With rapid technological progress, broadening international market opportunities and increased access to investment, young entrepreneurs are demonstrating that meaningful innovation can emerge early in their careers. From sustainable consumer products to cutting-edge AI ventures, these founders are reshaping industries while championing purpose-led progress. Their journeys often began with small sparks, childhood experiments, unexpected setbacks or simple curiosity, that grew into nationally recognised brands, award-winning inventions and influential platforms.

This article profiles five remarkable young women who exemplify this movement through our special edition Women in Entrepreneurship series. 

Together, their stories show how passion, resilience and purpose can drive meaningful change and inspire a more inclusive future for entrepreneurship.

Mikaila Ulmer, 21 years 

Founder and CEO of Me & the Bees

Mikaila Ulmer is the founder and CEO of Me & the Bees, a mission-driven lemonade brand she first launched from a small stand outside her family home in Austin, Texas, at just four years old. What began as a childhood project, sparked by two bee stings, inspired her to learn about the crucial role bees play in the environment. It has since grown into a nationally distributed company, with products available in all 50 US states.

Guided by a commitment to sustainability, community impact, and bee conservation, Mikaila blends her great-grandmother’s 1940s flaxseed lemonade recipe with natural ingredients and American-sourced flavours. A portion of every sale supports initiatives that protect pollinators. Alongside running the business, she has become a prominent young social entrepreneur, regularly speaking at global events, leading workshops, and advocating for youth innovation. Her bestselling book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, shares her journey and encourages young people to pursue ideas that create positive change.

Despite national media appearances and engagements ranging from the United Nations to Shark Tank, Mikaila continues to balance her responsibilities as CEO with her ongoing education. Her optimism, resilience, and belief in the power of using setbacks as strengths remain at the heart of her mission to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

Zandra Cunningham, 21 years 

Founder and CEO of Zandra Beauty 

Zandra A. Cunningham is the founder of Zandra Beauty, a plant-based skincare brand she first created at the age of nine after a simple “no” from her father inspired her to make her own lip balm. What began as a small kitchen experiment in Buffalo, New York, has since grown into a million-dollar company stocked by major retailers including Target and celebrated for its eco-friendly, naturally formulated products.

Driven by a commitment to empower girls and young women, Zandra has shaped her brand around education, confidence, and social impact. Through the Zandra TLC Foundation, she travels across the United States delivering workshops, hosting entrepreneurship programmes, and promoting STEAM learning for young girls. Her work has made her an internationally recognised speaker, trainer, and advocate for youth entrepreneurship.

A graduate of multiple business development programmes before she was even a teenager, Zandra has earned significant acclaim, appearing in prestigious publications and on national television. She has been honoured as the Small Business Administration’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year and named in Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 list.

Today, Zandra oversees a GMP-certified manufacturing facility and donates up to 10% of profits to girls’ education. Her mission remains clear: to inspire young people to build, create, and lead with purpose. 

Kiara Nirghin, 25 years

Founder of Chima

Kiara Nirghin is a Stanford-trained technologist, author and sustainability advocate whose career began in Johannesburg and quickly gained global attention. She first rose to prominence as a teenager when she won the International Google Science Fair’s Grand Prize at the age of 16, for developing a biodegradable, low-cost super-absorbent polymer made entirely from fruit waste. Designed to help crops withstand severe drought, her invention demonstrated remarkable potential for improving food and water security in vulnerable regions. It earned widespread acclaim from prestigious organisations.

Since then, Nirghin has continued to shape conversations at the intersection of AI, climate resilience and ethical innovation. She has also published a bestselling book titled Youth Revolution: Be The Change. Her advocacy extends to global initiatives, working with bodies such as UN Women and L’Oréal UNESCO for Women in Science.

Now based in San Francisco, Nirghin is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Chima, a leading generative AI company she built with her sister, Nikhara Nirghin, and backed by top Silicon Valley investors. Drawing on her experience at Stanford, Meta and Google, she focuses on building responsible, data-driven AI systems designed to support sustainable progress across industries.

Daniella Pierson, 29 years

Founder/CEO at The Newsette & CHASM

Daniella Pierson’s rise began in a Boston University dorm room, where she launched The Newsette at just 19. What started as a modest daily newsletter for women interested in business, beauty and culture soon evolved into a major media brand, built without venture capital and sustained by Pierson’s instinct for authentic storytelling. By her mid-twenties, she had generated over $10 million personally, grown her company to more than $40 million in annual revenue, and amassed a fortune of roughly $220 million, as per data on her LinkedIn profile. 

Now 29, Pierson is channelling her success into tackling the systemic barriers faced by women in entrepreneurship. In 2024 she unveiled CHASM, an invite-only membership network designed to support female founders often overlooked by traditional investors. With backing from high-profile figures including Sara Blakely, Whitney Wolfe Herd and Tony Robbins, CHASM provides grants, practical resources, and straightforward business guidance, from pitch-deck basics to legal know-how. Female entrepreneurs can apply for funding and access the platform’s educational tools at no cost.

Pierson, who has spoken openly about her mental-health challenges, credits entrepreneurship with giving her purpose and confidence. A decade after launching The Newsette, she remains committed to using her platform to expand economic power for women and help shape a more equitable entrepreneurial landscape.

Lucy Guo, 31 years old 

Co-founder of Scale AI And CEO of Passes

At just 30, tech entrepreneur Lucy Guo has become the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire, surpassing Taylor Swift for the title of the youngest self-made woman billionaire, with an estimated fortune of $1.3 billion. Much of her wealth stems from Scale AI, the data-labelling company she co-founded in 2016, retaining a stake that soared in value even after her departure two years later.

Guo’s path began long before Silicon Valley. Raised by immigrant parents who prioritised education, she was drawn instead to financial independence, earning money from selling Pokémon cards and building simple websites as a child. Her decision to leave Carnegie Mellon to pursue tech projects was met with resistance at home, yet Guo describes risk as something people “overthink”, arguing that the worst outcome is usually gaining experience.

Speaking at several 2025 forums, Guo emphasised the importance of asking for help and not fearing rejection, noting that one meaningful “yes” can redefine a career. She attributes much of her progress to early mentors and to surrounding herself with people who challenge her thinking.

Alongside investing through Backend Capital, Guo now leads Passes, a creator-economy platform offering tools from AI insights to wealth management. Despite her immense wealth, she maintains a relatively low-key lifestyle and insists success is rooted in confidence, persistence and reinvesting in others.