Co-founder of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison is again causing a stir. He recently shared with us all the fun new things he’d be doing on the Hawaiian island of Lana’i. In 2012, Ellison purchased 98% of the state of Hawaii’s sixth-largest island. This island has in turn become a global center for his philanthropic efforts. On X, Ellison has stated that he is altering his plans for Lana’i. He pledges to focus on these funds for a technical college that he started with the University of Oxford.
Ellison’s connection to Lana’i started almost 15 years ago when he purchased the controlling interest in the island’s land. His ambition was to turn it into a thriving model for the future—an incubator for sustainable living, smart technology and innovative ideas. The recent decision to redirect some of the financial resources toward a technical institute indicates his commitment to education and technological advancement.
Beyond his work on Lana’i, Ellison has produced a mixed but sometimes promising record as a player in the nation’s technology sector. In 2014, he stepped down as Oracle’s CEO after having run the company since starting it in 1977. He then moved into the roles of executive chairman of the board and chief technology officer. In these roles, he still drives the company’s overall strategic vision.
Ellison’s philanthropic pursuits are a perfect encapsulation of his devout activism and advocacy to the most marginalized communities. In 2016, he made headlines for his stunning $200 million donation to the University of Southern California. His generous contribution helped to establish a cancer research and treatment center. This generous gift underscores his commitment to further innovative healthcare initiatives and help support the future of medical research.
Additionally, Ellison has been unapologetic about accepting political contributions. In 2022, he gave $15 million to a super PAC backing South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott’s ill-fated presidential run. His ties to political figures even stretch to former President Donald Trump, having kept an extremely close connection to him over the years.
In the realm of sports, Ellison’s Oracle Team USA achieved remarkable success by winning and defending the America’s Cup in 2013. His passion for sports runs deep, from childhood athlete to Olympics advocate. He was the key force in resurrecting the Indian Wells tennis tournament in California, creating a major tournament now dubbed “the fifth slam.”
For Ellison, Oracle’s history is dotted with major achievements. He was president from 1978 to 1996, and twice chairman of the board—1990 to 1992. A defining moment came in 1992 when Ellison survived a bodysurfing accident that should have killed him on the Big Island’s Punalu‘u Beach. Though this professional misstep, he would come back to Oracle in 1995 and continue to be a powerful force for almost another decade.
More recently, Ellison has made waves on the national stage advocating for a marriage between technology and solutions to society’s most challenging problems. In January, he traded barbs with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son at the White House. Collectively, they imagined how technology could address some of the world’s most urgent challenges.
Philanthropy remains an important aspect of Ellison’s life. In 2010, he made that step far more real by signing the Giving Pledge, pledging to give away at least 95% of his fortune to philanthropic pursuits. Reports suggest that he is “rarely engaged with the community of Giving Pledge signers” and “has cherished his autonomy and does not want to be influenced to support” specific initiatives.
Ellison articulated his vision for philanthropy, emphasizing transformative goals: “Humane endeavors include transforming healthcare by designing and distributing a new generation of life-saving drugs, combating world hunger by engineering higher yielding crops and building a global network of low-cost indoor growing systems, and slowing climate change by developing efficient clean energy generation and storage systems.”