This week is the annual Forbes Under 30 Summit highlighting some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs and thought leaders that are sure to be future game changers. Celebrating 10 years of Forbes 30 Under 30, this year’s theme is “Decade of Disruption” focusing on the young people who step up to the plate with solutions for some of the world’s biggest problems. While COVID has everyone gathering virtually, Forbes has pivoted and made changes to ensure that people still have opportunities to network and make those important connections.
The speaker lineup is a diverse one, with women and men hailing from all walks of life and championing a variety of causes. Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder and CEO of Bumble, will be interviewed during the keynote conversation. Wolfe Herd is the youngest female CEO ever to take a company public. Her successful vision of creating a dating app where women are in charge has led her to being named to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes “30 Under 30” list, the Bloomberg 50 and InStyle’s 50 Women Who Are Changing the World.
Another impressive name on the speaker list is Michael Tubbs, Stockton, California’s first black mayor who has spent his career working to make our country more equitable for all. Tubbs will be speaking about new tech hubs in cities that might not traditionally be known as startup mecca’s but are making a name for themselves in a post-pandemic world.
April Koh, Cofounder and CEO of Spring Health, will be discussing her latest major milestone as the country’s youngest female Unicorn CEO. Her company, Spring Health, is a comprehensive mental health benefit for employers that now has a billion dollar valuation.
Summit participants will be able to mingle virtually on the rooftop lounge via Gather, an online meetup site. While a virtual ‘cheers’ is definitely not the same as a face-to-face one, this after hours mixer provides a decent alternative at a time when people are itching to socialize.
It is exciting to see such a wide variety of talented people being brought together to share their experiences and hopefully inspire others to make change. After a pretty dark year and a half, this event appears to offer up an encouraging look to the future.