I'm 16 and just raised $1 million for my AI project despite being average at school. Here's why it helps to be delusional.

At just 16 years old, Toby Brown from the UK has made headlines after raising an impressive $1 million for his AI initiative, Beem. The news came as a surprise on his birthday, sparking excitement and questions about how he could leave school to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. Initially met with disbelief by friends, Toby had to clarify that he had founded a company and secured investment, which led him to consider leaving the traditional school system behind. His innate curiosity about technology began at a young age, influenced by interests in alarm systems and coding. Despite not having parents in tech—his father is in marketing and his mother works in healthcare—Toby's passion for learning drove him to explore independently. By the age of 7, he was already learning to code on a Raspberry Pi and using online tutorials to create projects from math games to alarm systems. Feeling isolated in his interests, Toby often found himself diving deep into technology after school, even creating a program to automate some of his homework. Despite being an average student in the classroom, he thrived on self-directed learning, often staying up late to explore his passions. In 2023, he conceptualized Beem, a project aimed at transforming how people interact with technology by minimizing time spent on unwanted tasks. Committed to his vision, Toby decided to focus entirely on Beem, seeking venture funding to support his efforts. His fundraising journey took him from London to New York and then to Silicon Valley, where he pitched his idea to investors. Without any formal guidance on pitching, he adopted a relentless approach, adapting his narrative based on the audience's responses. His enthusiasm shone through, particularly during a meeting with South Park Commons, a fund founded by early Facebook engineers, which ultimately led to the $1 million investment. The moment he received the investment call was surreal for Toby, who shared the news with his mother and their dog. The excitement of securing funding came with a unique challenge: obtaining an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary abilities, which required navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration law without a high school diploma. Now residing in San Francisco, Toby describes the experience as exhilarating, surrounded by the vibrant energy of Silicon Valley. He emphasizes the importance of pursuing one's curiosity and sharing progress with others, which helped him attract attention on social media. His advice to other young innovators is to embrace their passions, post about their work, and maintain a positive, almost delusional, mindset about their potential for success. Toby's journey exemplifies how curiosity and determination can lead to extraordinary opportunities.