Bristol-Myers Squibb vs SpaceX: Founders, CEOs and History
Bristol-Myers Squibb was founded in 1887 by Edward Robinson Squibb, William McLaren Bristol, John Ripley Myers and is led by Christopher Boerner. SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk and is led by Elon Musk.
Company facts
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Founded
- 1887
- Headquarters
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Current CEO
- Christopher Boerner
- Employees
- 32,500
SpaceX
- Founded
- 2002
- Headquarters
- Starbase, Texas; major operations in Hawthorne, California
- Current CEO
- Elon Musk
- Employees
- 22,621
Founders
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Edward Robinson Squibb
Squibb resigned his Navy post and opened a small laboratory in Brooklyn in 1858 to make pure ether, chloroform and other medicines.
William McLaren Bristol
In 1887 Bristol and Myers bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company of Clinton, New York, reportedly for about $5,000.
John Ripley Myers
Myers and Bristol bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company in Clinton, New York, in 1887 and renamed it Bristol, Myers and Company in 1898.
SpaceX
Elon Musk
Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, and emigrated to Canada at age 17 before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned dual degrees in economics and physics.
CEOs and their tenures
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Charles A. Heimbold Jr.1994–2001
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 1994 to 2001, he aggressively expanded the company's oncology portfolio, notably launching the blockbuster cancer drug Taxol, which drove massive revenue growth.
Source - Peter R. Dolan2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
Dolan, who had run the consumer products and medical device divisions, succeeded Charles Heimbold in May 2001. His tenure included the ImClone partnership on the cancer drug Erbitux and a federal investigation into wholesaler inventory practices.
Source - James M. Cornelius2006–2010
Chief Executive Officer
Cornelius took over after Peter Dolan's removal in September 2006 and ran the company until May 2010.
Source - Lamberto Andreotti2010–2015
Chief Executive Officer
Andreotti, previously president and chief operating officer, became CEO on May 4, 2010.
Source - Giovanni Caforio2015–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Caforio, a physician, succeeded Lamberto Andreotti in May 2015. He led the $74 billion Celgene acquisition in 2019, the $13.1 billion MyoKardia deal in 2020 and the $4.1 billion Turning Point deal in 2022, and agreed the Mirati purchase in October 2023.
Source - Chris Boerner2023–present
Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Boerner became CEO in November 2023 and board chair on April 1, 2024, after serving as executive vice president, chief operating officer and CEO-designate from April 2023 and earlier as chief commercialization officer.
Source
SpaceX
- Elon Musk2002–present
Founder, CEO & Chief Engineer
Under Musk, SpaceX became the highest-cadence launch provider and built Starlink into its largest revenue segment. He led the company through its June 12, 2026 IPO, priced at $135 per share and raising $85.7 billion.
Source - Gwynne Shotwell2002–present
President and Chief Operating Officer
As President and COO since 2008, she has managed day-to-day operations and strategic customer relationships, guiding the company to unprecedented launch cadences and billions in recurring Starlink revenues.
Source
Timeline: Bristol-Myers Squibb and SpaceX side by side
1858Bristol-Myers Squibb
Edward Robinson Squibb opens his Brooklyn laboratory
Navy surgeon Edward Robinson Squibb started making pure ether and other medicines in Brooklyn. The laboratory burned down on Christmas Eve 1858 and reopened in 1859 after local doctors and surgeons contributed $2,100.
1887Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol and Myers buy the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company
Hamilton College graduates William McLaren Bristol and John Ripley Myers bought the Clinton Pharmaceutical Company of Clinton, New York, the business that became Bristol-Myers.
1898Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol, Myers and Company is named
The founders renamed the business Bristol, Myers and Company in May 1898. After Myers died in 1899 it became Bristol-Myers, which built national brands in Sal Hepatica and, from 1901, Ipana toothpaste.
1944Bristol-Myers Squibb
Penicillin at wartime scale
Squibb opened what was then the world's largest penicillin plant in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Bristol-Myers had bought Cheplin Biological Laboratories in East Syracuse, New York, in 1943 and converted it to penicillin for Allied forces.
1989Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers and Squibb merge
Bristol-Myers and Squibb combined to form Bristol-Myers Squibb, uniting a consumer and pharmaceutical company with a research-led drugmaker.
2002SpaceX
SpaceX is founded
Elon Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to reduce launch costs and make Mars settlement technically possible.
2006Bristol-Myers Squibb
CEO Peter Dolan removed over the Plavix deal
After an FBI raid in July 2006 over a patent settlement with generic maker Apotex on the blood thinner Plavix, the federal monitor urged the board to remove CEO Peter Dolan, who stepped down on September 12, 2006.
2008SpaceX
Falcon 1 reaches orbit
Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to reach orbit, rescuing SpaceX after three failed attempts.
2009Bristol-Myers Squibb
Medarex bought and Mead Johnson split off
BMS bought Medarex, gaining Yervoy and a share of what became Opdivo, and split off Mead Johnson Nutrition in an exchange offer, completing its shift to a specialty biopharmaceutical company.
2011Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Yervoy
Yervoy (ipilimumab) became the first drug shown to extend overall survival in advanced melanoma, opening BMS's immuno-oncology franchise.
2012Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Eliquis
The FDA approved Eliquis (apixaban), developed with Pfizer, in December 2012 for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. It became BMS's largest product, with $14.4 billion of sales in 2025.
2012SpaceX
Dragon reaches the ISS
Dragon became the first private spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station, proving SpaceX could serve NASA cargo missions.
2014Bristol-Myers Squibb
FDA approves Opdivo
The FDA approved the PD-1 inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab) in December 2014 for advanced melanoma. It reached $10.0 billion of sales in 2025.
2015SpaceX
Falcon 9 booster landing
SpaceX landed an orbital-class booster, establishing the technical base for reusable launch economics.
2017SpaceX
Orbital booster reflight
SpaceX reflown an orbital-class booster, pushing reuse from demonstration into operating model.
2019Bristol-Myers Squibb
Celgene acquisition closes
BMS completed its $74 billion purchase of Celgene on November 20, 2019, adding Revlimid, Pomalyst, Reblozyl and CAR-T programs. Celgene sold Otezla to Amgen for $13.4 billion to win regulatory approval.
2020Bristol-Myers Squibb
MyoKardia deal and a GAAP loss
BMS bought MyoKardia for $13.1 billion, gaining mavacamten (Camzyos). The deal's $11.4 billion in-process R&D charge pushed 2020 to a net loss despite $42.5 billion of revenue.
2020SpaceX
Crew Dragon carries astronauts
SpaceX became the first private company to carry astronauts to orbit, restoring U.S. crew launch capability.
2021SpaceX
Acquired Swarm Technologies
SpaceX acquired Swarm Technologies.
2022Bristol-Myers Squibb
Turning Point bought as Revlimid generics arrive
BMS completed the $4.1 billion purchase of Turning Point Therapeutics in August 2022 while volume-limited generic lenalidomide began eroding Revlimid, which had peaked at $12.8 billion in 2021.
2023Bristol-Myers Squibb
Chris Boerner becomes CEO
Chris Boerner succeeded Giovanni Caforio as chief executive in November 2023 and became board chair on April 1, 2024. Weeks earlier BMS had agreed to buy Mirati, and in December it agreed to buy Karuna and RayzeBio.
2023SpaceX
Starship flight testing begins
SpaceX conducted the first integrated Starship flight test, starting the high-risk development cycle for its next launch system.
2024Bristol-Myers Squibb
Karuna, Mirati and RayzeBio close; Cobenfy approved
The three deals closed between January and March 2024. On September 26, 2024 the FDA approved Cobenfy, the first schizophrenia drug that targets muscarinic rather than dopamine receptors. The Karuna charge produced an $8.9 billion net loss for 2024.
2025Bristol-Myers Squibb
BioNTech partnership, Orbital deal and $48.2B revenue
BMS agreed in June 2025 to co-develop BioNTech's bispecific BNT327 and in October 2025 to buy Orbital Therapeutics for $1.5 billion. Full-year revenue was $48.2 billion with the Growth Portfolio up 17 percent.
2025SpaceX
FY2025 revenue reaches $18.674B
SpaceX reported $18.674B in FY2025 revenue and a $4.937B net loss in its 2026 prospectus.
2026Bristol-Myers Squibb
Guidance raised and merger reports denied
On July 30, 2026 BMS raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $49.0 to $50.0 billion after second-quarter revenue of $12.97 billion. In August, reports of AstraZeneca merger talks were followed by a senior source telling Reuters there were no discussions.
2026SpaceX
Prospectus lists SPCX and Starlink scale
The 2026 prospectus described a Nasdaq listing under SPCX and about 10.3M Starlink subscribers as of March 31, 2026.
Acquisitions
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Orbital Therapeutics2025$1.5B
- Mirati Therapeutics2024$4.8B
- RayzeBio2024$4.1B
- Karuna Therapeutics2024$14B
- Turning Point Therapeutics2022$4.1B
- MyoKardia2020$13.1B
Questions about Bristol-Myers Squibb vs SpaceX
Who is the CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and SpaceX?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is led by Christopher Boerner and SpaceX is led by Elon Musk. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Bristol-Myers Squibb Company founded vs SpaceX?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was founded in 1887 — 115 years before SpaceX, which was founded in 2002. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger SpaceX.
How many employees does Bristol-Myers Squibb Company have compared to SpaceX?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company employs approximately 32,500 people, while SpaceX employs approximately 22,621. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has the larger workforce at 32,500 employees, compared to SpaceX's 22,621. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and SpaceX headquartered?
Both Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and SpaceX are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and SpaceX?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was founded by Edward Robinson Squibb, William McLaren Bristol, John Ripley Myers. SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk.
Which company has a longer operating history — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or SpaceX?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has been operating for approximately 139 years, making it the more established of the two companies. SpaceX has been in operation for around 24 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Bristol-Myers Squibb vs SpaceX overview