How a School Dropout Built a $3.3B AI Company Before Turning 26

Sovereign AI fund backs chipmaker that hasn't shipped a product yet  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

August 11, 2026   |   Read online In partnership with TOP PICK FOR YOU Technology School Dropout's AI Startup Hits $3.3B Valuation in Nine Years: Founder Turns Billionaire at Just 25 British AI chip innovator Olix raised $312M in Series B, valuing the company at $3.3B (£2.5B). Founder James Dacombe's stake is worth £946M as they prepare to launch their groundbreaking chip in 2027. Read More ADVERTISEMENT 200 Ways To Make Money With AI Turns out, AI is good for more than writing emails and generating LinkedIn posts. This guide is packed with 200+ actionable ways to build income with AI. Inside you'll discover: 200 curated AI income ideas for beginners and pros alike Easy-to-start opportunities you can launch this week Real world applications for today’s top AI tools AI powered business models built for today’s economy Creative ways to turn trends into revenue AI is changing how people work and how people earn, far beyond the simple “write me an email” prompt. Discover the possibilities and download the free guide to start cashing in today. Get The Free Guide PERSONAL FINANCE Trending Battlefield 6 Player Gets $109 Refund After 470 Hours Because EA Removed His Favourite Mode A Battlefield 6 player received a full refund from Steam after 470 hours of gameplay, citing the removal of favourite modes from Quickplay matchmaking as the reason for the request. Read More BUSINESS 'No Corporate Job Is Safe': Former Netflix Employee's Life After Being Laid Off at 50 After being laid off from Netflix at 50, Singapore-based Edgar Tang embraced content creation, turning his personal stories into a new career in a shifting job market. Read More PERSONAL FINANCE Personal Finance 'My Bloodline Will Die With Me': Woman Says Three Layoffs Ended Her Dream of Having Children A millennial woman shares her decision to forego parenthood due to financial struggles, job instability, and caregiving responsibilities, reflecting broader challenges faced by many in her generation. Read More ADVERTISEMENT 2 Free AI Courses. No Credit Card Needed. 5,000+ professionals use Skill Leap to get ahead with AI. Right now, two of their best courses are completely free - Claude 101 and the 14-Day AI Boot Camp. Claude 101 covers prompting frameworks, Artifacts, file analysis, and real-world workflows in 19 lessons. The Boot Camp covers ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and prompt engineering in 16 lessons. Downloadable workbooks. LinkedIn certificate. Zero cost, no credit card, no catch. Get 2 Free AI Courses BUSINESS Nvidia Taps Wall Street for $500B AI Bet: Stock Falls as Investors Question Demand Nvidia partners with top asset managers to mobilise $500 billion for AI infrastructure, but investor concerns over circular financing impact stock performance. Read More IBTimes Mags World Colombia's New President Faces First Crisis as 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Kills 111 Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, faces a major crisis after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastates the Pacific region, killing 111 and leaving thousands missing. Rescue efforts are ongoing. World France Imposes Water Restrictions Across 70% of Country as Europe's Drought Crisis Deepens France imposes water restrictions as a severe drought affects 70% of the country, revealing Nazi shipwrecks in the Danube due to record low water levels amidst a European heatwave. World Trump Says the Strait of Hormuz Is Open, but Ship Data Shows Why Your Fuel Price Is Not Falling Yet Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is open, but ship-tracking data shows only single-digit daily transits versus 130 before the war, keeping US fuel prices from falling. Technology Zuckerberg Says Meta Will Give Billions a 24/7 Personal Superintelligence, Lays Out AI Vision in Lengthy Essay Mark Zuckerberg outlines Meta's plan to provide personal AI agents, aiming to democratise superintelligence and empower individuals with advanced AI tools for personal and professional growth. World Iranian Adviser Tells Tehran to Play the Long Game and Outlast Trump Until 2029 An Iranian adviser suggests Tehran should avoid both war and deals with Trump, advocating for strategic patience until his presidency ends in 2029, while denying direct US talks.   Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 IBT Media Type Sierra Quebec Bravo, 77 Marsh Wall, London, England E14 9SH, United Kingdom Powered by beehiiv