Ben Pasternak looked like an ordinary teen, but behind the scenes, he was creating viral apps in his bedroom and would eventually start a multimillion-dollar tech company. Many teenagers play video games and enjoy the apps on their phone, but Ben did not just enjoy using technology, he wanted to know how it was created and why people enjoyed it. At only age 15, he designed his first gaming app called Impossible Rush. After only a few weeks of its release, it had gained over a million downloads. People with more power started to become interested in Ben’s work. Ben decided to drop out of high school and move to New York City after receiving numerous offers from tech investors including Greylock Partners and Tumblr’s former president, John Maloney. In 2016, Ben founded Flogg, an online marketplace for young adults to buy and sell products and network with others. Flogg grabbed even more people’s attention, and Ben received more funding as a result. The app, Sup, became Ben’s next tech business endeavor. This social networking app allowed friends online to meet in real life. The focus, ironically, was to encourage face-to-face conversations rather than virtual connections. A few years later in 2019, Ben focused on combining the food industry with the tech industry and co-founded NUGGS. NUGGS was a food technology company that made plant-based nuggets. They have since rebranded NUGGS and renamed it Simulate. They expanded to make a variety of foods with meat alternatives.
Ben knew his target audience. He made apps that teens and young adults his age would use and enjoy. As he grew, his business endeavors matured as well. Ben Pasternak is a great example of how a young entrepreneur pushed past his age barrier and even the stigma of dropping out of high school. He risked a lot by dropping out of school and moving to a different country, but his risks and perseverance paid off and he continues to be an inspiration to any young entrepreneurs. 
Visit the Simulate website here.
