At just 29 years old, Lucy Guo has become the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world, surpassing even pop icon and business mogul Taylor Swift (35). As the co-founder of Scale AI, Lucy Guo has made headlines by redefining what it means to achieve success in the tech industry at a young age.
According to the latest Forbes Billionaires List, Lucy Guo’s net worth stands at an impressive $1.2 billion, amassed primarily through her shares in Scale AI and strategic investments in other ventures. But who exactly is Lucy Guo? Let’s dive into the fascinating journey that led her here.
The Early Life of Lucy Guo
Born on November 1, 1995, in Florida, USA, Lucy Guo grew up in a Chinese immigrant family. Her parents, both engineers by profession, instilled in her a love for logic, math, and technology from an early age. That early exposure sparked a passion that would later define her career.
Lucy Guo attended Michael Krop High School and later enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University to study computer science. However, after just two years, she made a bold decision to drop out. Lucy believed that hands-on experience and entrepreneurial grit would do more for her than any classroom ever could.
Early Career and Internships at Facebook and Snapchat
After leaving college, Lucy Guo began interning at some of the biggest names in tech — Facebook and Snapchat. During her internships, she focused on product design and data analytics, gaining a deep understanding of the industry’s dynamics. These experiences solidified her vision of building something transformative.
She also briefly worked at an SEO consulting firm, sharpening her business acumen and digital strategy skills — tools that would later prove crucial to her entrepreneurial journey.
The Birth of Scale AI and Rise to Billionaire Status
In 2016, at just 21 years old, Lucy Guo co-founded Scale AI alongside Alexander Wang. The company aimed to provide high-quality data labeling services for artificial intelligence and machine learning models. From the outset, their mission was clear — to build the foundational tools that would power the future of AI.
Scale AI quickly attracted clients from groundbreaking industries like autonomous vehicles, robotics, chatbots, and even the U.S. Department of Defense. Household names such as Tesla, OpenAI, Pinterest, and Uber all came to rely on Scale AI’s services.
By 2024, Scale AI had reached a staggering valuation of $7.3 billion. Lucy Guo, with a 15% equity stake in the company, officially entered the billionaires club. Her fortune also comes from early-stage investments in various tech startups — a testament to her keen eye for innovation.
Alexander Wang once referred to Scale AI’s core offering as “pick and shovels” — the essential tools that enable AI to thrive. In its early days, Scale AI relied on low-cost contract workers to label images for training autonomous vehicle systems. Over time, their client base expanded dramatically — even the U.S. government used Scale’s technology to analyze satellite imagery from Ukraine. OpenAI also used Scale AI’s services in training ChatGPT.
New Ventures: Backend Capital and Paces
After stepping away from day-to-day operations at Scale AI, Lucy Guo launched a small venture capital firm called Backend Capital. Through this, she began investing in promising early-stage startups. One of her most notable investments came in 2020, when she poured a six-figure sum into financial software company Ramp. Ramp has since grown into a $13 billion business, with all three co-founders now billionaires.
In 2022, Lucy took another bold leap and left Backend Capital to start her new venture — Paces. Paces is a creator-focused platform akin to Patreon and OnlyFans, designed to let celebrities and creators connect directly with fans. Users pay for exclusive chats, content, and videos. Paces has already signed big names like gymnast Olivia Dunne, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, and DJ Kygo.
Between 2022 and 2024, Lucy Guo raised $50 million for Paces across three funding rounds. Investors included Mary Meeker’s Bond Capital, talent agent Michael Ovitz, and Menlo Ventures. The company’s valuation now stands at $150 million.
Facing Controversy
However, Paces wasn’t without challenges. Just last month, the platform faced a lawsuit alleging that it hosted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to a March report by Forbes, Paces swiftly banned all underage creators and removed their content right before the lawsuit was filed.
A spokesperson for Paces told Forbes, “Paces firmly denies any claims that it knowingly allowed inappropriate content involving minors. Any allegations blaming the company or its founder Lucy Guo for third-party misconduct are baseless and represent an attempt to entangle them unfairly in legal proceedings.”
Other Investments and Initiatives
Beyond Scale AI and Paces, Lucy Guo has actively invested in a range of other startups, including:
- Backend Capital: A venture capital firm funding tech-focused startups.
- Poppers: A social media app that helps creators engage directly with their fanbase.
- AI & Fintech Startups: Lucy has also acted as an angel investor in multiple emerging AI and financial tech ventures.
Personal Life and Philosophy
Lucy Guo tends to keep her personal life private. But when it comes to her mission, she’s vocal and passionate — especially about supporting women entrepreneurs. As she once said, “Traditional education is not the only path to success. Your skills, your network, and your ability to take risks are what truly matter.”
She’s also an advocate for greater representation of women and minorities in the tech world, frequently speaking on the need to level the playing field in these industries.
Awards and Recognition
Lucy Guo’s journey has earned her widespread acclaim:
- Forbes 30 Under 30 (2018)
- Time Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders (2023)
- World’s Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire (2025)
Surpassing Taylor Swift
For years, Taylor Swift held the title of the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire, thanks to her stellar music career and highly successful Eras Tour. But Lucy Guo’s meteoric rise in the tech space has now placed her ahead of Swift on Forbes’ list. Of the world’s billionaires, only 90 are self-made women — and Lucy is the youngest among them.
Looking Ahead: Lucy Guo’s Future Vision
Lucy Guo continues to be actively involved in advancing Scale AI and investing in emerging technologies. Her future goal? To make the AI industry more inclusive and diverse. She’s working to provide funding and opportunities for women and minority entrepreneurs.
Lucy Guo’s journey is nothing short of inspirational. Through Scale AI, she not only became a billionaire but also helped shape the future of artificial intelligence. Her story is proof that with vision, resilience, and a willingness to take risks, extraordinary success can come at any age.