Tell the SBA: Elon Musk Isn’t a Disadvantaged Business

Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, filed as a “small disadvantaged business” on April 24, a designation reserved for companies genuinely owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Yet Musk, one of the world’s wealthiest people, stands to distort this program’s original purpose.

This isn't government scrutiny — this is misuse of a program meant to uplift minority- and woman-owned small businesses. The DOJ has previously fined companies for making false claims about SDB status. Neuralink’s filing came just weeks before its $9 billion valuation — raising urgent questions about whether this timing was strategic.

Even more concerning: Musk was actively dismantling federal agency capacity at DOGE, including diversity, equity, and inclusion funding, while positioning Neuralink to benefit from those same systems.

There’s no federal investigation into Neuralink, but DOJ precedent makes clear what should happen next. The Small Business Administration, under Kelly Loeffler, and President Donald Trump must act before any benefits are awarded. They should revoke Neuralink’s filing, launch a DOJ review, and issue fines for any fraudulent claims.

If we do nothing, this sends a dangerous message: billionaire CEOs can hijack programs built to uplift communities for their own gain. We deserve better—our small businesses do, too.

We need action now—tell the SBA and President Trump: revoke Neuralink’s SDB filing, launch a DOJ review, and stop this misuse — before it’s too late.