India is proud to hold a spot in the global tech landscape, as three 22-year-old entrepreneurs of Indian origin have become the youngest self-made billionaires in the world. Their startup, Mercor, is a San Francisco-based AI recruiting powerhouse that recently soared to a $10 billion valuation and earned them a prominent spot on Forbes’ billionaire list.
The three founders-Adarsh Hiremath, a chief technology officer; Surya Midha, board chairman; and their American co-founder, Brendan Foody, chief executive-officer-are all long-time friends and teammates on the Bay Area high school debate circuit. Hiremath and Midha both come from India; they represent a new generation of Indian-origin innovators making waves in Silicon Valley's fast-evolving AI sector.
Founded in 2023, Mercor connects AI labs with domain experts such as scientists, doctors, and lawyers who train foundational AI models, the backbone of next-generation artificial intelligence. Leading AI labs in Silicon Valley have embraced the company's innovative human-in-the-loop approach to hiring, which has propelled Mercor's skyrocketing growth.
The recent funding round, which raised $350 million for Mercor and was led by Felicis Ventures, with participation from Benchmark, General Catalyst, and Robinhood Ventures, confirmed the startup's valuation at a massive $10 billion and catapulted the trio firmly into billionaire status. Each of the founders holds roughly a 22% stake, according to estimates by Forbes, making Hiremath and Midha among India's youngest self-made billionaires in modern history.
This achievement underlines India's growing footprint in globally transformative technologies such as AI. With the critical mass of thriving tech talent and a growing startup ecosystem, the success of these Indian-origin entrepreneurs reflects the rising influence of the country beyond geographical borders.
The story of Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha-in their avoidance of conventional academics, taking to high-impact routes of entrepreneurship facilitated by prestigious programs such as the Thiel Fellowship-says a lot about the new mindset of India's young billionaires. Their innovative blending of human expertise with AI training is a unique hallmark of India's contribution to the latest technology.
As the world moves towards an AI-driven future, the Mercor founders come to represent the potential and promise of Indian talent on the global technology stage-a phenomenon that inspires innumerable budding entrepreneurs across this country.
This story stands as testimony to the dynamic global presence of India's young billionaires in their creation of the future on advanced technology platforms, merging human intelligence with AI.