Key Takeaways
- Three 22-year-olds become world’s youngest self-made billionaires
- Their AI recruiting platform Mercor valued at $10 billion after $350M funding
- Company serves major AI labs including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind
In a remarkable achievement for the AI sector, three 22-year-old high school friends from Silicon Valley—including two Indian-Americans—have become the world’s youngest self-made billionaires. Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha reached this milestone after their AI recruiting platform Mercor secured $350 million in funding, valuing the company at $10 billion.
The $10 billion valuation gives each founder, holding roughly 22% stakes, a net worth exceeding $2 billion. This achievement dethrones Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, who previously held the record for youngest billionaire at age 23.
Meet the Founders
Foody serves as CEO, Hiremath (whose parents emigrated from Karnataka) is CTO, and Midha (whose parents emigrated from New Delhi) chairs the board. Their journey began at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, where they bonded during late-night debate tournament preparations.
“We were always arguing about the future of work,” Foody recalled in a Forbes interview.
The skills they developed—rapid analysis and persuasive logic—became foundational to their entrepreneurial success.
From College Campuses to Silicon Valley
After high school, the friends attended elite universities: Foody and Midha to Georgetown, Hiremath to Harvard. During their sophomore years in early 2023, they launched Mercor while still studying apart.
The platform initially connected Indian software engineers with US startups needing remote talent. However, it quickly pivoted to meet explosive demand for “human-in-the-loop” services required to refine AI models like ChatGPT.
Mercor’s AI Recruitment Revolution
Mercor has evolved into an AI-powered platform that automates recruitment while providing a global network of vetted contractors. The company now boasts over 30,000 specialists worldwide across law, medicine, finance, and engineering.
These specialists are paid to label data, simulate scenarios, and provide the nuanced human judgment that algorithms cannot replicate.
Impressive Client Roster and Operations
Mercor’s clients include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and six of the “Magnificent Seven” tech giants. The platform helps these companies source talent needed to transform raw computing power into smarter AI.
The lean operation runs with just 30 employees, with a median age of 22. Hiremath envisions Mercor building a unified global labor marketplace by 2035, seamlessly matching people with jobs and tasks.
Rapid Growth Trajectory
Mercor’s growth has been extraordinary. By mid-2024, the company reached $500 million in annualized revenue, up from $100 million just months earlier.
The founders, all Thiel Fellowship recipients who skipped college, accelerated through funding rounds at breakneck pace. A $32 million Series A in September 2024 valued Mercor at $250 million, followed by a $100 million Series B in February 2025 that pushed valuation to $2 billion.
VC observers declared it Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing startup. The final boost came when Meta’s $14.3 billion acquisition of Mercor’s main rival, Scale AI, prompted major AI labs to seek neutral alternatives, turning to Mercor in large numbers.
The recent $350 million Series C funding round officially propelled the founders into the billionaire club.
