MrBeast

James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson

James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, publicly known as MrBeast, is a YouTube creator and entrepreneur known for elaborate challenge, competition, giveaway, and philanthropy-oriented videos.

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About MrBeast

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

YouTube creator, Entrepreneur · 1 affiliation

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Also known as: MrBeast6000
Known for: Online video production; Large-scale challenge and giveaway videos; Online charitable fundraising campaigns

YouTube creator
Entrepreneur

At a glance

MrBeast built his public profile through large-scale challenge, stunt, competition, and giveaway videos.
Donaldson began uploading to YouTube in 2012 at age 13 under the username MrBeast6000.
With fellow creator Mark Rober, he co-led the #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas environmental fundraising campaigns.
He received the Streamy Award for Creator of the Year in 2020 and was included in the 2025 TIME100 Creators list.

Background and early work

Donaldson was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, and was raised in the Greenville, North Carolina, area, where he attended Greenville Christian Academy. He began posting YouTube videos in 2012 as MrBeast6000. He later enrolled at Pitt Community College, although TIME reported that he attended few classes while concentrating on YouTube work.

Development as a creator

An early viral breakthrough came in January 2017 with a video in which Donaldson counted to 100,000. His subsequent output became associated with increasingly elaborate challenge, stunt, competition, giveaway, and philanthropy-oriented productions, establishing the format for which MrBeast is best known.

Fundraising and philanthropy

Donaldson and Mark Rober co-led #TeamTrees, a campaign organized around funding the planting of 20 million trees. In October 2021, they launched #TeamSeas with a goal of raising $30 million to support the removal of 30 million pounds of trash from oceans, rivers, and beaches. Beast Philanthropy describes itself as a nonprofit founded by MrBeast to use social-media reach to raise funds and support charitable causes.

Recognition and platform standing

Donaldson received the Streamy Award for Creator of the Year in 2020 and was named to the TIME100 Creators list in 2025. TIME described him in April 2026 as operating YouTube's most-subscribed channel, a dated characterization because platform rankings and subscriber totals change frequently.

Affiliations

Beast Philanthropy Founder

Timeline

1998-05-07 Born James Stephen Donaldson in Wichita, Kansas.
2012 Began uploading YouTube videos under the MrBeast6000 username.
2017-01 A video in which he counted to 100,000 became an early viral breakthrough.
2019 Co-led the #TeamTrees fundraising campaign with Mark Rober.
2020-12-12 Received the Streamy Award for Creator of the Year.
2021-10-29 Launched #TeamSeas with Mark Rober and environmental nonprofit partners.
2025 Named to the TIME100 Creators list.

Additional verified details

Current context

TIME's April 22, 2026 coverage described MrBeast as operating YouTube's most-subscribed channel. Channel rankings and subscriber totals change frequently. This is a dated media characterization, not a live platform measurement.
The Associated Press reported in April 2026 that a former employee filed a federal lawsuit against MrBeastYouTube, LLC and GameChanger 24/7, LLC alleging harassment and unlawful treatment connected to maternity leave; an unnamed Beast Industries spokesperson said the complaint's statements were false and characterized it as clout-chasing. The claims are unadjudicated allegations, and the supplied research did not include a complete docket review or establish a later outcome.

Biographical facts

Donaldson was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas.
He was raised in the Greenville, North Carolina, area and attended Greenville Christian Academy.
Donaldson enrolled at Pitt Community College; TIME reported that he attended few classes while pursuing YouTube work.
He began uploading to YouTube in 2012, at age 13, using the username MrBeast6000.
His public output includes elaborate challenge, stunt, competition, giveaway, and philanthropy-oriented videos.
Beast Philanthropy identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) organization founded by MrBeast to raise funds and support charitable causes through social-media reach.