Ray Dalio (born 1949) is an American billionaire investor and founder of Bridgewater Associates, which he built into the world’s largest hedge fund from his two-bedroom apartment in 1975. Dalio began investing at age 12, developing a strong interest in the stock market early in life. His unique approach to economic cycles is outlined in his YouTube series How the Economic Machine Works. His bestselling books include Principles: Life & Work and The Changing World Order.