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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

Meet Surya Midha: The 22-year-old college dropout AI founder who became a billionaire faster than Mark Zuckerberg

At the age of 22, most people are still trying to complete university, secure their first stable job, or decide what they actually want to do in life. That is why the story of Surya Midha has attracted so much global attention. The Indian-origin entrepreneur reportedly became one of the world’s youngest self-made billionaires after the rapid rise of his artificial intelligence startup Mercor, as reported by Forbes, residing in San Francisco, California. What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that Midha reached billionaire status at a younger age than Mark Zuckerberg. His journey from college dropout to tech billionaire has quickly become one of the most talked-about startup success stories of 2026, especially as the AI industry continues expanding at an extraordinary pace. This milestone highlights the disruptive power of AI-driven startups globally.

How Surya Midha’s Mercor turned AI hiring into a billion-dollar opportunity

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