Tech billionaires who secretly can’t stand each other — and why

We’re used to hearing about celebrities who can’t stand their co-stars, but in Silicon Valley, billionaires throw shade through interviews, social media posts, and product launches.

While they may collaborate publicly, insiders say many of these tech billionaires have more drama behind the scenes than a reality show.

Here’s a look at some of the industry’s most famous feuds, quiet rivalries, and decades-long grudges.

Mark Zuckerberg vs Evan Spiegel

The rivalry between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel began when Spiegel rejected Facebook’s repeated acquisition offers.

Instead of giving up, Zuckerberg launched Instagram Stories, a near clone of Snapchat’s signature feature.

Spiegel has since accused Facebook of “copying instead of innovating,” while Zuckerberg has remained unfazed, calling competition “healthy.”

Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates

One of the earliest and most legendary rivalries, Jobs and Gates’ relationship swung between admiration and hostility.

They revolutionised computing together but often accused each other of stealing ideas. However, before Jobs’ death, both men publicly reconciled.

Bill Gates vs Larry Ellison

This rivalry dates back to 2000 when Oracle’s Larry Ellison hired investigators to dig through Gates’ trash during Microsoft’s antitrust battle.

Though Microsoft lost the case, Ellison’s tactics sparked outrage and revealed just how ruthless the billionaire world could be.

Tim Cook vs Mark Zuckerberg

Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly condemned Facebook’s data practices, saying, “Privacy is a fundamental human right.”

Zuckerberg was reportedly furious, even urging his team to “inflict pain” on Apple after its 2021 privacy update slashed Meta’s ad revenue.

This rivalry remains one of tech’s coldest wars.

Elon Musk vs Jeff Bezos

Musk and Bezos’ “space feud” is legendary. Musk mocks Blue Origin’s rockets as “copycats,” while Bezos questions Musk’s Mars dreams.

Their rivalry stretches from orbit to AI, with each billionaire determined to outdo the other in the race for the future.

Mark Zuckerberg vs Elon Musk

This tension between these two tech titans began in 2016, when a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed a Facebook satellite.

Zuckerberg criticised Musk’s AI warnings as “pretty irresponsible,” to which Musk replied that Zuckerberg’s understanding was “limited.”

In 2021, Musk even implied Facebook played a role in the US Capitol riots, a jab that added another chapter to their long-running rivalry.