Canon vs SpaceX: Founders, CEOs and History
Canon was founded in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and is led by Fujio Mitarai. SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk and is led by Elon Musk.
Company facts
Founders
Canon
Takeshi Mitarai
Takeshi Mitarai supported the camera laboratory that Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda opened in 1933, and became president of its successor, Precision Optical Industry, Co., Ltd., in 1942.
Goro Yoshida
Yoshida took apart a Leica Model II and, as he later recalled, was angered to find it was built from brass, aluminium, iron and rubber yet sold for 420 yen.
Saburo Uchida
Saburo Uchida (1899-1982) co-founded the Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory with Goro Yoshida, his brother-in-law, and Takeo Maeda in November 1933.
Takeo Maeda
Takeo Maeda (1909-1977) was the youngest of the founding group. A former subordinate of Saburo Uchida, he joined Uchida and Goro Yoshida in opening the Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Roppongi in November 1933 and worked on the Kwanon prototype and…
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
Canon
- Takeshi Mitarai1942–1974
President
An obstetrician who backed the 1933 camera laboratory, he became president of Precision Optical Industry in 1942 and led the company as it became Canon Camera Co. in 1947, listed in Tokyo in 1949 and opened sales offices in New York and Geneva in the 1950s.
Source - Ryuzaburo Kaku1977–1989
President, later Chairman
As President, he aggressively challenged Xerox's monopoly in the copier market by introducing affordable, personal laser printers and copiers.
Source - Fujio Mitarai1995–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Born in 1935 and a nephew of Takeshi Mitarai, he joined Canon in 1961, ran Canon U.S.A. as president from 1979 to 1989 and became president of Canon Inc. in 1995.
Source - Tsuneji Uchida2006–2012
President and Chief Operating Officer
During his tenure as President, he maintained strong profitability through strict cost-cutting measures despite the brutal collapse of the digital compact camera market.
Source - Masaya Maeda2016–2020
President and Chief Operating Officer
He led the Image Communication Products group during the height of the DSLR era, cementing Canon's position as the global market leader in interchangeable lens cameras.
Source - Kazuto Ogawa2026–present
President and Chief Operating Officer
Joined Canon in 1981 and led Canon Singapore (2005), Canon Canada (2008) and Canon U.S.A. as President and COO (2018).
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: Canon and SpaceX side by side
1933Canon
Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory opens
Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda open a camera laboratory in a Roppongi apartment in Tokyo to build a Japanese 35mm camera that could rival the Leica.
1934Canon
Kwanon prototype
Yoshida builds the Kwanon, Japan's first 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera prototype, named after the Buddhist goddess of mercy. It never goes on sale.
1936Canon
Hansa Canon goes on sale
The lab's first commercial camera, the Hansa Canon, uses a Nikkor lens and rangefinder supplied by Nippon Kogaku, the predecessor of Nikon. The 'Canon' trademark had been filed in 1935.
1937Canon
Precision Optical Industry incorporated
The business is incorporated on August 10, 1937 as Precision Optical Industry, Co., Ltd. Takeshi Mitarai becomes president in 1942.
1949Canon
Tokyo Stock Exchange listing
Canon Camera Co. (renamed in 1947) lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange when postwar trading resumes, and opens a New York branch in 1955.
1964Canon
Canola 130 calculator
Canon moves beyond cameras with the Canola 130 desktop electronic calculator, followed in 1970 by Japan's first plain-paper copier, the NP-1100, and its first semiconductor lithography tool, the PPC-1.
1969Canon
Renamed Canon Inc.
Canon Camera Co. changes its name to Canon Inc. to reflect a product range that now spans business machines as well as cameras.
1987Canon
EOS system launches
Canon launches the EOS 650 and the all-electronic EF lens mount, the base of its autofocus SLR and later digital SLR lines.
1995Canon
Fujio Mitarai becomes president
Fujio Mitarai takes over as president, exits personal computers and other loss-making lines, and in 1996 starts the Excellent Global Corporation Plan.
2002SpaceX
SpaceX is founded
Elon Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to reduce launch costs and make Mars settlement technically possible.
2003Canon
Start of No. 1 camera share run
Canon takes the No. 1 share of the global interchangeable-lens digital camera market, a position it has held every year through 2025.
2008SpaceX
Falcon 1 reaches orbit
Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to reach orbit, rescuing SpaceX after three failed attempts.
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.
2015SpaceX
Falcon 9 booster landing
SpaceX landed an orbital-class booster, establishing the technical base for reusable launch economics.
2016Canon
Toshiba Medical acquisition
Canon completes the ¥665.5 billion (about $5.9 billion) purchase of Toshiba Medical Systems in December 2016, later renamed Canon Medical Systems.
2017SpaceX
Orbital booster reflight
SpaceX reflown an orbital-class booster, pushing reuse from demonstration into operating model.
2018Canon
EOS R mirrorless system
Canon launches the full-frame EOS R mirrorless system and RF lens mount.
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.
2023Canon
Nanoimprint lithography launch
Canon releases the FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint lithography system in October 2023, able to pattern 14 nm lines, and delists its ADRs from the New York Stock Exchange in March.
2023SpaceX
Starship flight testing begins
SpaceX conducted the first integrated Starship flight test, starting the high-risk development cycle for its next launch system.
2024Canon
First NIL shipment and medical impairment
Canon ships its first nanoimprint system to the Texas Institute for Electronics on September 26, 2024, and books a ~$1.11 billion (¥165.1 billion) goodwill impairment on its medical business for the year.
2025Canon
Record net sales of ~$31 billion (¥4,624.7 billion)
Canon reports record 2025 net sales of ~$31 billion (¥4,624.7 billion) and net income attributable to Canon Inc. of ~$2.23 billion (¥332.1 billion).
2025SpaceX
FY2025 revenue reaches $18.674B
SpaceX reported $18.674B in FY2025 revenue and a $4.937B net loss in its 2026 prospectus.
2026Canon
Phase VII plan and new president
Canon unveils its 2026-2030 Phase VII plan, merges Canon Medical's operations into Canon Inc. on April 1, and appoints Kazuto Ogawa President and COO on March 27 while Fujio Mitarai stays Chairman and CEO.
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
Canon
- Canon Electronics (minority shares)2026Undisclosed
- Redlen Technologies2021$335M
- BriefCam2018Undisclosed
- Kite2017Undisclosed
- Toshiba Medical Systems2016$5.9B
- Axis Communications2015$2.8B
Questions about Canon vs SpaceX
Who is the CEO of Canon Inc. and SpaceX?
Canon Inc. is led by Fujio Mitarai 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 Canon Inc. founded vs SpaceX?
Canon Inc. was founded in 1937 — 65 years before SpaceX, which was founded in 2002. Canon Inc.'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 Canon Inc. have compared to SpaceX?
Canon Inc. employs approximately 165,547 people, while SpaceX employs approximately 22,621. Canon Inc. has the larger workforce at 165,547 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 Canon Inc. and SpaceX headquartered?
Canon Inc. is headquartered in Japan and SpaceX is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Canon Inc. and SpaceX?
Canon Inc. was founded by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida, Takeo Maeda. SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk.
Which company has a longer operating history — Canon Inc. or SpaceX?
Canon Inc. has been operating for approximately 89 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 Canon vs SpaceX overview