Ben Pasternak
The Young Visionary Redefining Tech and Food Innovation
By Peter Davis
Ben Pasternak, born on September 6, 1999, in Sydney, Australia, is a trailblazing entrepreneur whose innovative spirit has left a significant mark on both the technology and food industries. From a young age, Pasternak displayed a natural aptitude for innovation, quickly gaining international recognition for his groundbreaking creations. His journey from an ambitious teenager to a highly successful businessman is a testament to the power of creativity, risk-taking, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior.
Raised in Sydney, Pasternak’s passion for technology became evident during his early teenage years. While attending high school, he developed a mobile game called Impossible Rush during a science class. What started as a simple project quickly turned into a global sensation, amassing millions of downloads and soaring to the 16th spot on the U.S. App Store charts. This unexpected success catapulted Pasternak into the tech world, attracting attention from industry giants like Facebook and Google, both of whom offered him internship opportunities. However, the young entrepreneur had bigger aspirations and turned down these offers to focus on building his own ventures.
At just 15, Ben Pasternak made a bold decision to leave high school and move to New York City, determined to carve his own path. In 2015, he launched Flogg, a social networking app designed to facilitate buying and selling among teenagers. The app gained rapid traction, briefly reaching the top trending spot on the U.S. App Store. This early success solidified Pasternak’s reputation as a rising star in the tech industry and proved that he had a keen understanding of the digital habits of his generation.
Building on his momentum, Ben Pasternak introduced Monkey in late 2016, an app that allowed teenagers to engage in video chats with peers around the world. The platform became an instant hit, attracting over 20 million users and facilitating billions of calls. Its popularity underscored Pasternak’s ability to create digital products that resonated deeply with young audiences. The overwhelming success of Monkey led to its acquisition by the social networking company Holla in 2018, marking another major milestone in Pasternak’s career.
With an entrepreneurial mindset that refused to settle, Ben Pasternak shifted his focus to an entirely different industry—food technology. In 2018, he co-founded SIMULATE, a company dedicated to “upgrading the world to a positive food system.” His vision was to revolutionize the way people consume protein, making it more sustainable and accessible. The company’s flagship product, NUGGS, a plant-based chicken nugget alternative, debuted in July 2019 and quickly gained traction among consumers. Unlike traditional plant-based products that often struggled with taste and texture, NUGGS were designed to closely mimic real chicken, appealing to both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The product became a major success, positioning SIMULATE as a leader in the alternative protein market.
Ben Pasternak’s ability to attract investors further validated his business acumen. By June 2021, SIMULATE had raised over $50 million in funding from high-profile investors, including Alexis Ohanian’s venture fund Seven Seven Six, billionaire entrepreneur Chris Sacca, global frozen food giant McCain Foods, and even rapper Jay-Z. The company’s valuation skyrocketed to over $250 million, a remarkable achievement for a venture founded by a young entrepreneur who had only just begun to explore the food industry.
His trailblazing work has not gone unnoticed. Over the years, Ben Pasternak has been recognized for his extraordinary contributions to technology and business. In 2016, Time magazine named him one of the world’s most influential teenagers, an honor that reflected his growing impact on digital culture. In 2021, he was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, further cementing his reputation as a game-changer in consumer technology and food innovation.
Today, Ben Pasternak resides in the vibrant Soho neighborhood of New York City, where he continues to push the boundaries of innovation. His journey from a teenage app developer to a multi-industry entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. He has proven that age is not a barrier to success and that with the right mix of creativity, risk-taking, and vision, it is possible to disrupt even the most established industries.
Ben Pasternak’s story is a reminder that the future belongs to those who dare to think differently. As he continues to redefine the way people interact with technology and food, the world eagerly awaits his next big move.
