At just 16 years old, Toby Brown has made a groundbreaking leap from coding in his London bedroom to securing a $1 million investment from Silicon Valley investors for his AI startup, Beem. Instead of sitting for his GCSE exams, Toby is heading to California to develop his company in the heart of the tech world.
From a young age, Toby showed an extraordinary talent for problem-solving and innovation. As a toddler, he was fascinated by padlocks and homemade alarm systems, using scraps of paper and wires to construct security gadgets around his house. By the time he reached primary school, he was already creating custom-coded timetable games and selling them to his teachers.
Toby’s passion for coding deepened when he joined Hack Club, a global community of teenage programmers. At just 13 years old, he became their youngest employee, collaborating with like-minded tech enthusiasts and pushing the boundaries of his skills.
Beem, Toby’s AI-powered platform, is designed to revolutionize personal organization. It acts as a smart virtual assistant, bringing essential files and tasks directly to users, making day-to-day planning seamless and intuitive.
“It’s essentially a computer that brings files to you; it can bring your calendar to you, and it’s scalable to do anything,” Toby explained.
One key feature of Beem is its ability to predict user needs. For example, if someone is planning a family holiday, Beem can recognize that accommodation has been booked but flights haven’t. Based on personal preferences, budget, and airline choices, Beem can suggest the best flights, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
On his 16th birthday, Toby received a life-changing phone call—Silicon Valley investors had decided to back Beem with $1 million.
“This amount of money is going to be so helpful,” Toby said. “It was actually the best birthday gift I could have received.”
The news stunned his classmates. “I made the mistake of not telling them early enough, and when the news came out, suddenly everyone was like, ‘Ah, Toby, can I have a tenner?'”
For Toby, this was more than just a financial breakthrough—it was validation of years of dedication. “I’d wake up early in the morning to work on it, then come home from school and start coding. It was all I was doing, all I was working on.”
Despite Toby’s exceptional talent, his parents were surprised by his abilities.
“We don’t have a background in coding or computing,” said his mother Claire, who works for the NHS. “My husband is in marketing, and it’s not something we know much about. It was quite a shock for us.”
Still, Toby’s passion for technology was unstoppable. “He did it all by himself—from building his first computer to finding Hack Club, where he really found his community.”
Toby’s mentor, Zach Latta, founder of Hack Club, said it was obvious from the start that Toby was headed for success.
“From the first day I met Toby, I knew this was going to happen,” Latta said. “Hack Club is a space where teenagers around the world take unconventional paths in tech, and Toby was always going to be one of those who pushed the limits.”
“It wasn’t a surprise when I heard he raised $1 million. It was more like, ‘Well, of course that was going to happen!’”
Hack Club has become a major hub for young tech prodigies, and according to Latta, there’s a growing community of talented teenagers in London and the UK who are joining the movement.
Now, Toby is packing his bags for Silicon Valley, where he will develop Beem with the support of some of the world’s top tech investors. However, he hasn’t ruled out returning to London in the future to complete his education.
While some might feel overwhelmed by the challenge ahead, Toby sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We’ve got a real chance to change how people use computers,” he said. “I couldn’t turn that down.”
And as for Beem’s ultimate goal? Toby chuckles: “World domination but not the evil kind!”
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