Shiva Ayyadurai Net Worth: The Self-Proclaimed Inventor of Email
Shiva Ayyadurai is an Indian-American entrepreneur, inventor, and lecturer who claims to be the inventor of email. His net worth is estimated to be around $10 million. However, his claim of being the inventor of email has been widely disputed by many in the tech community.
Early Life and Education
Shiva Ayyadurai was born on December 2, 1963, in Bombay, India. He moved to the United States with his family at the age of seven and grew up in New Jersey. Ayyadurai developed an interest in computer programming at a young age and learned to code in multiple programming languages.
Ayyadurai attended Livingston High School in New Jersey and later enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1985. He went on to earn his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 1987.
Career and Controversies
Ayyadurai's claim to fame came in 1978 when he developed an email system called "EMAIL" as a 14-year-old high school student. He reportedly worked on the project at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), where his mother was a researcher. Ayyadurai's system was an electronic mail system that allowed users to send and receive messages electronically.
However, many experts and historians have disputed Ayyadurai's claim of being the inventor of email. They argue that email was already in existence before Ayyadurai developed his system, and that he was not the first person to invent email. In fact, Ray Tomlinson, a computer programmer, is widely credited with inventing email as we know it today in 1972.
Ayyadurai has also faced criticism for his aggressive marketing and self-promotion, which some have described as "fraudulent" and "misleading." He has been accused of using his claims of inventing email to promote his business ventures and to gain attention.
Business Ventures and Net Worth
Despite the controversy surrounding his claim of inventing email, Ayyadurai has built a successful business career. He has founded several companies, including EchoMail, a email marketing company that he sold to a private equity firm in 2007.
Ayyadurai's net worth is estimated to be around $10 million, which he has accumulated through his business ventures and investments. He has also made money through speaking engagements and book sales.
Conclusion
Shiva Ayyadurai's claim of inventing email may be disputed, but he has built a successful business career and accumulated a significant net worth. While his marketing and self-promotion have been criticized, he remains a prominent figure in the tech industry.