Taylor Swift is no longer the youngest self-made female billionaire. And nope, it wasn’t another pop star who stole the crown.
The new titleholder is Lucy Guo, a 30-year-old Silicon Valley prodigy who co-founded Scale AI at just 21. Forbes officially handed her the crown on April 17, knocking Taylor Swift off the billionaire throne she’d only just climbed onto last year.
And here’s the kicker: Guo hasn’t even worked at Scale since 2018.
After leaving the AI unicorn following a fallout with co-founder Alexandr Wang, Guo held on to nearly 5% of the company, and that alone now makes her worth $1.25 billion, thanks to Scale’s new valuation of $25 billion. That’s almost double its value just a year ago.
“I don’t really think about it much,” Guo told Forbes. “It’s a bit wild.”
Yeah, wild is one word for it.
Since stepping away from Scale, Guo’s kept busy. She launched Backend Capital, a VC firm that backs scrappy founders like her, and Passes, a creator monetization platform that’s attracted names like Shaquille O’Neal, Olivia Dunne, and DJ Kygo.
So yes, while Taylor’s out here breaking stadium records, Lucy’s been breaking valuation ceilings, and doing it on her own terms.
Internet? Predictably split.
Some were here for it:
- “Finally some earned success rather than support from 14yos,” one user snarked on X.
- “Breaking glass ceilings looks better than breaking records. Go Lucy,” said another.
- “Scale AI was one of my fav companies. Fan-girling 🥰”
Others weren’t convinced:
- “You aren’t self made if your ‘shares’ are your wealth and you got thrown out of the company,” one commenter clapped back.
Still, Guo’s feat is rare. She’s now one of just six self-made women billionaires under 40, and the only one who got there after exiting the company that made her rich.
Meanwhile, Swift’s empire, powered by record-breaking tours, master recording reclaims, and smart brand partnerships, is still estimated north of $1.1 billion. But Guo’s move reminds everyone: tech can flip the scoreboard fast.
So is this a rivalry? Not really. But the baton has officially been passed, from stadium tours to startup equity.
And one thing’s for sure: Lucy Guo just became the new definition of self-made.