JB Straubel

Jeffrey Brian Straubel, known as J.B., was, along with Elon Musk, one of Tesla’s founders. As chief technology officer, Mr. Straubel, an engineer, was in charge of Tesla’s battery cell design and other innovations. Forbes magazine compared the relationship of Mr. Musk and Mr. Straubel to that of the Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak and has estimated Mr. Straubel’s net worth at $140 million. He stepped down from his position as chief technology officer in 2019. He married Boryana Straubel in 2013 and started the Straubel Foundation, which focuses on environmental sustainability, in 2015. Ms. Straubel was its executive director. She died in a bicycle accident in June 2021 at age 38, leaving him with two young sons.