How many times did thomas edison fail before inventing the lightbulb

he failed thousands of times

Explanation:

There is no known number for his failings. Edison may have failed in many of his experiments and in his schooling, but he had something better working in his favor. He had great determination and persistence.

He failed thousands of times in an attempt to develop an electric light, the great Edison simply viewed each unsuccessful experiment as the elimination of a solution that wouldn't work, thereby moving him that much closer to a successful solution.