He left the college, entered a global contest, won $100,000 — and changed his life forever 🌍 At just 17, Ritesh Agarwal shocked everyone by turning that prize into a billion-dollar business. His story proves one bold idea can rewrite your future. How he did it — in this article 👇
Ritesh Agarwal from India came up with an idea that made him incredibly successful—when he was just 17 years old. His parents didn’t believe in his plans and wanted him to go to college instead. But Ritesh followed his dream: he dropped out of college and focused on what he truly loved.
He already had good programming skills, and together with a small group of people who shared his vision, he created a platform for renting rooms and places to stay. However, many of the listings had poor conditions, and this pushed renters away.
To improve things, Ritesh decided to take part in an international competition where the winner could get a grant. His startup didn’t have enough money to make major changes, so this was a big opportunity. His idea impressed the judges, and he became the first person from India to win the $100,000 grant.
He named his new company “On Your Own.” With the money, he started working with hotels to improve their service. Soon, the hotels connected to his platform became much better. This caught the attention of tourists, even from other countries.
Ritesh continued working hard, improving the business and growing the service. His efforts paid off—his project became very popular, and he eventually became a billionaire.
