Lucy Guo Built a $1.3B Fortune After Dropping Out of College — Here’s How

Lucy Guo, the 30-year-old founder of creator platform Passes, has been named Forbes’ youngest self-made billionaire with a net worth of $1.3 billion.

The serial entrepreneur first co-founded Scale AI, later acquired by Meta in a $25 billion deal, before launching her latest ventures, including Backend Ventures and Passes.

Guo’s money-making drive began in childhood, trading Pokémon cards and selling Neopets items online.

Raised by frugal Chinese immigrant parents in Fremont, California, she was pushed toward academics but ultimately dropped out of Carnegie Mellon to join the Thiel Fellowship.

Today, Guo’s ventures face both success and scrutiny. Passes, her creator monetization startup launched in 2022, is currently facing a lawsuit alleging distribution of illicit content — claims the company strongly denies.

Despite challenges, Guo remains one of the most closely watched young billionaires in the tech world, embodying both the promise and pitfalls of modern entrepreneurship.