Thomas Alva Edison (1847 – 1931) was an American inventor who turned his inventions into successful businesses. His inventions included the development of long-lasting, practical electric light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera. He used mass production to make his products, and he was the first to set up an industrial research laboratory.

He was not just an inventor, but an inventor of things that changed the world. Electricity is now the foundation of almost everything we do. Edison developed the power stations to provide electricity to every business and home. He was also keen on portable power and developed a battery for an electric car.