Stories
Companies Founded By Teenagers
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.
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
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