Markus Villig
Markus Villig | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 17, 1993 Estonia |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, CEO |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Bolt Technology OÜ |
Markus Villig (born December 17, 1993) is an Estonian entrepreneur and billionaire, recognized as the founder and CEO of the international shared mobility firm Bolt Technology OÜ. By 2019, he held the distinction of being the youngest individual in Europe to establish a billion-dollar enterprise (unicorn). After Bolt's funding round in late 2021, which valued the company at $8.4 billion, Markus achieved the status of Europe's youngest self-made billionaire at just 27 years old.
Biography
Markus completed his secondary education in Tallinn during spring 2013 and subsequently initiated Bolt's development with a €5,000 loan from his family. He personally designed the initial app prototype and began recruiting drivers within Tallinn. In September 2013, he enrolled in computer science studies at the University of Tartu, but departed after one semester to dedicate himself fully to expanding the business.
Throughout his career, Markus has received multiple honors for entrepreneurship: in 2016, he was recognized as the youngest CEO featured on Forbes' 30 under 30 list for the Baltic region and was awarded Estonia's presidential accolade for Best Young Entrepreneur. He earned EY's Estonian Entrepreneur of the Year title in 2018 and was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Estonia's national newspaper Äripaev in 2022.
In November 2022, Markus was designated Partner of Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recognition of his support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. Expanding his role within European technology, he joined the board of Klarna in March 2025.