New Delhi: The stories of the world’s richest entrepreneurs show there’s no single path to success. Many built their empires without a college degree. Famous examples include Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg — and now another name joins their ranks: Lucy Guo.
At just 30, Lucy is the founder of Passes, a fast-growing platform for content creators. In June 2025, Forbes named her the youngest self-made billionaire, estimating her net worth at USD 1.25 billion (Rs 1.15 lakh crore). Yet her journey to the top was far from easy.
Lucy studied computer science and human–computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University but left with only one year remaining to complete her degree. In 2011, she secured a place in the Thiel Fellowship, a program in which PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel gives USD 200,000 to young innovators to launch their own companies. Her decision stunned her parents.
“My parents risked everything for our future in America. When I left school so close to my graduation, it felt like giving up on a dream,” she told CNBC. But instead of quitting, Lucy founded her first company, Scale AI, which was later acquired by Meta, a deal that transformed her career.
Lucy still values education. “Go to college for at least a year or two,” she advises. “You’ll meet your best friends and the smartest people you’ll ever know.” She believes colleges are fertile grounds for finding future co-founders, employees, and lifelong friends.
The Thiel Fellowship was the turning point. “Building a successful company requires a little madness and a lot of confidence,” she said. “The fellowship gave me the environment where I felt, ‘Yes, I can do this too.’”
Today, Lucy leads Passes, helping creators grow their audiences and income. Her rise from student to billionaire shows that courage, hard work, and the right environment can turn unconventional choices into extraordinary success.
