Mercor, the San Francisco-based AI recruitment startup, has created global headlines by minting the world’s youngest self-made billionaires, all aged just 22. Founders Brendan Foody, Adarsh H., and Surya Midha have overtaken Mark Zuckerberg’s record after Mercor’s latest $350 million funding round led by Felicis Ventures, which valued the company at $10 billion. Each founder holds around 22% equity, marking a new milestone for the next generation of AI entrepreneurs.

The trio, all Thiel Fellows and former high school debate teammates, transformed a simple idea into one of Silicon Valley’s most disruptive companies. “It feels surreal… This is far beyond anything we could have imagined two years ago,” said Foody.

Mercor began by connecting software engineers in India with U.S. firms through AI-driven hiring. The startup later pivoted toward data labeling and talent matchmaking for AI labs like OpenAI, unlocking a massive global opportunity.

In just two years, Mercor has evolved from a small experiment into a $10 billion empire, symbolizing the rise of young, purpose-driven innovators shaping the future of AI and work.