26-year-old entrepreneur Steven Schwartz is the co-founder and CEO of Whop, a fast-growing social commerce platform valued at $1.6 billion. The company claims it has helped create more than 650 millionaires by enabling users to sell courses, communities, coaching programs, software, physical products, and other digital businesses online, according to a report in Fortune.ALSO READ: Sundar Pichai Stanford speech: Google CEO says "only few moments in life really matter"Who is Steven Schwartz?Steven Schwartz is an American entrepreneur who founded Whop in 2021 alongside Cameron Zoub and Jack Sharkey. Today, he leads one of the fastest-growing creator and digital commerce platforms in the world.ALSO READ: Robinhood Layoffs 2026Born into a military family of doctors, Schwartz spent much of his childhood moving between different cities and countries. He has spoken about selling water on the streets in China and refereeing hockey games in Illinois long before becoming a startup founder.His entrepreneurial journey started early. At just 13 years old, he began building and selling iOS applications and sneaker-buying bots with future co-founder Cameron Zoub. What is Whop?Whop is a marketplace that allows creators, entrepreneurs, educators, and businesses to sell products and services online.The platform hosts everything from coaching programs and online courses to software subscriptions, private communities, health products, and meal kits. According to the company, it now serves around 22 million users across 145 countries and supports roughly $4 billion in annual commerce.Some of the platform's top sellers reportedly earn seven-figure incomes, helping Whop achieve its claim of creating more than 650 millionaires.The Vision: Making Work FunUnlike many startup founders focused solely on growth, Schwartz frequently talks about changing how people think about work.“The future’s gonna look like everyone is complete of their own agency, and [are] spending their days doing the work that they find way more fun than what they’re doing today,” he tells Fortune. “They shouldn’t have to worry about money—it’s coming with the work that you’re finding passionate. We want to build that world.”He also believes that enjoying work should not be an exception.“The idea that people can have fun while working is very foreign to most people, but has been solved by some,” the Gen Z leader continues. “We just want to bring it to the rest.”From NYU Student to Billion-Dollar FounderBefore launching Whop, Schwartz studied at New York University's Stern School of Business. During college, he interned at Accenture in Singapore, where he worked on technology projects for businesses in Southeast Asia.After graduating in 2021, he chose entrepreneurship over a traditional corporate career and launched Whop.The decision paid off. The company has raised around $272 million from investors and reached a valuation of $1.6 billion after a $200 million investment from Tether in early 2026. Backers have included Insight Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, Peter Thiel, and other high-profile investors.What Does Steven Schwartz Look for When Hiring?As Whop continues to expand, Schwartz says he focuses on hiring people who have actually built something rather than those with impressive résumés alone.“The only thing that really matters is: has this person built something? Is it impressive and cool? And if so, then welcome to the team,” the CEO continues. “We look at energy. How fun is it to be with this person? Do you find yourself wanting to spend a lot of time with them? That’s a good trait.”Why Steven Schwartz Is Getting AttentionSchwartz has become one of the most talked-about Gen Z founders because of his belief that the future of work lies in creator-led businesses and online entrepreneurship.With Whop now valued at $1.6 billion, millions of users on the platform, and more than 650 millionaire success stories, his vision of helping people turn hobbies into careers is attracting growing attention across the startup and creator economy worlds.