Lucy Guo Becomes World’s Youngest Self-Made Woman Billionaire, Shares Key to Success

At just 30 years old, Lucy Guo, co-founder of Scale AI, has become the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire, surpassing pop superstar Taylor Swift with a fortune valued at $1.4 billion. Known for her entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, Guo credits her success not to luck, but to persistence, confidence, and the willingness to embrace rejection.
Speaking at the Forbes 2025 Under 30 Summit in Columbus, Ohio, Guo encouraged aspiring professionals to seek help without hesitation. “People are often too afraid to ask. Most of the time, someone is willing to say yes. One ‘yes’ can change everything,” she said, emphasizing the importance of resilience and confidence in building a career.
Guo’s entrepreneurial journey began in childhood. Growing up in a household with immigrant parents who prioritized education, she initially faced resistance when she decided to leave college. “I wanted to achieve things on my own and figured out how to make money,” Guo recalls. Her first ventures included selling Pokémon cards and creating virtual bots on Neopets, eventually building her own website by the third grade.
Her wealth primarily stems from Scale AI, a San Francisco-based startup she co-founded in 2016 that labels data for artificial intelligence systems. Although she stepped away from day-to-day operations in 2018, Guo retained a 5% stake in the company, which has since skyrocketed in value.
Following Scale AI, she co-founded Backend Capital, a venture firm focused on supporting emerging engineering talent, and later launched Passes, a platform that empowers creators with modern monetization tools. Guo now serves as the CEO of Passes, continuing her mission to innovate and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Guo’s story is a testament to determination, creative thinking, and the courage to challenge conventional paths—proof that success favors those willing to take risks and persevere.