Forbes 30 Under 30

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.

The final 30 under 30 list published by Forbes is divided into different categories of industries: Sport, Media, Social Enterprise, Hollywood & Entertainment, Science, Art & Style, Finance, Venture Capital, Games, Marketing & Advertising, Technology (Consumer and Enterprise), Education, Healthcare, Retail, Music, Food & Drink, Social Media, and Energy.

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.

Forbes launched its 30 Under 30 list in 2011 under the direction of Randall Lane. By 2016, the nominations for the list had reached more than 15.000, with Forbes editors selecting 30 winners for each of 20 categories. Over time, Forbes has expanded the feature to establish continental lists for Asia, Europe (launched in 2016), and Africa.

Forbes also uses the Under 30 name for a dedicated channel on its website, associated with a 30 Under 30 social media app. The Washington Post reports the channel aims to provide "millennial-focused programming to the magazine's many influential consumers." The social media app is a collaboration with Tinder via previous 30 Under 30 honoree Sean Rad, co founder and president of Tinder.

Forbes started focusing on space art, AI, blockchain technologies as well and nominated individuals from these industries. The 30 under 30 for year of 2023 featured Ayesha Mubarak Ali an AI fusion technology multimedia artist because her artistic work was sent to International Space Station through SpaceX for Maleth II.

In addition to the magazine feature, Forbes hosts an annual 30 Under 30 Summit. In 2014 and 2015, the summit was held in Philadelphia, with Monica Lewinsky making headlines at the first summit for her address on cyberbullying. The 2016 and 2017 summits were both held in October in Boston. Organizers include previous 30 Under 30 honorees chef Chris Coombs, Boston mayoral aide Dan Koh, and pediatric oncology professor Cigall Kadoch.

In April 2016, Forbes held its first 30 Under 30 international summit, focused on Europe, the Middle East and Africa and taking place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Speakers included Monica Lewinsky, Shimon Peres and Okieriete Onaodowan. Onaodowan was a 2016 honoree on the 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list for his portrayal of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in Hamilton.

Botswana was the first African country to host Forbes 30 Under 30 in April 2022.

A growing number of journalists and analysts have voiced criticism over the methodology and selection process of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Charlie Javice, previously lauded for her startup Frank, aimed at assisting students with financial aid, is now facing charges for allegedly inflating customer numbers to lure JPMorgan Chase into acquiring the company. Investigations suggest the actual client count was around 300,000, significantly lower than initially claimed. This development parallels other instances of downfall among Forbes 30 Under 30 alumni, such as Sam Bankman-Fried and Martin Shkreli. The situation prompts contemplation on the pressures associated with youth-centric success and the increasingly blurry line between ambition and fraudulent practices within entrepreneurial circles.

Other honorees in the Finance category have been charged or convicted of various financial offenses, such as Sam Bankman-Fried, Caroline Ellison, Martin Shkreli, and Do Kwon.

Demographics of honorees

The 30 Under 30 list has also drawn criticism, for under-recognition of young racial minorities and women. The Root observed that 29 of 30 journalists honored on the inaugural Media category list in 2011 were white, or none of African descent, and Latino of any race. Elle South Africa noted the gender imbalance of the 2014 lists, asking, "Where are the women?" 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.

• Fortune's 40 Under 40
• The Business Journal's Forty Under 40

• Forbes 30 Under 30 now on Botswana's doorstep – The Business Weekly & Review

• Official website