Forbes’ official ranking of the world’s 40 richest self-made billionaires under the age of 40 for 2025 includes a notable cohort of Indian-origin entrepreneurs who have built substantial wealth and influence through ventures in fintech, loyalty rewards, and artificial intelligence. The prestigious global list, published by Forbes on December 29, 2025, highlights a record number of young self-made billionaires worldwide, reflecting the ongoing expansion of technology-driven wealth creation. Among these are Ankur Jain, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, whose achievements illustrate the diverse pathways to entrepreneurial success from the diaspora and U.S. innovation ecosystems.

At the forefront of this group is Ankur Jain, a 35-year-old founder and chief executive officer of Bilt Rewards, a New York–based company that enables renters to earn rewards on rent and other everyday expenses. Jain, who is based in the United States, ranks 19th on the Forbes list with an estimated net worth of approximately $3.4 billion, derived from his leadership of Bilt and his earlier entrepreneurial successes, including the sale of his previous startup Humin to Tinder. His presence on the Forbes list underscores how loyalty platforms and fintech innovations have emerged as significant drivers of wealth among younger generations of founders.

Also featured are Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, both 22, who represent one of the most remarkable entries on the list: the world’s youngest self-made billionaires. As co-founders of Mercor, an AI recruiting startup based in San Francisco, they have helped create technology that assists major AI labs and companies in recruiting and training talent. According to Forbes, Mercor’s valuation by private investors approached $10 billion in 2025, catapulting Hiremath and Midha into the billionaire ranks at an age previously unseen in global technology standings. Their inclusion at 27th place on the Forbes 40 Under 40 list- alongside their co-founder Brendan Foody – highlights the explosive influence of artificial intelligence and the next generation of founders.

Forbes’ 40 Under 40 ranking is widely recognized for identifying leaders who are reshaping industries and accumulating substantial financial success before age 40. In its 2025 edition, Forbes noted a surge in the number of self-made billionaires under 40, many of whom earned their fortunes through technology and finance. These include founders and operators across the spectrum of innovation, from artificial intelligence to fintech and digital platforms. The official list reveals that Ankur Jain, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha are among those whose entrepreneurial journeys have intersected with broader trends in global technology and capital.

Ankur Jain’s trajectory reflects a blend of serial entrepreneurship and strategic positioning in consumer finance and loyalty technology. Prior to Bilt, he co-founded Humin, a contact management app that was acquired by Tinder in 2016. Bilt’s core value proposition – enabling renters to earn rewards without annual fees – has tapped into the vast U.S. rental market, combining consumer behavior insights with financial incentives to unlock new revenue models for participating partners. Jain’s career path illustrates an evolution from early startup exits to leading a company with multibillion-dollar valuations and global recognition among business leaders under 40.

Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha exemplify a newer narrative in U.S. and global entrepreneurship: very early success through leveraging artificial intelligence. Both Hiremath and Midha studied in the United States before pivoting to full-time entrepreneurship; their company Mercor applies AI to talent recruitment – a space experiencing rapid transformation amid growing demand for highly skilled technical talent. According to Forbes, the company’s rapid valuation growth and strategic positioning in AI recruitment have been central to their unprecedented entry into the billionaire cohort at age 22, making them among the youngest individuals globally to achieve such a milestone.

From an ecosystem perspective, the recognition of Indian-origin leaders on one of Forbes’ most visible global lists reflects longstanding trends in technology, finance, and innovation communities. Indian Americans and Indian-origin entrepreneurs have increasingly gained prominence in the U.S. and global business landscapes, contributing to major companies and startup ecosystems alike. While Jain’s success aligns with fintech and consumer financial technologies, Hiremath and Midha’s work situates them at the intersection of artificial intelligence, talent marketplaces, and algorithmic systems, sectors that have seen explosive growth and investment in recent years.

Importantly, the Forbes 40 Under 40 list serves not just as a barometer of wealth but also as a recognition of influence, leadership potential, and future impact. For individuals like Jain, Hiremath, and Midha, inclusion on this list places them among peers whose ventures are likely to shape sectors such as financial services, AI development, and platform technologies for years to come. The acknowledgment from Forbes is a milestone that brings broader visibility to their work and signals confidence from one of the most prominent business media institutions.

As of the December 29, 2025 publication date, Ankur Jain, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha have become part of a select group recognized globally for their entrepreneurial achievements under 40, mixing generational wealth creation with innovation leadership. Their stories illustrate both the opportunities available in today’s technology economy and the rising influence of Indian-origin leaders within it – achievements that resonate beyond their companies and speak to broader shifts in global entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways About Ankur Jain, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha

• Ankur Jain is ranked 19th on Forbes 40 Under 40 with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion as founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards.
• Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, both 22, are among the world’s youngest self-made billionaires as co-founders of AI startup Mercor.
• Their inclusion on the Forbes list reflects major trends in technology, fintech, and artificial intelligence.
• Recognition on the global 40 Under 40 list underscores their influence and future potential in their respective sectors.
• These entrepreneurs highlight the rising visibility of Indian-origin leaders in global high-tech and financial innovation.