Three Indian-American entrepreneurs, Adarsh Hiremath, Brendan Foody, and Surya Midha, have made global headlines as the youngest self-made billionaires at just 22 years old. Their AI-powered recruiting startup, Mercor, recently achieved a $10 billion valuation, cementing their place in history and surpassing previous record-holders, including Mark Zuckerberg. Each founder holds an estimated 22% stake in the company.
Mercor’s rise reflects the growing influence of AI in transforming traditional industries. The platform streamlines hiring by using sophisticated algorithms to identify, assess, and match top talent with employers. Candidates can even undergo interviews with AI avatars, making the recruitment process faster and more precise. The startup’s innovative approach addresses inefficiencies in conventional hiring practices, particularly in high-demand tech sectors.
The founders’ backgrounds contributed to their success. Foody grew up in a family of software engineers and launched his first tech venture at 16, helping peers secure roles on Amazon Web Services. Hiremath and Midha, longtime friends since childhood, shared interests in technology and debate competitions before joining forces with Foody. Hiremath also conducted research on labor markets at Harvard under economist Larry Summers, who later became an investor in Mercor.
Mercor initially focused on connecting Indian engineers with US companies seeking freelance coders. The platform expanded into AI data labeling for leading organizations like OpenAI, leading to rapid growth. By October 2025, the company reported an annualized revenue run rate of $500 million, a significant increase from $100 million in March. The startup’s achievements earned the founders spots on the Forbes 2025 Under 30 list and the Forbes Cloud 100 list, highlighting their impact on the AI and tech ecosystem.
All three founders are Thiel Fellows, part of Peter Thiel’s initiative that supports young innovators with $100,000 grants for skipping college to build transformative businesses. Mercor’s AI talent marketplace continues to redefine recruitment by evaluating skills, predicting performance under pressure, and significantly reducing hiring timelines. This combination of technological innovation and entrepreneurial vision has propelled these 22-year-olds into Silicon Valley’s elite and reshaped the future of hiring globally.
