Alexandr Wang is without a doubt the world’s youngest, self-made billionaire. His passion for computer engineering led him to full-time jobs at major Silicon Valley companies at the age of 17, and to the helm of his own company at the of 19.
Here’s how he did it!
Alexandr Wang
Profession/Career: | Entreprenuer |
Net Worth: | $1 billion |
College: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Dropped out) |
Major/Degree: | Computer Science (Not Completed) |
Date of Birth (Age): | January 1997 (26 years old) |
Place of Birth: | Los Alamos, New Mexico |
Height: | 5 ft 10 in |
Frequently Associated With
- Alexandr’s Early Life
- Founding Scale AI With Lucy Guo
- Why is there no second “e” in Alexandr’s name?
- What Is Alexandr Wang’s Net Worth?
- How Much of Alexandr Wang’s Net Worth Is From Scale AI?
- What Does Scale AI Actually Do?
- The Future of Scale AI
- Scale Donovan
- How Does Alexandr Wang Spend His Time?
- Final Thoughts
Alexandr’s Early Life
On paper, Alexandr Wang was a fairly typical kid. He grew up in the sleepy town of Los Alamos, as the son of two physicists who worked on projects for the US military. He loved playing with his friends, exploring, riding bikes—you know, stuff kids love to do!
But there was one thing about Alexandr Wang that set him on the path to greatness: he loved math.
In 6th grade, Alexandr won a math competition that would change his life forever. He was one of only two students in his grade to correctly solve a complex equation, and he was awarded a trophy—plus a ticket to Disney World.
The trip left a big impression on Alexandr. He didn’t get the chance to travel much as a kid, and the realization that he could create opportunities for himself through his passions was a huge motivator. He started entering (and winning) every competition he had time for—including coding competitions like the USA Computing Olympiad (USACO).
Alexandr also speaks three languages, English, Chinese and French.
Not Your Average High School Experience
As Alexandr entered high school, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in computer engineering.
He took every math and science class available to him, and he excelled in all of them. Alexandr’s grades were so good that he was able to skip his senior year of high school and go straight to college at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)—but more on that later.
During high school, Alexandr’s coding competition success caught the attention of recruiters from Addepar—a wealth management platform based in San Francisco. They decided to offer him a full-time job as a software engineer, only to discover that he hadn’t even graduated from high school yet!
Despite his young age, Alexandr decided to follow his heart. He moved from New Mexico to California and worked his way up the corporate ladder at Addepar. From there, he made the incredible jump to Lead Tech at Quora at the age of 17.
You heard that correctly. Alexandr landed two competitive, full-time jobs while many of his peers were still studying for their driving tests!
A College Drop-Out
After a few years in the working world, Alexandr decided it was time to get his degree. He enrolled in MIT with plans to study computer science.
But just a few months into his studies, Alexandr began to feel restless. He already had more experience than some of his teaching assistants, and he was antsy to get back to work. So, he dropped out of MIT and never looked back.
Alexandr’s time at Quora had been particularly formative. He’d met a lot of people in the tech industry and gained valuable experience working with massive amounts of data. This experience would come in handy when Alexandr founded Scale AI just a few years later.
Founding Scale AI With Lucy Guo
In 2016, Alexandr co-founded Scale AI alongside Lucy Guo through the Y Combinator accelerator program with the goal of helping companies make sense of their data. The company provides tools and services that help businesses take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
The company’s creative business model and well-designed products quickly attracted the attention of investors from around the world. Over 7 funding rounds, Alexandr’s passion project raised $300 million from firms like Accel, Tiger Global Management, and Index Ventures.
Since its inception, Scale AI has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including General Motors and Flexport. Alexandr’s leadership and technical expertise have been key to the company’s success, and in 2021 Scale AI was valued at $7.3 billion by investors.
This impressive accomplishment made Alexandr the world’s youngest self-made billionaire—a title he currently holds.
Why is there no second “e” in Alexandr’s name?
Being of Chinese heritage, Alexandr’s parents decided to drop the second “e” in his name in order to make the number of letters “8”, which is a symbol of luck and wealth in Chinese culture.
Superstition or not, it seems that it really worked in Alexandr’s case!
What Is Alexandr Wang’s Net Worth?
Alexandr Wang’s net worth is estimated to be $1.1 billion. This makes him the world’s youngest self-made billionaire!

How Much of Alexandr Wang’s Net Worth Is From Scale AI?
Given his age, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that almost 100% percent of Alexandr Wang’s net worth comes from his stake in Scale AI. Alexandr currently has a 15% stake in the $7.3 billion company—making his net worth at least $1.1 billion.
It’s possible that Alexandr has other assets like investments or properties that have not been made public. If this is the case, his true net worth could be even higher!
This net worth means that Alexandr Wang is currently the 2,510th richest person in the world. Plus, as we’ve already mentioned, he’s the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at 25 years old.
What Does Scale AI Actually Do?
So, what does Alexandr’s company actually do?
In short, Scale AI helps businesses make use of the data they collect. This can be anything from customer purchase history to sensor readings from autonomous vehicles.

The company provides tools and services that help businesses clean, label, and organize their data, so it can be used for things like machine learning and AI. This process is known as data annotation, and it’s a crucial step in the development of many modern technologies.
Alexandr has helped Scale AI release over 15 products so far, including:
- Scale Video
- Scale Studio
- Scale Nucleus
The Future of Scale AI
Alexandr Wang and his team at Scale AI have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. With over 300 clients and a valuation of $7.3 billion, the company is well on its way to becoming a tech powerhouse.
Scale AI recently acquired another company called SiaSearch, which gives Alexandr’s team the ability to expand its reach into Europe and beyond.
Alexandr has said that he plans to take Scale AI public within the next five years. If all goes according to plan, Alexandr will be one of the youngest billionaires ever to take his company public.
Alexandr’s story is an inspirational one for entrepreneurs of all ages. He’s proof that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible!
Scale Donovan
Alexandr Wang’s newest project, Scale Donovan, is an AI-powered defense program designed for the government to reduce the time needed to make important defense decisions.
Alexandr is very passionate in speaking out about the importance of AI in the military. In 2023, he testified in front of a congressional subcommittee about just that.
How Does Alexandr Wang Spend His Time?
Alexandr is a very busy man. On top of his role at Scale AI, he also frequently hosts talks and hosts workshops centered around AI and business.

Alexandr is also a frequent guest on a number of podcasts, where he discusses his work in the tech industry. He’s appeared on popular shows like This Week in Startups and The 19% Podcast.
Finally, Alexandr is also a member of Y Combinator’s President’s Club, an exclusive group for successful alumni of the startup accelerator program. As a member, Alexandr helps other entrepreneurs achieve their dreams by offering advice and mentorship.
Final Thoughts
At just 25 years old, Alexandr Wang is well on his way to becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his generation. And it all started with a love of math and a trip to Disney World.
Alexandr’s impressive career has been fueled by his passion for math and his natural talent for coding. His story is a true rags-to-riches tale, and it serves as an inspiration to anyone with a dream.