Karim Attiyeh, a Lebanese-born technologist and co-founder of one of the fastest-growing fintech startups in the United States, has been recognized by Forbes Middle East as the newest Arab-origin billionaire in America. With an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, Attiyeh has become the youngest Arab American billionaire and one of only six billionaire entrepreneurs of Arab heritage who built their fortunes in the U.S.
Attiyeh, 35, is the co-founder and CTO of Ramp, a New York–based fintech company offering AI-powered tools that streamline corporate spending, expense management, procurement, and travel planning. Ramp’s rapid rise in valuation — reaching nearly $16 billion by 2025 — placed Attiyeh among the world’s most influential young tech leaders.
A Growing Circle of Arab American Billionaires
According to Forbes, the combined net worth of the six Arab-background billionaires in the U.S. has reached $17.7 billion. Leading this group is:
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Ramzi Musallam (Jordan) — CEO of Veritas Capital, worth $9.2B
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Haim Saban (Egypt) — Media mogul, worth $3.1B
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Marc Lasry (Morocco) — Hedge fund manager, worth $1.9B
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Karim Attiyeh (Lebanon) — Fintech innovator, worth $1.3B
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Noubar Afeyan (Lebanon) — Biotech entrepreneur, worth $1.2B
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David Hindawi (Iraq) — Software founder, worth $1B
Who Is Karim Attiyeh?
Born and raised in Beirut, Attiyeh began his academic journey at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour, graduating in 2003 with a strong foundation in mathematics. He continued his studies at Harvard University, earning:
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A bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering (2007)
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A master’s degree in computer science (2010)
Attiyeh started his professional path in New York in 2011 at Oliver Wyman, doing what he humorously describes as “PowerPoint and Excel” work. But his ambitions quickly shifted toward building and innovating in the tech world.
From Paribus to Ramp: A Journey of Innovation
In 2014, Attiyeh co-founded Paribus, an app that automated refunds for online shoppers whenever price drops occurred. The platform quickly grew to 700,000 users and was acquired by Capital One in 2016. Attiyeh continued running Paribus until 2019.
That same year, he helped launch Ramp with co-founders Eric Glyman and Gene Lee. In just a few years, Ramp became a leader in AI-driven financial tools, serving more than 40,000 businesses across the United States.
With a 10% ownership stake, Attiyeh leads Ramp’s engineering and product vision, focusing on simplifying corporate financial operations and reducing wasteful spending.
Lebanese Excellence in Global Tech
Attiyeh is part of a broader wave of Lebanese innovators leaving their mark on the U.S. tech ecosystem. Others include:
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Tressia Hobeika and Carl Madi, founders of Stepful, a groundbreaking health-care education platform ranked #1 in the U.S. EdTech sector and #10 globally by Time Magazine in 2025.
Their collective success showcases the growing influence of Arab and Lebanese talent in technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation worldwide.