Do you think you’re too young to make a unicorn? Think about it again. Some of the biggest names in technology started out as a teenager and left university to pursue bold ideas. Bill Gates. Steve Jobs. Mark Zuckerberg. They did not wait for permission. And now, the new generation is looking to follow that same path.
Three teenagers have proven that it is still possible. And for all kids, mercor is a reminder, as they think they are too young and too young to start. Age does not limit ambition.
Meet Adarsh Hiremath, Brendan Foody and Surya Midha. He is three high school classmates, a discussion partner and co-founder of Mercor, an AI-driven employment startup that has swept Silicon Valley. They are not MBA tech veterans or Ivy League alumni. They are barely 21 years old.
Still, in just under two years, their company grew from dorm ideas to a $2 billion business supported by some of the most iconic names in technology.
From discussion clubs to dorm room founders
Their story began in high school, where they bonded to a lengthy conversation about a debate tournament and fixing a broken system. Adarsh then went to Harvard, and Brendan and Surya signed up for Georgetown. However, the university did not maintain them for a long time.
They left school and participated in the Thiel Fellowship. This is a program that will give you $100,000 to young people who skip college and build ambitious things. It was a bet on myself – and it paid off.
“We didn’t learn how to solve real problems in school,” Hoodie said. “So we decided to settle it ourselves.”
Fixed employment systems that were not working
Employment is slow, biased and frustrating for everyone involved. A pile of resumes. The interview process is dragged out. Great candidates are overlooked.
The trio saw an opportunity to build something better. Melkor was launched as a manual recruitment service in January 2023, but has quickly evolved into a smarter system. They began building their own language models, screened resumes, conducted interviews, and were trained to fit candidates into roles.
Today, employers upload job statements and Melkor’s AI is handling the rest. Screen applicants, run video interviews, create skill profiles, and manage global hiring pay.
Currently, some of the largest AI labs use Mercor to hire authors and video producers to help build training data. The platform supports the overall roles of technology, design, finance, and law.
From dorm rooms to $2 billion valuation: The Story of Mercor
They built the first version from the dorm. There are no big teams. There are no recruiters. Three teenagers with laptops and visions.
In early 2023, Melkor raised $3.6 million in seed funding led by General Catalyst with participation from Soma Capital, Link Ventures and Nea’s Scott Sandell.
Then came the moment of breakout. In September 2024, Melkor raised $30 million in Series A, led by Benchmark. TechStartups.com first covered the round, highlighting that the three Tiel Fellows are building one of the most promising AI startups of the year.
The round also brought Slates of well-known supporters, including Peter Thiel, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Open Board member, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
The company has continued support from Benchmark, DST Global and others in its $100 million Series B led by Felicia Ventures.
Early 2025:
Melkor is rated as more than 300,000 candidates for $2 billion More than 100,000 interviews completed $75 million in revenues with 15 full-time employees with 25 or more travel fees
He will be 22 years old before either of the founders.
How Mercor’s AI actually works
Applicants will upload their resume and complete a 20-minute video interview. The first half covers experience. The second includes role-specific case studies. Mercor’s AI evaluates responses and builds skill profiles.
Because of the more complex role, this platform may trigger a second round of AILE LED interviews with a deeper evaluation.
The goal is speed and accuracy. The process is not drawn out and there is less room for bias.
Build with global talent in mind
Melkor is not just Silicon Valley. Its biggest talent pool is in India, followed by the US and Southeast Asia. It is built for global employment, whether the company requires hourly workers, contractors or full-time staff.
Until recently, Melkor has fulfilled all of its own roles through its platform. The founders believed that if they were to sell employment software, it would have to work first for them.
Tiel Fellowship Effect
Launched by Peter Thiel in 2011, the Thiel Fellowship gives young people $100,000 to skip college and build something realistic. Since its inception, Fellows have now established companies that exceed $220 billion.
Melkor may be one of its biggest wins.
Thiel’s critics appeal to the program dropping out and risk-promoting appeal. But the track record speaks for itself. Other alumni include Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, Figma’s Dylan Field, Luminar’s Austin Russell, and Oyo’s Ritesh Agarwal.
The rise of Melkor could solidify the position of fellowships as one of the most unconventional but effective bets in high-tech.
What’s next?
Foody, Hiremath and Midha are not tracking who’s blueprints. They build their own. And if Melkor continues to grow like this, they will not only change the way companies hire. They may change how the next generation thinks about what is possible.
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