Believe it or not, some of the famous and successful companies in the world are founded by teenagers. While many of us were still dreaming about building a successful career at such a young age, these successful entrepreneurs were working hard to turn their ideas into reality. Here is a list of 5 such companies founded by teenagers.
Companies founded by teenagers
1) Subway
This widely popular restaurant franchise was founded in 1965 by a 17 year old Fred DeLuca. In an effort to make extra money for medical school, DeLuca decided to start his own sandwich making business. He took a $ 1,000 loan from a family friend and nuclear physicist Peter Buck and opened Pete’s Super Submarines in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They renamed the Company to Subway in 1968. Since its inception, the Company has grown to become one of the largest fast food chains in the world and has 41,512 stores in over 100 countries.
2) SuperJam
This UK based jam company was founded by a Scottish school boy Fraser Doherty in 2003. Doherty was only 14 years old when he started making jams and selling them at local markets. By the age of 16, Doherty left school and started working on his business full time. SuperJam became a successful company and sells millions of jars of jam every year. The success of his Company also made its founder a millionaire, whose net worth is estimated to be around $ 10 million.
3) Yankee Candle
Michael Kittredge started selling homemade candles to his neighbours at the age of 16 for just $ 2. After an increase in the popularity of his candles, Kittredge started creating and selling a larger quantity of his candles out of his parents’ basement. The Company slowly expanded. In 1998, Kittredge sold his Company to a New York based private company, Forstmann Little, for $ 500 million. Yankee Candle is now one of the most famous candle manufacturers in America and sells over 200 million candles a year.
4) Oculus VR
A 17 year old Palmer Luckey created a VR set of his own called PR1 out of his parents’ basement. Luckey thereafter launched his own company called Oculus VR with fellow video game enthusiasts. He then went on to sell his Company to Facebook for $ 2 billion in 2014 and then launched a defense technology company.
These successful entrepreneurs and the companies they founded are proof that age is just a number. Did we miss mentioning any other companies started by teenagers? Comment below and let us know.
Bharti Airtel has launched the innovative “Airtel-Perplexity Blueprint,” partnering with Perplexity to provide over 360 million customers free access to Perplexity Pro for a year—a benefit valued at ₹17,000 ($200). This collaboration enables Airtel users across mobile, broadband, and digital TV to harness advanced capabilities in generative AI, including leading AI models like GPT 4.1, Claude, and Gemini, along with up to 300 Pro searches daily, image generation, document analysis, and personalized planning services. The move is seen as a milestone for telecom innovation and the democratization of AI in India, making powerful research and productivity tools accessible to a massive user base.
This strategic partnership positions Airtel as an “AI-first” telecom provider, allowing it to gain key insights into user interactions with artificial intelligence and adapt its networks for growing digital demands. For Perplexity, the tie-up grants exclusive access to India’s vast telecom audience, rapidly propelling the app to the No. 1 spot on the Indian App Store, surpassing global competitors like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Airtel customers can activate their complimentary subscription seamlessly through the Airtel Thanks App, under the Rewards and OTTs section, reinforcing Airtel’s commitment to digital customer empowerment.
The broader Indian startup ecosystem reflects both breakthrough innovation and hard-earned lessons, illustrated by the recent shutdown of Ohm Mobility, an EV financing startup. Despite multiple pivots and industry-leading investors, Ohm Mobility struggled to achieve a sustainable business model—a reminder of the challenges in market fit and adaptability. As AI adoption accelerates and startup realities evolve, industry leaders like Airtel and Perplexity are setting new standards, while others, like Ohm Mobility, offer valuable insights on resilience and the importance of business model flexibility in India’s dynamic tech landscape.
Tesla has ramped up its India expansion by leasing a 24,565 sq ft warehouse at Lodha Logistics Park in Mumbai’s Kurla West. The five-year lease, registered on May 16, 2025, involves a total rent of over ₹24 crore, starting at ₹37.53 lakh per month with a 5% annual escalation. The facility includes two ground-floor units and 20 parking spots, with rent payments commencing June 1, 2025.
This warehouse will function as a key service center and garage for Tesla’s India operations, excluding bodywork and spray painting. The move supports Tesla’s preparations for its official market debut, expected in late 2025 or early 2026.
Tesla’s India rollout includes offices in Pune, flagship showrooms in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Delhi-NCR, and co-working spaces in Mumbai. The new warehouse lease highlights Tesla’s commitment to building a robust infrastructure for sales, service, and delivery of electric vehicles and energy products across India.
While manufacturing plans are not yet confirmed, Tesla is reportedly exploring sites in Maharashtra for a potential assembly unit. The Mumbai warehouse lease marks a significant step in Tesla’s strategy to establish a strong presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets.
Info Edge (India) Ltd shareholders have overwhelmingly approved an investment of up to ₹1,000 crore in the company’s third venture capital fund, Info Edge Ventures Fund III. The proposal received near-unanimous backing, with 99.9995% of valid votes in favor out of 1,274 participants.
Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, a wholly owned Info Edge subsidiary, will act as sponsor and investment manager for the new fund. This move strengthens Info Edge’s commitment to backing early-stage startups and expanding its footprint in India’s venture capital landscape.
Info Edge has a strong track record as an early investor in leading Indian startups like Zomato and PB Fintech, with combined holdings in these firms valued at ₹31,500 crore ($3.7 billion) as of March 31, 2025.