Check out the 10 biggest tech entrepreneurs under 30 [Infographic]

Need some inspiration?

Why not look to the most successful, and young (under 30), tech entrepreneurs in the world today, in the form of a nice neat infographic? It’s sure to lift your mood… or make you feel like a terrible person because you haven’t yet marked your place in the history books.

From what kinds of companies were received well in 2012 to the genius of their ideas to their problem-solving nature, we can all learn something from these entrepreneurs. It’s important to have models for success, and where better to look than the best of the best.

So forget feelings, let’s see what the ten biggest (tech) entrepreneurs under 30 can teach us.

The oldest companies on the list were founded in 2006 (Spotify, Zivelo) and most were created in 2008/2009. Collectively, these ten companies have created 1225 jobs during that period at an average of 175 jobs per year.

That number might not blow you away, but when you consider that just ten people (or 11 with Blank Label’s duo of founders) did this over seven years — it’s quite an achievement. And so one thing that stands out is simply job creation.

Let’s take a look at the types of businesses on the list.

Pinterest and Spotify cover your social media and music streaming respectively. 2tor Inc. (now 2U) covers education, GiveForward healthcare. There’s a surprising amount of manufacturing with Blank Label, Rebellion Photonics (also my winner for best name) and Zivelo. Add in a dash of mobile with AppStack and financial services with Dwolla and top it off with transportation/hospitality services in Fabulous and you get a look at your delectable success-cocktail. And that’s what jumps out, it’s a cocktail, a mix — a diversity of industries.

No one industry dominates, but rather each company has carved a niche within their field, often solving a problem. GiveForward provides healthcare to those who can’t afford it, and Dwolla facilitates cashless transactions through existing services. There is a creativity and simplicity to such ideas, and also a human element at the core of these startups.

Practically, their revenue models are intact and make sense. Spotify is the king of the freemium model, only asking its users to endure the odd advert every few songs or pay for the luxury of an ad-free experience. Dwolla only takes a tiny fee (percentage-wise) on transactions over US$10. GiveForward takes a decent cut (7.5%) from donations, but one third of this covers their transaction service fees (PayPal).

The rest provide a product or service that their target markets would happily pay for.

There’s no one way to ensure success in the tech world. But if the cream of the crop can teach us anything, it’s that carving a niche puts you in good stead to dominate your industry. Revenue and job creation are fantastic byproducts, but it all starts with a human problem, one that if you can find the solution to, you’re onto something.

The infographic (compliments of Masters in Marketing), was built on data from Forbes, Inc. Openforum and more, and compiled with data from around July 2012.

*Daniel Ek’s (Spotify) age as of July was actually 29, not 25 as portrayed on the infographic