Silicon Valley: Two 22-Year-Olds Become Youngest Self-Made Billionaires
In a remarkable achievement highlighting the rapid evolution of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, three 22-year-old entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley have become the youngest self-made billionaires. Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, co-founders of the AI recruiting platform Mercor, secured a staggering $350 million in a funding round, elevating the company’s valuation to $10 billion.
Background of the Founders
The trio, who are childhood friends from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, are changing the trajectory of their lives dramatically. Foody serves as the company’s CEO, Hiremath as the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), and Midha as the board chairman. They each hold approximately 22 percent stakes in Mercor, leading to individual net worths exceeding $2 billion.
- Brendan Foody: CEO; studied economics at Georgetown University.
- Adarsh Hiremath: CTO; studied computer science at Harvard University. His parents migrated from Karnataka.
- Surya Midha: Board Chairman; studied foreign service at Georgetown University. His parents emigrated from New Delhi.
Launch and Growth of Mercor
The journey for these entrepreneurs began with casual debates about work’s future during their high school years. After attending prestigious universities, they reunited and launched Mercor in early 2023 while still in school. Initially a freelance marketplace connecting software engineers from India to U.S. startups, the platform quickly evolved into a full-fledged recruitment service.
Mercor now provides a global network of over 30,000 specialists across various sectors, including law, medicine, finance, and engineering. This team focuses on tasks such as data labeling and scenario simulation. Major clients like OpenAI and Google DeepMind engage Mercor to find the talent necessary for enhancing AI capabilities.
Financial Milestones
Mercor’s financial trajectory has been nothing short of spectacular. By mid-2024, the company achieved an annualized revenue of $500 million, an impressive leap from $100 million just months prior. The founders’ startup journey was accelerated by the $100,000 Thiel Fellowship, which they received for skipping traditional college pathways.
| Date | Funding Round | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| September 2024 | Series A | $250 million |
| February 2025 | Series B | $2 billion |
| Recent | Series C | $10 billion |
Future Vision
Looking ahead, Hiremath envisions a unified global labor marketplace by 2035, aiming to connect individuals with jobs seamlessly. The rapid ascendance of Mercor has positioned the founders among the elite in tech innovation.
With their groundbreaking work in the AI sector, the youngest self-made billionaires symbolize the potential and promise of entrepreneurship in today’s fast-paced technological landscape. Mercor’s story is a powerful example of how youthful ambition and intelligent innovation can disrupt industries and create profound economic value.
