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Billionaire Profile
Lucy Guo
Global Rank
#2514

Image: Public domain | via Wikimedia Commons

Lucy Guo

CEO, Scale AI
US
Real-Time Net Worth
$1.3B
As of December 2025
Age
31
Source
Artificial intelligence
Industry
technology
Citizenship
US

Biography

Lucy Guo is an American entrepreneur and engineer, and the world's youngest self-made female billionaire. Born in 1994, she co-founded Scale AI, a data-labeling company leveraging artificial intelligence, which propelled her to the forefront of the technology industry. Her career began with early ventures in coding and website development, leading her to study computer science at Carnegie Mellon University before dropping out to pursue the Thiel Fellowship. Beyond her initial success, Guo founded Backend Capital, a venture capital firm, and Passes, a platform focused on empowering creators. Her journey reflects an ability to recognize market opportunities and capitalize on them through innovative business strategies, resulting in a net worth of $1.3 billion and a prominent position in the tech world.

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Lucy Guo was born in October 1994, in Fremont, California, to Chinese immigrant parents who were electrical engineers. From a young age, Guo demonstrated an aptitude for technology, teaching herself to code and earning money by developing bots for online games. She attended Carnegie Mellon University, studying computer science and human-computer interaction, but dropped out in 2014 after being selected for the Thiel Fellowship, a program offering $100,000 to young entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures.

Rise to Success

Guo's career includes significant roles at Facebook and Snapchat, where she served as the company's first female designer. In 2016, she co-founded Scale AI with Alexandr Wang, a data annotation platform that became a key player in the AI industry. Though she left Scale AI in 2018, she retained a 5% stake in the company. The company's valuation soared to $25 billion, which made her the world's youngest self-made female billionaire.

Key Business Strategies

Guo's key business strategies include identifying emerging trends and leveraging technology to capitalize on them. She founded Backend Capital, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups. She launched Passes in 2022, a platform designed to empower content creators.

Philanthropy

While the search results do not provide specific amounts for Lucy Guo's philanthropic activities, she has expressed a vision to give back in the future.

Career Milestones

2014

Thiel Fellow

Received the Thiel Fellowship, a scholarship to pursue entrepreneurial projects instead of completing her studies.

2015

Product Designer

Worked as a product designer at Snapchat and Quora.

2016

Co-founded Scale AI

Co-founded Scale AI, a data annotation company.

2018

Left Scale AI

Left Scale AI due to disagreements with her co-founder.

2019

Founded Backend Capital

Founded Backend Capital, a venture capital firm.

2022

Founded Passes

Launched Passes, a social platform for creators.

2025

Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire

Became the youngest self-made female billionaire.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

"“I don't really think about it much, it's a bit wild. Too bad it's all on paper haha.”"

"“I was bullied in school for being poor, so I was like, okay, I need to make money.”"

Controversies & Challenges

2025

Passes Lawsuit

Passes faced a class-action lawsuit regarding content moderation practices.