Zhou Qunfei

Estimated to be the richest self-made woman in the world, Zhou, who dropped out of school at 16 to work on the floor of a watch lens factory, now runs the company that makes screens for iPhones (among other smart devices). She founded that company, Lens Technology, at age 22 and she took it public in 2015. Though Lens, which operates 32 factories and employs 74,000, had a rough 2016 with sales and profits sliding 17% and 26% respectively, the firm’s stock is up 27% year to date. Last year, Lens also became the first Apple supplier to commit to using 100% renewable energy in its operations—a milestone it says it will reach by the end of 2018.