Lucy Guo is an American entrepreneur and technology innovator who, despite her young age, has already made a significant impact on the tech world. Known for her brilliance in artificial intelligence (AI) and her entrepreneurial spirit, Guo’s journey from college dropout to youngest self-made female billionaire is an inspiring story of innovation, vision, and success.
Key Information
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Lucy Guo |
| Date of Birth | October 14, 1994 |
| Place of Birth | San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Chinese-American |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (Studied Computer Science, dropped out) |
| Degree | Computer Science |
| Fellowship | Thiel Fellowship (2014) |
| Career | Entrepreneur, Co-founder of Scale AI, Founder of Passes |
| Known For | Co-founding Scale AI, Founding Passes, Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire (2025) |
| Net Worth | $1.2 billion (2025) |
| Current Residence | Los Angeles, California |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Engineer, Tech Innovator |
| Industry | Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Creator Economy |
| Social Media Presence | Active on multiple platforms (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) |
| Notable Achievements | Youngest self-made female billionaire, Scale AI co-founder, Passes founder |
| Hobbies/Interests | Reading, Traveling, Mentorship, Supporting Diversity in Tech |
| Philanthropy | Empowering young entrepreneurs, supporting women in tech |
| Languages Spoken | English, Mandarin (fluent in both) |
| Marital Status | Single (As of 2025) |
| Family | Daughter of Chinese immigrants, family focused on education |
| Favorite Books | “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari, “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel |
| Favorite Destinations | New York City, Tokyo, London |
| Favorite Tech Tools | AI platforms, Machine Learning tools, Python |
| Influences & Mentors | Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen |
| Future Goals | Expanding Passes, Supporting underrepresented creators, Innovating in AI |
| Personal Motto | “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” |
Early Life and Education
Born on October 14, 1994, in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lucy Guo grew up in a region known for its tech-driven culture. From a young age, Guo was surrounded by technology, which sparked her curiosity and passion for the field. Her affinity for technology and problem-solving led her to pursue a degree in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, one of the leading universities in the United States for tech studies.
However, Guo’s journey took an unexpected turn when, in 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Thiel Fellowship. This fellowship, which offers young entrepreneurs $100,000 to drop out of college and pursue entrepreneurial ventures, was the catalyst that propelled Guo’s entrepreneurial career. With the support of the fellowship, she made the bold decision to leave college and dive headfirst into the world of technology and startups.
The Birth of Scale AI
In 2016, at just 21 years old, Lucy Guo co-founded Scale AI alongside Alexandr Wang, a fellow Thiel Fellow. Scale AI provides high-quality training data for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications, enabling companies to build smarter and more efficient AI systems. The company’s platform is vital for AI companies, offering a scalable solution to one of the biggest challenges in the AI industry: obtaining accurate and vast amounts of training data.
Guo played a pivotal role in shaping Scale AI’s product offerings and expanding its presence in the AI ecosystem. Under her leadership, Scale AI garnered significant attention and attracted funding from prominent investors, positioning itself as a leader in the AI data services industry.
Parting Ways with Scale AI
Though her journey at Scale AI was a successful one, Guo left the company in 2018 due to internal differences. Despite her departure, she retained a nearly 5% stake in the company, which, as of 2025, has seen a rise in valuation to $25 billion, making her stake worth over $1.2 billion. Her decision to exit Scale AI early didn’t stop her entrepreneurial drive but rather marked the beginning of the next phase of her career.
Launching Passes: Empowering Content Creators
After leaving Scale AI, Lucy Guo turned her attention to the creator economy. In 2022, she founded Passes, a platform designed to help content creators monetize their work more effectively. Passes offers tools that empower creators to engage directly with their audiences, build stronger communities, and unlock new revenue streams.
The company quickly attracted attention, raising $40 million in a Series A funding round in 2024, a testament to the growing demand for solutions that cater to digital content creators. Through Passes, Guo aims to revolutionize the way creators interact with their followers and monetize their passion, marking another key chapter in her entrepreneurial journey.
Achieving Billionaire Status
Lucy Guo’s relentless drive and business acumen culminated in her achieving an extraordinary milestone. In 2025, she became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire at the age of 30, surpassing notable figures like Taylor Swift. This achievement was primarily fueled by her stake in Scale AI, as the company’s valuation skyrocketed to $25 billion. Guo’s exceptional ability to spot lucrative opportunities and turn them into successful ventures played a major role in her financial success.
Philanthropy and Personal Beliefs
Despite her immense success, Lucy Guo remains grounded and passionate about giving back. As part of her values, Guo is dedicated to empowering others, especially women and young entrepreneurs, through mentorship and investment. She actively supports initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in the tech industry and strives to make technology more accessible to people from all backgrounds.
In addition to her professional ventures, Guo enjoys reading, traveling, and staying connected with the global tech community. She continues to reside in Los Angeles, where she remains focused on expanding Passes and fostering new opportunities for content creators.
Leadership and Vision for the Future
Lucy Guo’s leadership philosophy is centered around innovation, inclusivity, and empowering individuals to achieve their full potential. She believes in creating platforms and products that don’t just solve problems but also enable individuals to reach new heights in their personal and professional lives.
Her work with Passes reflects her vision for the future of digital content creation, where creators have more control, autonomy, and access to opportunities that were once reserved for a select few.
Legacy and Influence
Lucy Guo’s journey has made her an inspiration to millions, particularly young women in the tech and entrepreneurial spaces. Her story proves that with a vision, courage, and a willingness to take risks, anyone can reshape the future. As the youngest self-made female billionaire, Guo has not only achieved extraordinary success but also set an example for others to follow.
Her impact extends far beyond her financial achievements she is reshaping the way we think about the creator economy and artificial intelligence, and her continued success promises to influence the future of both industries for years to come.
Interesting facts about Lucy Guo
- Youngest Female Self-Made Billionaire: Lucy Guo became the youngest self-made female billionaire in 2025 at the age of 30, surpassing even well-known celebrities and entrepreneurs.
- Thiel Fellowship: She was awarded the prestigious Thiel Fellowship at just 19 years old, which led her to drop out of Carnegie Mellon University to pursue entrepreneurial ventures instead of finishing her degree.
- Co-Founder of Scale AI: At 21, Guo co-founded Scale AI alongside Alexandr Wang. The company focuses on providing training data for artificial intelligence systems, and it has become a leader in the AI data services industry.
- Fluent in Mandarin: As a Chinese-American, Guo is fluent in both Mandarin and English, which has helped her build international relationships and expand her business ventures.
- AI and Data Enthusiast: Lucy’s early fascination with artificial intelligence and machine learning led her to co-create a company that revolutionized the way AI companies access clean and accurate data.
- Investor in Startups: In addition to running her companies, Lucy has also become an active angel investor, supporting early-stage startups in the AI, technology, and creator economy sectors.
- Passionate About the Creator Economy: After leaving Scale AI, Lucy started Passes, a platform to help digital content creators better monetize their work and connect with their audience directly.
- Holds a Stake in Scale AI: Despite her departure from Scale AI in 2018, Lucy still holds a nearly 5% stake in the company, which is now valued at $25 billion, making her stake worth well over $1 billion.
- Philanthropic Focus: Guo is deeply committed to empowering young women in tech and supporting diversity in the field. She mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and promotes initiatives to create more inclusive spaces in technology.
- Avid Reader: Lucy is known for her love of reading and frequently shares insights from books such as “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel and “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari, which have had a profound impact on her entrepreneurial journey.
- Minimalist Approach: Despite her billion-dollar success, Lucy maintains a low-key lifestyle, often emphasizing a minimalist approach to life and business, focusing on the long-term impact of her work rather than personal extravagance.
- Global Traveler: Guo is an avid traveler and enjoys experiencing different cultures. Her favorite destinations include New York, Tokyo, and London, where she networks with fellow entrepreneurs and investors.
- Tech Visionary: Guo is a strong advocate for the potential of AI and machine learning, and she is always looking for new ways to use technology to improve efficiency, solve problems, and empower people around the world.
- Role Model for Young Women: Lucy is considered a role model for young women who aspire to enter the tech and startup worlds, showcasing that hard work, vision, and a willingness to take risks can lead to incredible success.
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