Figma

Dylan Field dropped out of Brown University at 20 to build Figma, and it became the design tool that killed Adobe's monopoly. By making design collaborative (multiple designers editing the same file in real-time, like Google Docs), Figma replaced Sketch, InVision, and Adobe XD in most design teams. Adobe tried to acquire it for $20 billion in 2022 — the deal was blocked by regulators. Figma remained independent and hit $600 million ARR by 2024. The free tier is genuinely usable for individuals. FigJam (whiteboarding) extended it beyond design into general brainstorming.