Shivon Zilis is a Canadian-born technology executive, investor and AI researcher best known for her leadership roles at Bloomberg Beta, Tesla/Autopilot projects, OpenAI (early involvement) and Neuralink.

Over the past decade she has become a visible figure in the intersection of venture capital, machine intelligence and neurotechnology — a path marked by academic accomplishment, investor instincts and work inside high-profile startups.

Data

• Full Name: Shivon Alice Zilis
• Born: February 8, 1986
• Age: 39 (as of 2025) — born 1986, so turning 40 in Feb 2026.
• Birthplace: Markham, Ontario, Canada
• Nationality: Canadian (with reported U.S. connection)
• Occupation: Technology executive & venture capitalist; currently Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink. Previously investor/partner at Bloomberg Beta; early work at IBM; project director at Tesla, Inc. (Autopilot / chip-design team).
• Parents: Mother: Sharda N. (Punjabi Indian descent); Father: Richard Zilis (Canadian)
• Siblings: None (only child)
• Spouse / Partner: In public media she is described as partner of Elon Musk (not as a legally married spouse).
• Children: Four — twins Strider Musk and Azure Musk (born November 2021 via IVF), daughter Arcadia Musk (born February 2024), and son Seldon Lycurgus Musk (born 2025) — with Elon Musk.
• Net Worth: Estimated (publicly) between US $5 million to US $15 million.

Early life and education

Shivon Alice Zilis was born in Markham, Ontario, Canada, in 1986. She grew up in Canada and graduated from Unionville High School before attending Yale University where she earned degrees in economics and philosophy. While at Yale she was an athlete — serving as a goaltender for the ice hockey team — and gained recognition for balancing academic rigor with athletic commitment.

Early career: IBM to Bloomberg Beta

After Yale, Zilis began working at IBM in New York, focusing on financial technologies and projects in developing countries. Her interest in machine intelligence and startups led her into venture capital. She became one of the founding investors and a partner at Bloomberg Beta, the venture fund backed by Bloomberg L.P., where she concentrated on machine learning and AI-driven startups. Her work at Bloomberg Beta helped establish her reputation as someone who could identify and support early-stage companies building with “machine intelligence.”

Transition into product & projects: Tesla and Autopilot

Zilis later worked on projects connected to Tesla’s Autopilot and chip design efforts, contributing to efforts that bridged research, product and hardware teams. This experience further embedded her in the world of applied AI at scale and set the stage for deeper work with companies focused on neurotech and AI safety.

Neuralink, OpenAI, and defense tech

Zilis served as director of operations and special projects at Neuralink, the neurotechnology company co-founded by Elon Musk. Prior to Neuralink she was involved with OpenAI in its early days and briefly served on its board. In 2023 she joined the board of Shield AI, a defense-technology company — showing a continued interest in the practical and policy-facing sides of advanced technology.

Public profile and media attention

While Zilis has generally maintained a professional public profile focused on AI and venture work, she entered broader public attention in 2022 after court documents revealed that she and Elon Musk had twins in late 2021 — a fact widely reported by major outlets. Subsequent reports indicate additional children in later years. This personal news generated discussions across media about workplace boundaries, privacy and the intersections of powerful networks in tech.

Awards and recognition

Zilis has been recognized in the tech and investment communities: she appeared on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” lists and LinkedIn’s “35 Under 35” lists for her work in venture capital and machine intelligence. Those honors highlighted her early influence as an investor and connector in AI ecosystems.

Personal life (summary)

Public reporting indicates Zilis holds Canadian citizenship and later U.S. connections through professional life in the United States. Media accounts and court filings have documented that she and Elon Musk are parents to multiple children conceived via in vitro fertilization. Beyond that, she keeps personal details relatively private compared with the public interest in her professional life.

Why Shivon Zilis matters in AI & neurotech

Zilis represents a generation of leaders who move fluidly between venture capital, product teams and research initiatives. Her career shows how investors with technical intuition can guide product-focused AI efforts inside influential companies. Her presence at Neuralink, OpenAI and venture funds places her at nodes where technology development, commercialization and governance meet — making her a useful lens for understanding how machine intelligence moves from labs into industry.

Timeline (concise)

• 1986: Born in Markham, Ontario, Canada.
• 2008: Graduates Yale University (BA in economics & philosophy).
• 2012–2018: Early investor and partner at Bloomberg Beta.
• 2017–2019: Project roles linked to Tesla Autopilot and chip efforts.
• 2016–2023: Early involvement with OpenAI; board membership until stepping down.
• 2017–present: Director of operations/special projects at Neuralink; board role at Shield AI in 2023.

FAQs

What is Shivon Zilis’s educational background?

She graduated from Yale University with degrees in economics and philosophy and was an athlete on the university’s ice hockey team.

What companies has she worked for?

Notable entries include IBM, Bloomberg Beta (venture fund), involvement with Tesla Autopilot projects, OpenAI and Neuralink. She also joined the board of Shield AI.

Is Shivon Zilis related to Elon Musk?

She is not related by family but publicly reported to have had multiple children with Elon Musk; their relationship and private life have been covered by major outlets. Court filings revealed twins born in 2021 and later reports mention additional children.

Has she won any awards?

Yes — among other recognitions she was included on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for venture capital and LinkedIn’s “35 Under 35.”

What is her current role?

As of the most recent reporting she has been described as director of operations and special projects at Neuralink and serves on the board of at least one defense-tech company. (See cited profiles for current titles, as roles can change.)

Conclusion

Shivon Zilis’s biography traces a clear trajectory from academic excellence and athletics at Yale to strategic roles where machine intelligence, product design and investment intersect. Whether viewed as a venture investor, product manager or corporate executive at neurotech companies, her career highlights how expertise in AI can translate into leadership roles that shape both startups and high-profile projects. Public interest in her personal life has complicated the spotlight, but her professional footprint in AI, venture capital and neurotechnology remains the central story.