NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Four Indian-origin entrepreneurs earned a place on the prestigious Forbes 40 under 40 ranking, reflecting the growing global impact of founders linked to India and its diaspora. Together, Ankur Jain, Nikhil Kamath, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha hold a combined net worth of more than $11 billion. Their success highlights how fintech, rewards platforms, and artificial intelligence continue to drive new-age wealth creation.
The list ranks the 40 wealthiest self-made billionaires aged 39 or younger. It includes global tech leaders such as AI founder Edwin Chen, worth $18 billion, and Chinese toy company founder Wang Ning, worth $15.7 billion, who top the list. According to Forbes data from December 2025, the number of self-made billionaires under 40 has returned to record levels last seen in 2021. There are now 71 such billionaires worldwide. Indian and Indian-origin founders feature prominently among the top names.
Ankur Jain ranks highest among Indian-origin entrepreneurs on the list. At 35, he holds the 19th position with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion. Based in the United States, Jain is the founder and chief executive officer of Bilt Rewards. He launched the New York–based startup in 2019. The platform allows renters to earn reward points on rent payments, a concept that quickly gained traction in the U.S. housing market.
Private investors valued Bilt Rewards at $10.8 billion in July. Jain previously co-founded Humin, a contact management app, which Tinder acquired in 2016. He is the son of a former dot-com billionaire, but Forbes classifies his wealth as self-made.
Nikhil Kamath ranks 20th globally with a net worth of $3.3 billion. At 39, he is the only India-based entrepreneur among the top 40 on the Forbes list. Kamath co-founded Bengaluru-based discount brokerage Zerodha in 2010 with his elder brother, Nithin Kamath. The firm has grown into one of India’s largest stockbroking platforms. Forbes estimates Zerodha’s valuation at nearly $8 billion.
Nikhil Kamath serves as chief financial officer, while Nithin Kamath is the company’s chief executive officer. Zerodha’s low-cost trading model helped bring millions of first-time investors into India’s stock markets.
The 27th rank on the Forbes list is shared by the co-founders of AI recruiting startup Mercor. Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, both 22, each have an estimated net worth of $2.2 billion. They share the rank with fellow co-founder Brendan Foody.
Hiremath and Midha are high school friends of Indian origin. They co-founded San Francisco–based Mercor in 2023. The startup helps major artificial intelligence labs recruit talent and train AI models. Mercor reached a valuation of $10 billion in October. The milestone made the trio the youngest self-made billionaires in the world. Midha serves as chairman, while Hiremath holds the role of chief technology officer. Both were named Thiel Fellows in 2024.
The rise of these Indian-origin billionaires reflects broader global trends. Rapid growth in technology, fintech, and artificial intelligence has reshaped how young founders build massive companies in a short time. Forbes notes that sectors such as online trading, rewards platforms, and AI services continue to attract strong investor interest. These industries also scale quickly across borders, giving founders access to global markets.
From New York to Bengaluru and San Francisco, the success of Jain, Kamath, Hiremath, and Midha shows the expanding global footprint of Indian and Indian American entrepreneurs.
