Who is Antonio Gracias, Indian-origin Musk loyalist, set to be a billionaire after the SpaceX IPO?

Antonio Gracias, an Indian-origin investor and longtime ally of Elon Musk, is expected to join the billionaire ranks after SpaceX's initial public offering. Gracias, who has been a board member at SpaceX since 2002, holds a significant stake in the private space company.

Gracias is the founder and CEO of Valor Equity Partners, a Chicago-based investment firm that focuses on growth-stage companies. He has been a key supporter of Musk's ventures, including Tesla and SpaceX, and has served on the boards of both companies.

SpaceX, which has not yet set a date for its IPO, is valued at over $100 billion in private markets. Gracias's stake in the company is estimated to be worth several billion dollars, making him a billionaire upon the public listing.

Born in India and raised in the United States, Gracias earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is known for his close relationship with Musk and his role in helping to guide SpaceX's growth from a startup to a dominant player in the aerospace industry.