Origins & Early Life

Anousheh Ansari (Persian: انوشه انصاری; née Raissyan; born September 12, 1966) is an Iranian-American engineer, space tourist, and entrepreneur. Ansari is the CEO of XPRIZE Foundation. Ansari and her family sponsored XPRIZE’s first venture in 1994: the $10 million Ansari XPRIZE. Prior to XPRIZE, Ansari was the CEO and Chairwoman of Prodea Systems, an Internet of Things (IoT) technology firm she co-founded in 2006.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

While under her leadership, the company earned recognition as one of Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest-growing companies and Deloitte & Touche’s Fast 500 technology companies. Ansari was the fourth overall self-funded space tourist and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station. Her memoir My Dream of Stars, co-written with American engineer Homer Hickam, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2010. Born Anousheh Raissyan in Mashhad, Iran, she and her parents moved to Tehran shortly afterward.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

When Ansari was six years old, her parents divorced. Ansari has a sister, Atousa Raissyan, who is five years younger. At the age of six, Ansari would visit her grandparents and sleep overnight on the balcony, as there was no air conditioning. Ansari...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. R. Rahman — Contemporary (Born in 1966) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• Abe Saperstein — Contemporary (Died in 1966) (1966): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Adam Sandler — Contemporary (Born in 1966) (1966): Acclaimed comedian and actor known for his prolific career in Hollywood comedy.
• Alexander Radishchev — Shared historical date (09-12 · Died) (1802): Pioneering Russian social critic whose work exposed the harsh realities of Tsarist Russia.
• Anne Bracegirdle — Shared historical date (09-12 · Died) (1748): Renowned English actress and soprano, celebrated for her vocal performances.
• Alain Mabanckou — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Congolese novelist and academic exploring contemporary Africa and the diaspora experience.
• Alberto Giacometti — Historical peer (Died in 1966) (1966): Swiss master of existential sculpture, known for elongated, fragile human figures.
• Ahmed Ali (writer) — Historical peer (Died in 1994) (1994): Pioneering Urdu writer, poet, and diplomat from British India to Pakistan.
• Alexia Putellas — Historical peer (Born in 1994) (1994): One of the greatest female footballers, known for her midfield brilliance and success with Barcelona and Spain.
• Aaron Spelling — Historical peer (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• 1966 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1966
• September 12 (09-12) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 12