三个00后，干出700亿独角兽

Core Insights - Mercor, founded less than three years ago, has raised $350 million in its latest funding round, achieving a valuation of $10 billion, making it the youngest AI infrastructure unicorn [3][4] - The company initially focused on recruitment but pivoted to training AI models by hiring skilled professionals, leading to a significant increase in valuation [3][4] - Mercor's annual revenue is nearing $450 million, with a profit of $6 million in the first half of the year, positioning it to reach $500 million in annual recurring revenue faster than competitors [4][8] Company Overview - Mercor's founders, all born in 2004 and recipients of the Peter Thiel Scholarship, dropped out of prestigious universities to start the company, leveraging their debate team experience to address employment market issues [7][11] - The company has expanded its contractor base to over 30,000 experts across various fields, including doctors and lawyers, serving major clients like OpenAI and Meta [8][9] - Mercor's platform allows clients to quickly assemble interdisciplinary teams for AI training, distinguishing it from competitors focused on general recruitment or broad data labeling [8][9] Funding and Growth - Mercor's funding journey includes a seed round of $3.6 million in 2023, Series A of $32 million in 2024, Series B of $100 million in 2025, and the recent $350 million round, with notable investors like Peter Thiel and Jack Dorsey [9] - The company generates over $1.5 million in daily revenue and plans to expand its platform into healthcare and legal services, where specialized knowledge is critical [9][14] Industry Trends - The rise of young entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley reflects a shift in investment focus towards those who are digital natives and can adapt quickly to the fast-evolving AI landscape [11][14] - The trend of investing in younger founders is driven by the rapid pace of AI development, where traditional experience may become a liability [14][15] - Initiatives like the Peter Thiel Scholarship and Y Transformers program in China support young entrepreneurs, indicating a growing ecosystem for AI startups led by the youth [15]