How the World’s 5 Youngest Billionaires Built — or Inherited — Their Empires

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At an age when most people are just beginning their careers, these five individuals have already secured a place in the billionaires’ club.

According to Forbes Middle East’s 2025 list, the world’s youngest billionaires come from a diverse mix of industries, including gaming, manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI) and pharmaceuticals. Some inherited vast fortunes, while others are building business empires from the ground up. Below is how the world’s youngest billionaires made their fortunes.

Also here are the first jobs of famous billionaires.

Lívia Voigt de Assis

• Age: 20
• Source of Wealth: Industrial Machinery
• Net Worth: $1.2 Billion

Brazilian billionaire Lívia Voigt de Assis holds a 3.1% stake in WEG Industries, a multinational giant that manufactures electric motors, automation systems and energy technology. The company, co-founded by her grandfather Werner Ricardo Voigt, is listed on Brazil’s stock exchange and stands as one of the country’s most valuable industrial firms.

Though Voigt de Assis doesn’t play an active role in the business, her wealth is secured through family trusts and stock ownership. Along with her sister, who also holds a 3.1% stake, she represents the next generation of one of Brazil’s most influential industrial dynasties.

Clemente Del Vecchio

• Age: 20
• Source of Wealth: Eyewear
• Net Worth: $6.6 Billion

Italian heir Clemente Del Vecchio became a billionaire at just 18 following the 2022 death of his father, Leonardo Del Vecchio, the legendary founder of Luxottica — the eyewear empire behind Ray-Ban, Oakley and more. Del Vecchio inherited a 12.5% stake in Delfin, the family holding company that controls major shares in EssilorLuxottica, as well as investments in insurance and banking.

He currently holds no executive role but benefits from a well-structured family trust. Del Vecchio isn’t the only heir, his older half-brothers, Luca and Leonardo Maria, also joined the billionaire ranks through similar inheritances.

Johannes von Baumbach

• Age: 19
• Source of Wealth: Pharmaceuticals
• Net Worth: $5.4 Billion

Johannes von Baumbach is the youngest known heir to Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical fortune. The family-owned company is one of the largest in the country, known for its innovations in both human and veterinary medicine.

Details about von Baumbach’s involvement in the company are limited, as the family maintains a low profile. Leadership of the company remains with his uncle Hubertus von Baumbach. Outside of business, von Baumbach is reportedly a competitive skier based in Austria. His net worth of $5.4 billion reflects his stake in a pharmaceutical legacy built on generations of family leadership and innovation.

Alexandr Wang

• Age: 28
• Source of Wealth: AI
• Net Worth: $2 Billion

Alexandr Wang is the world’s youngest self-made billionaire and the co-founder of Scale AI. The company specializes in data labeling for training AI models and supporting autonomous vehicles. Wang dropped out of MIT as a freshman and launched Scale in 2016 with co-founder Lucy Guo.

Scale AI has since attracted high-profile clients like Meta, Microsoft and General Motors. It recently raised $1 billion at a valuation of $13.8 billion. Wang’s estimated 14 percent ownership gives him a net worth of $2 billion and positions him as a major figure in the AI sector.

Ed Craven

• Age: 29
• Source of Wealth: Online Casino
• Net Worth: $2.8 Billion

Ed Craven is a self-made billionaire from Australia and the co-founder of Stake.com, a fast-growing online casino that specializes in crypto gambling. Alongside partner Bijan Tehrani, Craven helped build the platform into a global powerhouse, generating $4.7 billion in revenue last year.

Despite regulatory challenges in regions like the United States and the United Kingdom, Stake.com has gained popularity through livestreamers and influencers. The platform reportedly accounts for up to 4 percent of all global Bitcoin transactions, reflecting its enormous reach. Craven’s fortune reflects both innovative thinking and perfect timing in a rapidly evolving digital market.

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