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Yahoo inspires confidence through teenage millionaire
Tue, 26th Mar 2013
FYI, this story is more than a year old

"The money is there, just waiting for clever new moves", says 17-year-old Nick D'Aloisio, who just sold his smartphone news app for US$30 million.

For the young Brit, becoming a millionaire overnight is one thing, but inspiring a generation to think outside the box appears an equally motivating factor.

"If you have a good idea, or you think there's a gap in the market, just go out and launch it because there are investors across the world right now looking for companies to invest in," D'Aloisio told Reuters.

The teenager is currently the talk of the tech world, after selling his mobile news reader app Summly for the mind-blowingly massive fee of 30 million big ones.

"We're excited to share that we're acquiring Summly, a mobile product company founded with a vision to simplify the way we get information, making it faster, easier and more concise," Yahoo said.

"At the age of 15, Nick D'Aloisio created the Summly app at his home in London.

"It started with an insight - that we live in a world of constant information and need new ways to simplify how we find the stories that are important to us, at a glance."

So, what exactly is Summly?

Created to solve D'Aloisio's revision problems two years ago, the mobile app essentially aggregates and formats news content from a number of publishers - offering 'summaries' of each.

The bite size app will be incorporated into the Yahoo news app, as well as other mobile properties within the company, with D'Aloisio also set to join the company.

After not realising he could make money out of the app, what a line by the way, simply by creating an app to suit his needs, D'Aloisio has tapped into a gaping hole in the market,

He plans to buy a new pair of Nike trainers and a computer with his windfall, but the biggest prize of all could be the confidence it gives fellow youngsters when it comes to developing ideas.

Having a great idea is one thing, but possessing the determination to make it work is another.

Will D'Aloisio's story offer inspiration to other youngsters? Tell us your thoughts below