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Ellison

Short answer: Larry Ellison was born in New York City in 1944 and adopted as a baby by relatives in Chicago. He left the University of Illinois and later the University of Chicago without a degree.

In 1977 he co-founded Software Development Laboratories with Bob Miner and Ed Oates, colleagues from Ampex, where they had worked on a CIA-funded mass-storage project code-named ORACLE. The company released the first commercial SQL relational database in 1979 and later took the Oracle name. Ellison was CEO from 1977 until September 2014 and is now Oracle's executive chairman and chief technology officer; Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia have been co-CEOs since September 2025. He owns roughly 40% of Oracle, and his fortune moves with its stock: Forbes put it at $167.2 billion on Oct. 17, 2026, after he briefly topped $400 billion in September 2025.

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What should you know about Ellison?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Oracle's name comes from a CIA-funded project code-named ORACLE that its founders had worked on at Ampex.

    DD-069-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit C (The CIA connection)

  2. Ellison stepped down as Oracle's CEO in 2014 but remains its executive chairman and CTO.

    DD-069-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit E (Roles today)

Video transcript: Ellison: Larry Ellison, Oracle's Co-Founder

DID YOU KNOW? Larry Ellison is an American business magnate, co-founder and former CEO of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's largest software and cloud computing companies. Born in 1944 in New York City, and raised in Chicago, Ellison dropped out of college before founding Oracle in 1977, initially building databases for the CIA under the project name Oracle. Known for his competitive drive and sharp business instincts, he grew Oracle into a multi-billion dollar powerhouse that helped define modern enterprise software. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 27.5s Reel ·

Video coming soonEllison · Instagram Reel
Ellison: Larry Ellison, Oracle's Co-Founder Instagram Reel · · 27.5s

The write-up

Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder. He ran Oracle as CEO from 1977 to 2014 and is now its executive chairman and CTO.

  1. Exhibit A

    Early life

    Ellison was born in New York City in 1944. As a baby he was sent to Chicago, where his great-aunt and great-uncle adopted him. He attended the University of Illinois and briefly the University of Chicago but didn't graduate.

  2. Exhibit B

    Three founders

    In 1977, Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates, who had worked together at Ampex, founded Software Development Laboratories. It became Relational Software Inc. in 1979 and later took the name of its product, Oracle.

  3. Exhibit C

    The CIA connection

    The name came from a CIA-funded Ampex mass-storage project code-named ORACLE that the founders had worked on. The CIA was also an early customer of their database.

  4. Exhibit D

    The first SQL database

    Oracle Version 2, released in 1979, was the first commercial SQL relational database management system. It was built on ideas from IBM research that IBM hadn't yet commercialized.

  5. Exhibit E

    Roles today

    Ellison was CEO from 1977 until September 2014. He is now executive chairman and chief technology officer; Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia became co-CEOs in September 2025.

  6. Exhibit F

    Wealth

    Ellison owns roughly 40% of Oracle. Forbes says he became the second person ever worth more than $400 billion in September 2025; on Oct. 17, 2026, it put his net worth at $167.2 billion, eighth in the world.

Questions people ask about Ellison

Where was Larry Ellison raised?

He was born in New York City.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Early life) · Larry Ellison (Biography.com)

Who co-founded the company with Ellison?

It started as Software Development Laboratories.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Three founders) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters)

Where does the name Oracle come from?

The founders had worked on it at Ampex.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The CIA connection) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters); Project ORACLE memorandum, 1975 (CIA FOIA Reading Room)

What did Oracle Version 2 claim to be in 1979?

It built on IBM research ideas.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (The first SQL database) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters)

What are Ellison's roles at Oracle today?

He stepped down as CEO in 2014.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Roles today) · Larry Ellison, Executive Chairman and CTO (Oracle executive biography); Oracle Announces Promotion of Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia to CEOs (Oracle Investor Relations, 2025)

Test Your Knowledge

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5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Where was Larry Ellison raised?

    1. Seattle
    2. Chicago
    3. Austin
    4. Boston
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Chicago He was born in New York City. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Early life) · Larry Ellison (Biography.com)

  2. Who co-founded the company with Ellison?

    1. Bill Gates and Paul Allen
    2. Bob Miner and Ed Oates
    3. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
    4. Safra Catz and Mark Hurd
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Bob Miner and Ed Oates It started as Software Development Laboratories. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Three founders) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters)

  3. Where does the name Oracle come from?

    1. A Greek temple
    2. A CIA-funded project code name
    3. A board game
    4. A brand of computer
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. A CIA-funded project code name The founders had worked on it at Ampex. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The CIA connection) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters); Project ORACLE memorandum, 1975 (CIA FOIA Reading Room)

  4. What did Oracle Version 2 claim to be in 1979?

    1. The first PC
    2. The first commercial SQL relational database
    3. The first search engine
    4. The first cloud
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. The first commercial SQL relational database It built on IBM research ideas. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (The first SQL database) · Oracle 1970s timeline (Oracle Profit, 30th anniversary); Bob Miner (EBSCO Research Starters)

  5. What are Ellison's roles at Oracle today?

    1. CEO
    2. Executive chairman and CTO
    3. Retired
    4. Chief financial officer
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Executive chairman and CTO He stepped down as CEO in 2014. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Roles today) · Larry Ellison, Executive Chairman and CTO (Oracle executive biography); Oracle Announces Promotion of Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia to CEOs (Oracle Investor Relations, 2025)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Ellison." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-069, last updated Nov 15, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ellison/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ellison/ · Last updated

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