Dreaming Beyond Degrees: How Three College Dropouts Built a $10 Billion Empire

In a world where technology is reshaping success stories every day, three young minds—Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha—have created history. Their San Francisco-based startup, Mercor, recently secured $350 million in fresh funding, valuing the company at $10 billion. At just 22 years old, the trio has become the world’s youngest self-made billionaires, surpassing Mark Zuckerberg, who first appeared on Forbes’ billionaire list at 23 in 2008. What makes this story remarkable isn’t just the wealth; it’s the journey of passion, friendship, and bold risk-taking that led three college dropouts to revolutionize AI-driven recruitment.The Friendship That Sparked a RevolutionThe foundation of Mercor lies in the bond between three high school friends who first met at Bellarmine College Preparatory, an all-boys school in San Jose, California. Two of them, Surya Midha and Adarsh Hiremath, are Indian-Americans with roots tracing back to New Delhi, India. Both were standout debaters—not just good, but legendary. They became the first-ever duo to win all three major national policy debate tournaments in a single year. That intellectual chemistry soon evolved into entrepreneurial synergy. The discipline, strategy, and quick thinking they mastered in debate rooms would later become the foundation of their success in the business world.A Leap of Faith: Leaving College to Build a DreamWhile their peers were busy completing degrees, these three young visionaries were busy building the future. Adarsh Hiremath, the tech mind of the group, enrolled at Harvard University to study computer science. Two years later, he made the bold decision to drop out and focus on Mercor full-time.  Surya Midha joined Georgetown University to study foreign service, while Brendan Foody studied economics at the same institution. But soon, they too realized that their classroom lessons couldn’t compete with the real-world opportunity ahead of them. All three left college behind, a move that was as risky as it was visionary.The  Fellowship and the Spark of InnovationTheir courage didn’t go unnoticed. The trio became Thiel Fellows, a prestigious fellowship founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, which supports young innovators who drop out of college to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. This fellowship provided them with financial backing, mentorship, and access to a powerful network of entrepreneurs. It was here that Mercor began to transform from an ambitious idea into a real-world business disrupting global recruitment.What Is  Mercor? The AI Behind Hiring’s FutureMercor isn’t just another tech startup. It’s an AI-powered recruitment platform designed to connect companies with top global talent faster, smarter, and more efficiently. Using artificial intelligence, Mercor analyzes job descriptions, skill sets, and candidate potential, removing traditional hiring biases and inefficiencies. The platform helps businesses hire in minutes instead of weeks, while also giving talented professionals worldwide access to opportunities they might never have reached otherwise. In a time when AI is transforming industries, Mercor is redefining how people and companies find each other, building a bridge between human potential and machine intelligence.The $10 Billion MomentThe game-changing moment came when Mercor secured $350 million in new funding, pushing its valuation to $10 billion. The investors saw more than just an app; they saw the future of work. This massive funding round not only validated Mercor’s business model but also propelled its founders into billionaire status. In doing so, Foody,  Hiremath, and  Midha dethroned several young tech entrepreneurs, including Shayne Coplan(founder of Polymarket, 27), Alexandr Wang (Scale AI, 28), and Lucy Guo, who became the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire at 30.Indian Roots, Global DreamsFor Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, their Indian heritage remains a source of strength and humility. Midha often speaks about his parents’ journey from New Delhi to Silicon Valley, emphasizing how their sacrifices built the foundation for his dreams. This connection between heritage and innovation reflects a larger trend: the rise of Indian-origin entrepreneurs reshaping Silicon Valley, from Satya Nadella (Microsoft) to Sundar Pichai (Google), and now, the next generation led by Hiremath and Midha.Mercor is now expanding globally, integrating new AI models and building partnerships with top corporations. Its mission goes beyond recruitment; it’s about reshaping how human potential is discovered and developed in the age of artificial intelligence. At just 22, the founders have already achieved what most people can only imagine. But for them, this is just the beginning. As Adarsh Hiremath put it best.