Meet the World's Youngest Billionaire: A 19-year-old in Brazil

Livia holds the title of the world’s youngest billionaire. Edging out Italian youngster Clemente Del Vecchio, Livia boasts a net worth of $1.1 billion, a testament to her family’s influence in Latin America’s business arena.

As the heiress to WEG, one of the region’s leading electrical motors manufacturers, Livia’s wealth comes from a well-established family legacy in the industry. Despite her remarkable fortune, Livia remains focused on her studies as a university student, showing that even teenage billionaires can be committed to balancing education with their impressive financial legacies.

Grandfather Werner Ricardo Voigt played a pivotal role in shaping the family's business empire. As the WEG founder, he established the company as a major player in the electrical motors sector, which has since grown into a prominent enterprise in Latin America and beyond.

Prior to Livia's inheritance, Clemente Del Vecchio was the world's youngest billionaire. In 2022, when he came into his family's money, he was only 18 years old.

The Del Vecchio family is a prime example of how wealth and influence can span generations. The family’s business empire, EssilorLuxottica, is the world’s largest eyeglasses company, a colossal entity in the optical sector. Leonardo Del Vecchio, the visionary founder of the company, passed away in 2022, leaving a substantial fortune that has significantly impacted his heirs.

His children — Clemente, Leonardo Maria and Luca Del Vecchio — are now among the youngest billionaires globally.

There's an elephant in the room here. Most of the world's youngest billionaires are heirs to their fortunes, rather than self-made people. It’s important to acknowledge the role of nepotism and privilege in the rise of this new jet set.

Out of the 14 billionaires under 30, 11 inherited their fortunes, showcasing how access to wealth and opportunities often come from family connections, rather than from self-made successes. For instance, Kevin David Lehmann, a 21-year-old German billionaire, inherited a 50 percent stake in dm-drogerie markt, a leading European drugstore chain.

While self-made billionaires like Ben Francis are celebrated for their entrepreneurial spirit, they represent a minority in the billionaire population. The prevalence of inherited wealth in the ranks of young billionaires underscores how family legacies and privilege play a major role in attaining such extraordinary financial milestones.

Still, these heirs and heiresses aren't just sitting on the money they get from their forebears. They're strategically building their own business empires or expanding the ones passed on to them.

Sisters Kim Jung-min and Kim Jung-youn, who inherited a stake in the Nexon gaming empire from their father, now own approximately 9 percent of the company. These young billionaires are leveraging their inherited assets and making strategic investments to expand their influence and continue growing their business interests.

Alexandra Andresen and her sister Katharina are both in their twenties and inherited a substantial portion of their family's investment company, Ferd. They've taken an active role on making strategic investments in various sectors, including personal finance and technology.

Livia Voigt is also making waves with her substantial fortune. Her commitment to environmental responsibility has led her to invest in sustainable energy projects. She's also supporting educational initiatives in Brazil and has provided scholarships for underprivileged students.

Her approach reflects a blend of preserving and expanding her family's legacy while making a positive impact on society. By diversifying her investments and engaging in philanthropy, she appears to set a dynamic example of how young billionaires can shape their financial legacies and contribute meaningfully to the world.

The youngest billionaires are capturing headlines with their extraordinary fortunes and burgeoning business empires. While the role of nepotism, wealth transfer and privilege is a notable factor in their success, these young individuals are also shaping the future of industry and commerce.

Their stories inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, illustrating the dynamic ways in which wealth and influence are evolving in the modern world. As the business landscape continues to transform, it's going to be fascinating see how these young billionaires navigate their roles and influence the global economy.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.