live}}</ref>