10 Most Successful Young Entrepreneurs: Inspiring Stories Of Early Starters

When we picture business founders, we often imagine experienced adults armed with decades of know-how. Yet history shows that some of the most iconic startups sprang from the minds of youngest entrepreneurs with bold ideas well before they turned thirty—or even twenty in some cases. From social media giants to candy empires, these innovators prove that age is only a number. Whether they were nine years old or just out of college, each one tackled real-world problems and used creativity, tech-savviness, or sheer determination to build thriving ventures. In this article, we’ll profile ten of the most successful young people who launched businesses in their teens or early twenties, eventually reshaping industries and inspiring countless others to follow suit. 

You’ll learn about each founder’s backstory, the age at which they started, and the key to their success. Above all, these tales highlight the importance of self-belief, curiosity, and resilience. If you’ve ever thought you were “too young” to make a mark, these examples might change your mind. The stories also illustrate a broader lesson: the youngest entrepreneurs often bring fresh perspectives unburdened by conventional wisdom, which can be an incredible advantage in fast-moving markets. Let’s dive into each remarkable case.

10) Alina Morse – Zolli Candy (Started At Age 9)‍

Kicking off our list is Alina Morse, who astonished many by founding Zolli Candy at just nine years old. It all began when she asked a simple question: “Why can’t we make candy that’s actually good for your teeth?” Encouraged by her father and guided by curiosity, Alina embarked on a quest to create lollipops without loads of sugar, focusing on natural sweeteners like xylitol. Her end product, Zollipops, soon gained traction in health-conscious families and even scored a spot on the shelves of Walmart and other major retailers. Now a teen, Alina stands as one of the youngest entrepreneurs proving that creativity plus concern for well-being can carve out a profitable niche. She also devotes part of her profits to educational programs teaching kids about oral hygiene. Balancing homework with running a candy brand is no small feat, but Alina’s example shows how passion can fuel success at any age.

9) Kylie Jenner – Kylie Cosmetics (Started At Age 18)

‍Next is Kylie Jenner, who transformed her reality TV fame into a cosmetics empire before she turned twenty. After noticing how fans fixated on her makeup routines—especially her lips—she saw a golden opportunity. Launching Kylie Cosmetics at 18, she introduced lip kits that sold out within minutes. The combination of Kylie’s massive social media following, plus the exclusivity of limited drops, fueled explosive growth. According to Forbes, at one point the company was valued in the hundreds of millions. Whether you follow celebrity culture or not, Kylie’s strategy of leveraging personal branding to drive product sales remains a masterclass in modern marketing. Critics argued that starting with a famous name gave her an unfair edge, but many of the youngest entrepreneurs similarly use any resource they have—be it social platforms, supportive networks, or innovative ideas—to get a head start. Today, Kylie Cosmetics continues to expand into skincare and partnerships, reflecting how a single product idea can evolve into a global brand.

8) Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook (Started At Age 19)‍

No list of youngest entrepreneurs can ignore Mark Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook from his Harvard dorm at 19. What started as a small site for college students to connect soon became a global phenomenon with billions of users. Zuckerberg’s ability to scale rapidly, forging new features like the News Feed, mobile apps, and ad platforms, led Facebook to dominate the social media landscape. While the company’s journey hasn’t been free of controversies—privacy concerns, misinformation, and antitrust debates—it undeniably transformed how the world communicates. Today, Facebook (rebranded as Meta) invests in everything from virtual reality headsets to the “metaverse,” aiming to shape online social experiences. The lesson from Zuckerberg’s story is that even a college side project, if nurtured and scaled effectively, can redefine entire industries. His path highlights the potential pitfalls too: as a founder, you must handle ethical and regulatory challenges alongside rapid growth.

7) Bill Gates – Microsoft (Started At Age 20)

‍Though now recognized as a leading philanthropist, Bill Gates was once among the youngest entrepreneurs making waves in tech. At 20, he co-founded Microsoft with his friend Paul Allen, aiming to create software that would put a computer on every desk and in every home. Back in the mid-1970s, personal computing was a fringe concept, but Gates had the foresight to see how software would drive the industry forward. Microsoft’s MS-DOS and later Windows operating systems essentially became the backbone of personal computing, skyrocketing the company’s success. Gates’ keen sense of negotiation (famously securing a deal with IBM for MS-DOS without handing over rights), combined with Microsoft’s relentless innovation, cemented its dominance for decades. While Gates stepped back from day-to-day operations years ago, the company he built still shapes business and personal tech worldwide. His story underscores how raw passion for programming, matched with strategic business thinking, can catapult you from college dropout to industry titan.

6) Steve Jobs – Apple (Started At Age 21)

‍Talk about founding a tech empire in a garage: Steve Jobs co-created Apple alongside Steve Wozniak when Jobs was just 21. That small operation launched the Apple I in 1976, then the Apple II, which revolutionized personal computing. Jobs quickly became known for his visionary product design, unwavering focus on simplicity, and knack for compelling marketing. The success of the Macintosh, and later products like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, turned Apple into one of the most valuable companies globally. But Jobs’ journey wasn’t linear—he faced internal conflicts, even leaving Apple at one point. He returned in 1997, orchestrating an incredible turnaround. Jobs’ path exemplifies how youngest entrepreneurs can blend artistry and technical acumen to redefine entire markets. Although he passed away in 2011, Apple’s ongoing influence (and trillion-dollar valuation) trace back to the spark Jobs and Woz ignited in their early twenties.

5) Vitalik Buterin – Ethereum (Started At Age 19)

‍Another name frequently cited among the youngest entrepreneurs in tech is Vitalik Buterin, who started conceptualizing Ethereum at 19. A programmer fascinated by Bitcoin, he realized the blockchain could be used for more than just digital currency. His idea: a decentralized platform supporting smart contracts—self-executing code that runs when conditions are met. This breakthrough led to Ethereum’s launch in 2015, paving the way for decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and countless blockchain-based apps. By 2021, Ethereum became the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, only trailing Bitcoin. Vitalik’s role as a co-founder and chief thinker gave him massive influence in the crypto community. Critics question Ethereum’s scalability and network fees, but supporters argue that ongoing upgrades (like Ethereum 2.0) address these issues. Whether Ethereum eventually surpasses Bitcoin or not, Buterin’s story reveals how a single concept, hatched by a teen, can reshape digital finance on a global scale.

4) Evan Spiegel – Snapchat (Started At Age 21)

‍At 21, Evan Spiegel joined the ranks of the youngest entrepreneurs to break into the social media scene by co-founding Snapchat in 2011. The app’s premise—photos and videos that vanish after a set time—seemed odd at first, but it appealed to a generation craving more spontaneous communication. The platform soon added features like Stories, filters, and face lenses that turned selfies into playful expressions. Big competitors like Facebook noticed, attempting to buy Snapchat for billions or copy its features (like Instagram Stories). Yet Spiegel maintained an independent route. While the company has faced challenges balancing innovation with profitability, Spiegel’s success is undeniable. He transformed ephemeral messaging into a mainstream concept, proving again that fresh ideas from younger founders can disrupt entire markets. If you’ve used a silly face filter in the past few years, you can thank Evan Spiegel’s willingness to do something different.

3) Suhas Gopinath – Globals Inc. (Started At Age 14)

‍Though less mainstream than the big tech founders, Suhas Gopinath deserves a spot on our list of youngest entrepreneurs for founding Globals Inc. at age 14, dubbed the world’s youngest CEO by certain media outlets. Hailing from Bangalore, India, Gopinath launched a web solutions company focusing on website development, IT consulting, and e-commerce strategies—fields where young minds often excel. Over time, Globals Inc. expanded to multiple countries, offering services to businesses that needed to adapt to the digital era. Gopinath’s early jump into coding and web design demonstrates how some kids can become entrepreneurs while others are still figuring out high school clubs. He also championed social entrepreneurship, setting up scholarships and internship programs for other young tech enthusiasts. While Globals might not be the household name that Microsoft or Apple is, Gopinath’s journey shows that location or age needn’t limit how far your tech ambition can carry you.

2) Palmer Luckey – Oculus VR (Started At Age 19)

‍Palmer Luckey catapulted virtual reality (VR) into the limelight when he founded Oculus VR at 19. An avid tech hobbyist, Luckey wanted VR headsets that felt immersive and user-friendly, launching the Oculus Rift project via a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012. The hype was massive, eventually drawing attention from Facebook (now Meta), which acquired Oculus for around $2 billion in 2014. That payout made Luckey a wealthy man before his 22nd birthday. Some called VR the next frontier of gaming, others saw it as a gateway to broader virtual experiences. However, the VR market didn’t explode overnight. The headsets remain somewhat niche, though they steadily improve in quality and accessibility. Luckey later left Facebook, diving into other ventures, yet remains an icon for how the youngest entrepreneurs can spark entire new product categories. If VR does become mainstream, it will owe a chunk of its success to Luckey’s early push for accessible VR gear.

1) David Karp – Tumblr (Started At Age 20)

‍Rounding out our list is David Karp, who created the microblogging platform Tumblr at age 20. In 2007, Karp recognized that many internet users wanted a simpler, more visual way to share posts than long-form blogging or status updates. Tumblr allowed people to post text, images, GIFs, and short clips quickly, attracting a diverse mix of artists, fandoms, and everyday folk. The platform’s freewheeling style grew a passionate user base that prized freedom of expression. Yahoo acquired Tumblr for about $1.1 billion in 2013, catapulting Karp into the ranks of the youngest entrepreneurs who sold their companies for a hefty sum. Yet Tumblr’s path wasn’t smooth, facing controversies over content policies and losing some popularity to competitors like Twitter or Instagram. Nonetheless, Karp’s approach—combining user-friendly design with a flexible, community-driven ethos—had a lasting impact on how people express themselves online, proving that simpler platforms can disrupt big markets too.

A Future Defined By Boldness And Adaptability

For budding youngest entrepreneurs out there, the lesson is that being young can be an advantage rather than a drawback. It often fosters open-mindedness, digital fluency, and the ability to pivot quickly. Whether you’re coding a new app, crafting a health-based candy, or trying to disrupt the financial sector with blockchain, the age factor can add flair—and sometimes skepticism from older peers, which you can disprove with results. Moreover, as these examples show, success also involves grappling with big decisions: scaling responsibly, hiring the right people, handling media attention, and innovating continuously. Not everyone will end up a billionaire mogul, but the success of these ten demonstrates that youthful energy can challenge established norms and sometimes change the world. So if you have an idea simmering in your mind, remember that the next wave of youngest entrepreneurs might just be the ones who tackle today’s problems with tomorrow’s solutions.

‍