Forbes 30 Under 30 is a set of lists of 30 notable people under 30 years old in various industries issued annually by Forbes magazine and some of its regional editions. The American lists recognize 600 business and industry figures, with 30 selected in twenty industries each. Asia and Europe also each have ten categories for a total of 300 each, while Africa has a single list of 30 people. Forbes hosts associated conferences and a section of its website called 30 Under 30. The nomination process for Forbes 30 Under 30 is open to the public, and people may nominate themselves or another as long as the nominee is under 30 years of age.[1]
The final 30 under 30 list published by Forbes is divided into different categories of industries: Art & Style, Hollywood & Entertainment, Retail & ECommerce, Healthcare, Consumer Technology, Sports, Marketing and Advertising, Energy, Science, Media, Music, Social Media, Manufacturing & Industry, Social Impact, Finance, Venture Capital, Food & Drink, Education, Enterprise Technology, & Games.[2]
According to Forbes, the 30 honorees under the age of 30 in each industry list are scouted and selected by the editors of Forbes, independent judges, celebrity judges and industry experts.[3]
History
Forbes launched its 30 Under 30 list in 2011 under the direction of Randall Lane.[4] By 2016, the nominations for the list had reached more than 15.000, with Forbes editors selecting 30 winners for each of 20 categories.[5] By the 10th anniversary, as of 2022, Forbes revealed that they have received over 100.000 nominations for the Forbes 30 under 30 list.[6]
Over time, Forbes has expanded the feature to establish continental lists for Asia,[7] Europe (launched in 2016),[8][9] and Africa.[10]
Forbes also uses the Under 30 name for a dedicated channel on its website, associated with a 30 Under 30 social media app.[11]The Washington Post reports the channel is an attempt to reach millennials.[12] The social media app is a collaboration with previous 30 Under 30 member Sean Rad, the co founder and president of Tinder.[13]
Conferences
In addition to the magazine feature, Forbes hosts an annual 30 Under 30 Summit.[14] In 2014 and 2015, the summit was held in Philadelphia,[15] with Monica Lewinsky making headlines[16][17] at the first summit for her address on cyberbullying.[18] The 2016 and 2017 summits were both held in October in Boston.[19] Organizers include previous 30 Under 30 honorees chef Chris Coombs, Boston mayoral aide Dan Koh, and pediatric oncology professor Cigall Kadoch.[20]
Botswana was the first African country to host Forbes 30 Under 30 in April 2022.[24]
Criticism
Demographics of honorees
The 30 Under 30 list has drawn criticism for under-recognition of young racial minorities and women.[25]The Root observed that 29 of 30 journalists honored on the inaugural Media category list in 2011 were white, and none were of African descent or Latino.[26]Elle South Africa noted the gender imbalance of the 2014 lists, asking, "Where are the women?"[27] Demographics of the Forbes selections have continued to draw interest; Poynter reported the 2015 Media list had 18 women, the most in the list's five-year history.[28]
