The Rise of Ultra-Young Billionaires: From Family Legacies to AI Dominance

The billionaires’ club has traditionally been an exclusive sphere reserved for seasoned entrepreneurs and seasoned business leaders. Yet according to recent data, the world’s youngest billionaires are reshaping this narrative. These five individuals, ranging from ages 19 to 29, represent a striking split between those inheriting generational wealth and those building tech empires from scratch.

The Inherited Fortune Route: Three Heirs Who Became Billionaires Before Legal Adulthood

Lívia Voigt de Assis - Age 20

Brazilian businesswoman Lívia Voigt de Assis entered billionaire status through a substantial equity position in WEG Industries, a multinational powerhouse in electric motors and automation technology. Her grandfather Werner Ricardo Voigt co-founded the company, which now trades on Brazil’s stock exchange as one of the nation’s most valuable industrial enterprises. Voigt de Assis maintains a 3.1% stake alongside her sister, though the family maintains passive investment positions rather than operational roles. Her $1.2 billion net worth represents the continuation of an industrial dynasty spanning generations.

Clemente Del Vecchio - Age 20

The Italian heir inherited a fortune when his father Leonardo Del Vecchio, founder of Luxottica, passed away in 2022. At just 18, Del Vecchio became a billionaire through a 12.5% stake in Delfin, the family holding company controlling major positions in EssilorLuxottica—the conglomerate behind Ray-Ban and Oakley. His net worth of $6.6 billion also encompasses insurance and banking investments managed through family trusts. Notably, his older half-brothers similarly joined the billionaire ranks through parallel family arrangements, illustrating how dynastic wealth perpetuates across generations.

Johannes von Baumbach - Age 19

At 19, German heir Johannes von Baumbach represents the youngest known beneficiary of pharmaceutical wealth through his family’s stake in Boehringer Ingelheim. One of Germany’s largest privately-held pharmaceutical companies, Boehringer Ingelheim has built its reputation on human and veterinary medicine innovations. While von Baumbach maintains a low profile alongside his family’s leadership structure under uncle Hubertus, his $5.4 billion net worth demonstrates how pharmaceutical legacies can create enormous wealth across multiple generations.

The Self-Made Billionaires: Building Empires in AI and Crypto

Alexandr Wang - Age 28

In sharp contrast to inherited wealth narratives, Alexandr Wang exemplifies the youngest self-made billionaire trajectory. Co-founder of Scale AI, Wang dropped out of MIT as a freshman and launched his company in 2016 alongside Lucy Guo. Scale AI specializes in data labeling infrastructure for training AI models and autonomous vehicle development. The platform has attracted heavyweight clients including Meta, Microsoft, and General Motors. Following a recent funding round valuing the company at $13.8 billion, Wang’s 14% ownership stake translates to $2 billion in personal wealth—accumulated entirely through innovation rather than inheritance.

Ed Craven - Age 29

Australian entrepreneur Ed Craven co-founded Stake.com, a cryptocurrency-focused online gaming platform that generated $4.7 billion in revenue last year. Alongside partner Bijan Tehrani, Craven built the platform into a global operation, particularly through influencer partnerships and livestreaming communities. Stake.com reportedly processes approximately 4% of all global Bitcoin transactions, underscoring its scale within the digital ecosystem. His $2.8 billion net worth reflects both strategic execution and well-timed market positioning in an emerging sector.

Key Insights: Inherited vs. Self-Made Wealth

The youngest billionaires illustrate two distinct paths to extreme wealth. Three inherited their fortunes through family enterprises spanning pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and luxury goods—sectors requiring decades of institutional development. Meanwhile, two self-made billionaires capitalized on emerging technologies (AI and cryptocurrency) that enabled rapid wealth accumulation outside traditional family structures. Both pathways highlight how billionaire status can now be achieved at remarkably young ages across vastly different industries and contexts.