Christopher Gray

After winning $1.3 million in scholarships himself, Christopher Gray founded Scholly, an app that helps students find scholarships for college and graduates pay off their student debt. Scholly was featured on ABC’s "Shark Tank," securing a deal with Daymond John and Lori Greiner. Scholly has amassed over 4 million users and helped them secure over $100 million in scholarships. In 2023, the app was acquired by Sallie Mae, leading Gray to transition into heading the Education Services team. He also serves as a chairman at Path, an AI-powered platform for academic success and career readiness.

Gray launched the Scholly Scholarship Summit in early 2018, a live touring event designed to provide educational guidance. He is also a U.S. Embassy Speaker for the U.S. State Department and has spoken at influential gatherings such as the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Summit and TEDx San Diego. His contributions to education and entrepreneurship are recognized through numerous accolades, including the 2018 Beacon Award from the Information Technology Senior Management Forum and positive testimonials from engagements at institutions like Stanford University and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

Gray authored the book "Go Where There Is No Path: Stories of Hustle, Grit, Scholarship, and Faith," which documents his story of growing up in poverty with a single mother and his journey to creating his dorm-room tech start-up inspired by his own struggle of trying to afford college. He has been featured in major publications like the New York Times, Forbes, and CNN, consistently promoting Scholly's approach to addressing the student debt crisis in the United States. Through his personal experiences and commitment to academic achievements, Gray has empowered and inspired youth globally to pursue education.