“First time I’ve ever heard of him”: Elon Musk on Kairan Quazi, who joined SpaceX at 14 and is now leaving

Elon Musk has downplayed his awareness of Kairan Quazi, the 16-year-old prodigy who recently made headlines for leaving SpaceX to join Citadel Securities. When asked about Quazi’s move, Musk responded on X, “First time I’ve ever heard of him,” surprising many who followed the teenager’s meteoric rise. Quazi, who joined SpaceX at just 14, had been working in the company’s Starlink division, where he contributed to production-critical software that improved satellite accuracy and ensured reliable internet coverage for millions of users. Now, he is leaving aerospace behind for the fast-paced world of quantitative finance.Despite Kairan Quazi’s contributions making headlines, Elon Musk insisted he had never heard of him. In a post on X, Musk shared a Fortune article about Quazi’s move and added, “First time I’ve ever heard of him.” His response surprised many, given Quazi’s status as SpaceX’s youngest-ever employee and his work on the company’s Starlink division.Kairan Quazi is a prodigious talent of Bangladeshi origin who has been widely celebrated as one of the youngest tech prodigies in the world. He became the youngest graduate from Santa Clara University at age 14, earning a degree in computer science and engineering. Long before that milestone, Quazi had already drawn attention for his advanced intellectual abilities, reportedly reading complex materials and solving problems far beyond his age level while still in elementary school. By the time he was 9, he was interning at labs and working on AI-related projects, impressing senior researchers with his capacity to understand highly technical concepts. He also completed internships at Intel Labs and participated in advanced AI research, further cementing his reputation as a rising star in the tech community. His extraordinary academic and professional trajectory made him a media sensation before he even entered his teenage years, with many describing him as an example of what accelerated learning and strong mentorship can achieve.At SpaceX, Quazi worked in the Starlink division, developing and maintaining software critical for satellite operations. His contributions focused on enhancing the accuracy and reliability of Starlink’s internet beams, which provide connectivity to millions worldwide. Joining the company at only 14, he became SpaceX’s youngest employee, a milestone that further cemented his reputation as one of the most remarkable young talents in technology.After two years at SpaceX, Quazi felt ready for a new challenge. He said he wanted to work in an environment where the feedback cycle was faster and the results of his efforts could be seen more immediately. Aerospace projects often take years to show results, while the world of quantitative finance provides almost instant feedback. That difference drew him to Citadel Securities, a leading Wall Street trading firm known for its competitive and meritocratic culture.At Citadel Securities, Quazi has joined as a global trading infrastructure engineer, sometimes called a quantitative developer. He chose this role over opportunities at major AI labs and tech firms, citing the firm’s culture of rewarding talent and its ability to provide high-impact results within days. For Quazi, quantitative finance offered both prestige and the intellectual rigor he had enjoyed in engineering and AI research, but with the added appeal of speed and tangible outcomes.By age 10, Quazi had already been interning in research labs. At 11, he enrolled in university, at 14 he joined SpaceX, and now, at 16, he is beginning a career in quantitative finance at one of the most prestigious firms in the world. His unusual journey has drawn significant media attention, making him a standout figure among his generation. While Musk may not have noticed him personally, Kairan Quazi’s path continues to inspire fascination across both the technology and finance industries.