Jeffrey 'J.B.' Brian Straubel is an American businessman and engineer, the self-made billionaire Co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, Inc. and the Founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, Inc., a leader in lithium-ion battery recycling. Born in 1976, his career is rooted in a lifelong passion for energy, sustainability, and electric vehicles (EVs).

Straubel holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Systems Engineering from Stanford University. As an undergraduate, he designed his own major in energy systems engineering and rebuilt an old Porsche into an electric car. His philosophy centers on the conviction that lithium-ion batteries were the key to mass-market EV adoption and a commitment to circular economy solutions for battery materials.

• Tesla, Inc. (Co-founder & Former CTO): The foundational role in pioneering EV technology, leading battery cell design, and the Gigafactory concept. He was employee number 5.
• Redwood Materials, Inc. (Founder & CEO): The core current asset, a leader in lithium-ion battery recycling and circular economy solutions for the EV supply chain.
• Academic Background: He holds two degrees from Stanford University (Mechanical Engineering/Energy Systems).
• Pioneering EV: He was instrumental in challenging the limitations of lead-acid batteries for long-range electric vehicles.

J.B. Straubel co-founded Tesla in 2003 and was employee number 5, serving as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) until 2019. His strategic genius was leading battery cell design, supply chain development, and the Gigafactory concept, which achieved the necessary scale for mass EV production. He had a direct role in R&D, intellectual property (IP), and systems validation testing at Tesla, successfully guiding the company from prototype cars to mass production of the Model 3.

In 2019, Straubel stepped down as CTO to found Redwood Materials, recognizing the next structural challenge: battery recycling. Redwood is focused on rebuilding domestic capabilities for a closed-loop battery supply chain in the U.S. His wealth is secured by his long-term stake in Tesla and the immense valuation of Redwood Materials, cementing his status as a key pioneer of the global EV and clean energy supply chain.

J.B. Straubel's social impact is massive and structural, tied to Tesla's role in accelerating the global EV transition and Redwood Materials' role in creating a sustainable, circular economy for critical battery materials. His work is foundational to the clean energy revolution. He is a strong advocate for energy and sustainability education (consulting with Amory Lovins at the Rocky Mountain Institute).

His career is a powerful narrative of an engineer who successfully applied his vision to reinvent every aspect of the electric vehicle and battery supply chain, from design to recycling.

J.B. Straubel maintains the pragmatic, functional style of an engineer. His attire is consistently modern and unostentatious, reflecting his commitment to science, efficiency, and sustainability. His aesthetic is one of intellectual authority and focus.

Residing in the U.S., his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to battery technology, recycling innovation, and the circular economy for critical EV components.