At 83, veteran investor Ron Baron is doubling down on one of the biggest bets of his career - SpaceX - and it has caught the attention of Elon Musk himself. As excitement builds around SpaceX’s blockbuster stock market debut, Baron has emerged as one of the company’s most vocal supporters. The billionaire investor recently declared that he believes SpaceX will one day become “the largest, most profitable company on the planet,” a prediction that quickly circulated among investors and Musk followers.Musk’s response was brief but telling. Reacting to Baron’s bullish assessment, the SpaceX founder wrote: “Ron is smart.” The endorsement from Musk drew attention not only because of SpaceX’s soaring valuation, but also because it came in praise of an investor who has spent decades identifying high-growth companies long before they became household names.— elonmusk (@elonmusk) For Baron, the confidence is backed by numbers. His investment firm, Baron Capital, first invested in SpaceX in 2017 when the company was valued at less than $22 billion and later participated in many funding rounds, according to CNBC. According to Baron, that stake has now grown to around $12 billion, making it one of the most successful investments in the firm’s history, according to reports. By the end of March, SpaceX represented a substantial portion of assets in both the Baron Partners Fund and Baron Asset Fund, underscoring just how important the company has become to Baron’s portfolio.Founded by Ron Baron in 1982, Baron Capital has built its reputation on long-term investing and identifying transformative businesses. Baron, who has more than five decades of investment and research experience, began his career as a securities analyst and also worked as a patent examiner while attending law school. Over the years, he became known for backing companies with ambitious growth plans and holding investments for extended periods.His conviction in SpaceX reflects that philosophy. While some analysts have questioned the company's valuation and whether traditional metrics can justify its market worth, Baron remains convinced that the business is only beginning to realize its potential. Beyond investing, Ron Baron is known for a wide range of personal interests that reflect his curiosity outside the world of finance. The 83-year-old billionaire has often spoken about his love for music, particularly iconic artists such as The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel. He is also an admirer of contemporary art and architectureSpaceX record IPOSpaceX’s highly anticipated public debut has generated enormous investor interest. The company raised a record-breaking $75 billion through its offering and entered public markets with a valuation approaching $1.8 trillion, placing it among the largest corporations in the world. The listing is expected to create thousands of new millionaires among current and former employees, while rewarding early investors who backed the company during its private-market years.The offering is also set to dramatically increase Musk’s personal fortune. Before the share sale, a large portion of his wealth was already tied to his ownership stake in SpaceX. Combined with his holdings in other ventures, the company’s market debut is expected to push his net worth beyond the trillion-dollar mark, a milestone never before reached by any individual.