How This Millennial Investor Made Millions in His 20s and Shares Gen Z's Path to Startup Riches

Martin Mignot, a partner at Index Ventures, achieved millionaire status before turning 30 through early investments in startups like Deliveroo, Figma, and Scale AI. In an exclusive interview, he reveals how Gen Z can spot the next unicorn and build wealth quickly by owning equity in promising companies.

Early Success with Deliveroo

Mignot first invested in Deliveroo when it was a small London-based platform with just eight employees and a few thousand users. Despite a basic website, he was impressed by the founder's commitment and the exceptional delivery experience. Today, Deliveroo is a $2.7 billion giant with over 160,000 restaurants globally.

Index Ventures' Winning Streak

At Index Ventures, Mignot has continued to back successful startups, including Revolut, Trainline, and Personio. The firm's early bets on companies like Figma and Scale AI have yielded billions, making it a standout in Silicon Valley.

Two Paths to Wealth for Gen Z

Mignot outlines two strategies for Gen Z to achieve financial success:

• Become a founder: Entrepreneurship offers the highest potential rewards but comes with significant risk. With today's technology, building and marketing products is more accessible than ever.
• Join a startup early: Invest in or work for a startup in its early stages to gain equity. This path provides ownership without the full risk of founding a company.

Key Insights for Spotting Unicorns

Look for founders with deep insight, intense commitment, and a hands-on approach, as demonstrated by Deliveroo's Will Shu. Owning equity is crucial for building wealth rapidly in the startup world.