In December 2016, Elon Musk found himself frustrated in LA traffic and tweeted about building a tunnel boring machine. Most dismissed it as a joke, but within weeks, The Boring Company was formed, aiming to create a network of underground tunnels to alleviate congestion.
Despite skepticism from Wall Street, which labeled it a distraction, Musk pressed on. In 2017, The Boring Company raised $112.5 million, with $100 million coming directly from Musk. They even sold 20,000 flamethrowers to fund the venture, showcasing Musk’s unconventional approach.
By 2018, The Boring Company had completed its first test tunnel in Hawthorne, California, at just $10 million per mile—dramatically cheaper than the traditional $1 billion per mile. Musk achieved this by innovating with smaller tunnel diameters and continuous tunneling technology.
In 2019, they secured a significant contract to build an underground transport system for the Las Vegas Convention Center. By 2021, after completing this project, The Boring Company raised $675 million at a $5.7 billion valuation, proving its capability and gaining Wall Street's attention.
The real breakthrough came in 2023, when The Boring Company shifted focus to utility tunnels, which can house vital infrastructure like water and electrical systems for growing cities. This pivot opened a market potential worth trillions. Today, The Boring Company is actively working on projects in several states and is in negotiations with cities globally, marking its transformation from a bold idea to a major player in infrastructure development.
For ongoing updates and insights, stay tuned.