2024 Forbes Under 30 Summit - Forbes Connect (2024)

Bad Bunny is a multi-platinum recording artist and 3x GRAMMY winner, whose ability to break international barriers and dismantle cultural norms have made him a global icon of culture and entertainment. In 2022, a record-breaking year for the genre-defying star, he became the highest grossing artist for a calendar year in live events history, earning $435.2 million with over 2.4 million tickets sold across 81 shows. Dominating streaming platforms, Bad Bunny has been proclaimed the most listened to artist globally on Spotify for three consecutive years and was named 2022 artist of the year by Apple Music, which marked the first time a Latin artist received the recognition since the Apple Music Awards launched in 2019.

Furthering his legacy in 2022, Bad Bunny’s "Un Verano Sin Ti'' became the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for Album of the Year for the GRAMMY awards and received countless recognitions from distinguished critics like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork, among others. Bad Bunny also pushed his creative boundaries, starring in “Bullet Train'' alongside Brad Pitt. The superstar has already kicked off 2023 making history after being announced as the first Latin artist to headline Coachella. As if that weren’t enough, he will executive produce Netflix’s adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel They Both Die At The End.

Machine Gun Kelly is a Grammy-nominated artist who is an atomic force in music, entertainment, film, fashion, and business. The Cleveland, Ohio native has had two back-to-back entries at #1 on the Billboard 200: 2020’s Tickets to My Downfall and 2022’s Mainstream Sellout. The latter was nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award for “Best Rock Album.” MGK has had a record 45 entries on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, the most among any solo artist. Acting under his real name Colson Baker, he received critical acclaim and acting honors for his 2022 film TAURUS including Variety’s Spotlight Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, SCAD’s Discovery Award at the Savannah Film Festival and the Spotlight Award at the San Diego International Film Festival. Other credits include playing Tommy Lee in the Netflix's THE DIRT, Netflix’s BIRD BOX, Netflix's PROJECT POWER, Prince-Bythewood’s BEYOND THE LIGHTS and Showtimes ROADIES for Cameron Crowe.

As an entrepreneur, in recent years the multi-hyphenate star has successfully launched THE 27 CLUB and UN/DN LAQR. Launched in August 2020 in The Flats area of Machine Gun Kelly’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, The 27 Club has been a staple in the coffee and food scene for the last several years. Press accolades for The 27 Club Coffee Shop have included mentions in Buzzfeed’s “14 Celebrity-Owned Restaurants That Are Actually Worth Visiting,” The Daily Meal’s “Celebrity Owned Restaurants That Are Actually Well Worth It,” Tasting Table’s “18 Best Celebrity Owned Coffee Brands,” Cleveland Magazine’s “3 Coffeehouse Drinks You Need Right Now,” and Cleveland Scene’s “25 of the Most Instagrammable Bars and Restaurants in Cleveland.” He made his official coffee roast “The Blonde Don” available as whole beans to consumers in Spring 2023.

In 2022 he ventured into the beauty space with UN/DN LAQR, the first all gender nail brand to celebrate unapologetic self-expression and bring a new voice to beauty. An immediate success, the brand has had over 25+ Billion Press impressions and over 175+ Million Social impressions since launch and was named “Best Nail Polish” for the 2022 POPSUGAR Beauty Awards and “Best Matte Top Coat” of the 2022 Allure Beauty Awards. Partnering with athletes, musicians, celebrity nail artists and influencers, and curating major pop-ups throughout the country, the MGK founded brand has spawned a beauty movement not previously seen in the market.

Honors for Machine Gun Kelly include being named to 2022’s Time 100 Next, a list honoring the emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership, as well as making one of The Hollywood Reporter’s 40 Biggest Celebrity Entrepreneurs of 2022.

Kendall Jenner is a model, entrepreneur and media personality.

She is the founder of the award-winning Tequila brand, 818 Tequila, which launched in 2021. Her passion for the environment is a driving force behind the brand’s groundbreaking sustainability initiatives – including its involvement in 1% for the Planet and partnership with S.A.C.R.E.D. to implement the 818 Bricks Program.

In just a little over two years, 818 Tequila has already won over 32 international tasting awards including: Best Reposado Tequila from the World Tequila Awards, Platinum Award from the SIP Awards, Chairman's Trophy from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Triple Gold from the MicroLiquor Spirit Awards, Top 100 Spirits from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and Innovation Award from the SIP Awards.

Holding a rank as the one of the world's highest-paid supermodels, Jenner’s first major break into fashion was modeling for Marc Jacobs' Fall 2014 show which catapulted her career. She has appeared on the covers of many international Vogue editions, Harper’s Bazaar, Allure among many others, as well as walked runways for Chanel Haute Couture, Versace, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Prada, Off-White, Jacquemus, Balmain and more.

Jenner rose to fame in 2007 on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, an E! series chronicling the lives of the Kardashian-Jenner family. She currently stars in Hulu’s The Kardashians with the fourth season airing this September.

GRAMMY®-nominated, genre blending artist Halsey has amassed more than 50 billion global streams, with over 75 million RIAA-certified adjusted singles and all 4 albums RIAA-certified. They are one of the only artists ever to have four different songs hit 1-BILLION streams on Spotify.

In 2021 Halsey introduced the world to about-face, a multi-dimensional makeup line made for everyone. Halsey built about-face on the truth that no one is just one thing and all humans are imperfectly beautiful beings. Following the success of about-face, Halsey followed up with af94 to inspire inner creativity & playfulness in cosmetic users. Both have become the fastest trending new cosmetic brands at their respective retailers.

Her first book, I Would Leave Me If I Could: A Collection of Poetry, debuted on The New York Times Best Sellers list in November 2020. Named as one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, they were also the recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Hal David Starlight Award. Halsey continues to speak up for important causes such as disenfranchised youth, women’s rights, mental health, and the LGBTQ community.

Rainn Wilson is an Emmy nominated and SAG award-winning actor, writer, producer, and NY Times Best-Selling author who has found himself in a variety of comedic and theatrical roles throughout his career. His first breakthrough role came when he played assistant mortician “Arthur Martin” on HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” winning him and the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Wilson is best known for playing the inimitable ‘Dwight Schrute’ for nine seasons on NBC’s Emmy award winning comedy, “The Office,” a role which garnered him three Emmy Award nominations.

Wilson’s book, Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution published on April 25th and became a NY Times Best Seller. In the book, he explores the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, “a Soul Boom,” in order to address today’s greatest issues – mental health, racism and sexism, climate change, and economic justice.

This spring, Wilson hosted a six-part travel docuseries “Rainn Wilson and The Geography of Bliss” in which he traveled around the world to discover how different cultures find happiness. The docuseries is based on Eric Weiner’s novel “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World” and is produced by Radical Media alongside Weiner and Wilson.

In the past year, Wilson appeared in Roku’s “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story.” Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood also star. He also starred opposite Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening “Jerry & Marge Go Large” which premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival and was released on Paramount+ in June 2022. The film is based on the true story of retiree ‘Jerry Selbee’ (Bryan Cranston) who discovers a mathematical loophole in the lottery and wins million of dollars.

The same year, Wilson appeared in AMC’s thriller “Dark Winds,” based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman. The story follows Navajo police offers navigating a murder case and their own spiritual beliefs based in the Navajo Nation during 1971. Wilson played ‘Devoted Dan,’ a pious and morally bankrupt used car salesman.

Wilson is the co-founder of a non-profit in Haiti called “The Lidè Foundation,” along with his wife, author Holiday Reinhorn, that provides arts and literacy education for at-risk adolescent girls.

In 2022, Wilson changed his name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson to protest climate change.

Alix Earle is a 22-year-old leading beauty, fashion, and lifestyle creator who has become the topic of conversation in 2023. Alix has quickly and successfully cultivated fans around the world, with her viral “get ready with me” videos and other honest and humorous content. Widely known for the “Alix Earle [sold out] Effect”, over the past six months Alix’s Instagram has grown close to 3,000% with an engagement rate over 30%. This stat is close to 40 times higher than the current engagement rate for other public figures and creators on the platform. Alix’s following on TikTok alone has grown by 1,000% over the past six months, and she has over 7.5M followers across multiple social media platforms, including 5.6M on TikTok and 2.9M on Instagram.

Most recently, Alix was recognized for her achievements and selected among the top creators in the industry in Rolling Stone’s annual Creators issue as well as listed within Create & Cultivate’s 100 List which recognizes the groundbreakers who are leading the most ambitious brands and creating content that pushes us all forward.

Alix’s rapid rise in popularity can only be explained through the way she takes her devoted followers along for a ride of unexpected reality and candid humor, paired with her authentic beauty, fashion, and lifestyle tips. Alix’s transparent content includes insight into mental health, her acne journey, cosmetic surgery and more. Alix pairs her experience with more meaningful reminders to her followers such as to not draw comparisons with others online and the importance of giving back even on a smaller local level. This authenticity has allowed her to quickly connect with a mass audience across multiple demographics all while navigating her first few months as a recent college grad.

Alix currently resides in Miami, FL.

Matt Rife has exploded as one of the fastest growing comedians through his viral content and remarkable engagement on TikTok, where he has amassed over 17 million followers, and more than 2 billion views globally. As one of the most buzzed about comedians in the business, Rife has been selling-out comedy clubs and theaters across the country and currently on his biggest tour to-date with Live Nation, the Matt Rife: ProbleMATTic World Tour.

Rife brings forth his refreshingly genuine presence along with elevated material that is quick witted and vulnerable. From a small town near Columbus Ohio, Matt started performing at the age of fifteen then moved out to Los Angeles two years later where he began his career in Hollywood.

In addition to stand-up, he made his television debut on MTV’s Wild 'N Out as the youngest cast member in history for four seasons before moving on to other MTV properties, such as hosting the reboot of TRL and appearing on The Challenge. Other credits include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fresh Off the Boat, BET’s North Of The 10, and NBC’s comedy competition show Bring The Funny.

In 2021, Rife self-produced and distributed through YouTube his first one-hour comedy special, "Only Fans". This past April, the comedian bet on himself again and self-released his highly anticipated second stand-up special, "Matthew Steven Rife" on YouTube. The special was taped in Austin, TX and is dedicated to his biggest role model, his grandfather Steven who had recently passed. Rife will be releasing his highly anticipated stand-up special, Matt Rife: Natural Selection on Netflix November 15th.

Berner, born Gilbert Anthony Milam, Jr. (10/27/1983) is a Billboard charting rapper, cannabis trailblazer, documentary filmmaker, cultural ambassador, and business mogul. Berner is Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies, the most globally recognized cannabis brand in the world. Cookies is headquartered in San Francisco and offers a collection of over 70 proprietary cannabis cultivars, more than 2,000 products, with over 55 retail locations across 5 countries. Cookies was named one of America’s Hottest Brands of 2021 by AdAge; the first cannabis brand to ever receive this accolade.

Berner is also Founder and CEO of Cookies SF, the highly sought after clothing company, with 7 brick and mortar locations around the globe and internationally recognized within the world of fashion, sports and music.

Berner is also a billboard charting rapper who has also released 47 albums to date as an independent artist, and has founded/co-founded the following cannabis related businesses, establishing himself as one of the most important influencers in the industry; 1212 Ventures, Lemonnade, Cookies SF, Weedmaps, Vibes, Santa Cruz Shredders, Hemp2o Water, Vibes, Bern One Entertainment music label and Social Club.

Berner most recently graced the cover of Forbes, the first cannabis executive to be on the cover of the iconic magazine, since it launched in 1917. Berner recently has been named as 2022 List of Top 5 wealthiest Hip Hop Artists by Rolling Stone.

On a global mission to make the financial industry less “male, pale, and stale,” Vivian Tu is a former Wall Street trader-turned-expert, educator, public speaker, host, entrepreneur, media powerhouse, and the founder and CEO of the financial equity phenomenon, “Your Rich BFF.” In January 2021, she developed and launched the “Your Rich BFF” blog and social media handles as a passion project to destigmatize and make the rules of personal finance accessible and digestible to non-experts and marginalized communities. Her dedication to promoting financial literacy and ability to bridge the gap between finance and the mainstream have earned her cross-platform fame and notoriety, having garnered nearly 6 million followers and counting, as well as honors on both the Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30 – Social Media’ (2023) and inaugural ‘Top Creators’ (2022) lists.

This December 2023, Vivian’s financial prowess and devotion to educating her followers have culminated into the highly anticipated release of her debut book, “RICH AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life.” Revealed exclusively on the TODAY show, “RICH AF” is billed as the definitive book on personal finance for a new generation, and was sold in a competitive auction for a seven-figure publishing deal to Portfolio, a division of Penguin Randomhouse. Building on the lessons she learned on Wall Street about money and the markets (and the secrets that wealthy people have gatekept for generations), Vivian now offers her best personal finance tips and tricks to readers of all ages and demographics, so that anyone can get rich and grow their wealth for years to come. Throughout the pages of “RICH AF,” Vivian will be the reader’s personal mentor, as she dispensesfresh, no-BS advice on how to think like a rich person and create smart money habits, including how to maximize earnings, understand the differences between savings accounts, identify the tax strategies and (legal) loopholes to retire in style, overcome investing fears to secure wealth for generations, and so much more. Transcending the traditional, male-dominated confines of financial advice and equity, this book will equip readers with the tools and knowledge to understand the financial landscape and build a strategy of their own; and with Your Rich BFF at their side, readers will start their financial journeys already in an affluent mindset to make the most of their money. “RICH AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life” is currently available for pre-order and set to hit bookshelves on December 26, 2023.

In addition to her breakout digital content and exciting new book, Vivian continues to spread her wealth of knowledge on her top charting podcast, “Networth and Chill.” Produced and distributed by Audioboom Studios, “Networth and Chill” is a first-of-its-kind podcast offering accessible advice and lessons in finance, featuring Vivian alongside notable experts, professionals, and famous faces to break down the economics of our lives. The podcast debuted in March 2023 and immediately climbed to the top of the Business charts and is currently available to stream with new episodes dropping weekly.

Lexi Underwood is an actress, singer, filmmaker, and changemaker.

Underwood is best known for her role in Hulu’s Emmy-nominated limited series, Little Fires Everywhere, co-starring and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. She was nominated for a 2021 NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Performance by a Youth” for her portrayal of Pearl Warren in the series.

Underwood will next be seen starring in season 2 of Freeform’s anthology series, Cruel Summer. The upcoming season is set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest and follows the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Underwood will also be seen in Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut, I Wish You All The Best, opposite Alexandra Daddario and Cole Sprouse, which is based on the best-selling novel by Mason Deaver.

Underwood most recently starred as Malia Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady opposite Viola Davis; the Emmy winning Disney+ special, Sneakerella opposite Chosen Jacobs, and Marc Webb’s anthology series Just Beyond for Disney+. Her other past projects include: the independent feature If Not Now, When, opposite Meagan Good; the Netflix series, Family Reunion; and Criminal Minds. Lexi has also appeared in Amazon’s Will vs The Future, ABC’s The Good Doctor, CBS’ Code Black, Disney’s Raven’s Home, Disney XD’s Walk The Prank, and Nickelodeon’s Henry Danger.

Underwood founded her production company, Ultimate Dreamer Productions, and made her directorial debut with the docu-short, We The Voices Of Gen-Z.

Underwood is committed to using her voice to give back and raise awareness on issues that impact girls and youth, both locally and globally. Some of the organizations she supports include March for our Lives, Girl Up, No Kid Hungry, Mattel Children’s Hospital, Say No Bullying, Free2Luv, and she is an avid supporter of (RED) as a (RED)ucator.

On stage, she made her Broadway debut at the age of 11 in the award-winning theatrical production, The Lion King as “Young Nala”.

Lexi delivers thoughtful and inspiring conversations from the experience of a young Black woman who has faced multiple incidents of racism and injustice. Speaking from her own battle with anxiety, she is committed to using her platform to normalize the conversation around mental health within black and brown communities.

Underwood is originally from the greater Washington D.C. area and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Peter McGuinness is the CEO of Impossible Foods, a tech-enabled food company that makes delicious meat from plants, with a fraction of the environmental impact compared to animal meat. Peter joined Impossible in April 2022 to lead its next phase of global growth and help shape the food habits of people around the world.

Peter brings more than 30 years of consumer expertise to the position, most recently as President and Chief Operating Officer of Chobani, where he scaled operations, expanded the business into new categories including oat milk, and helped build the company into an iconic brand. In his nine years at Chobani, he also served as Chief Marketing and Brand Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, where he created a demand department and led all global marketing, corporate communication, advertising, innovation and sales efforts for the brand.

Prior to Chobani, Peter served as President and CEO of advertising agencies DDB Chicago and Gotham, where he succeeded in transforming and restoring the agencies following periods of decline. Prior to that, he held various roles at IPG marketing company Momentum Worldwide, including serving as its Regional President of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Global Director of Consumer Activation, with operations in 45 offices spanning 25 countries. Prior to Momentum, he served as an EVP and Worldwide Account Director of McCann Erickson worldwide.

Drew “Druski” Desbordes is an acclaimed comedian, creator, actor and entrepreneur that hails from Atlanta, Georgia.

He originally ascended to national prominence on social media with his satirical record label Coulda Been Records that became must-watch content on Instagram and drew participation from the likes of Drake, Kevin Hart, Jack Harlow and many more.

Since then, he has blossomed into a multihyphenate force, having recently completed his first-ever, national headlining comedy tour with the “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” tour. Over the past year, he also shined as an actor in the comedy “Praise This” that was released on Peaco*ck and appeared in the comedic reboot of “House Party” that LeBron James and Maverick Carter produced.

The Atlanta native has efficiently and effectively expanded his entrepreneurial portfolio, partnering with a wide array of brands, such as NIKE, Bud Light Seltzer, Beats By Dre, AT&T, Call of Duty, Mountain Dew, Google Pixel, Raising Cane’s and more. Most recently, Druski announced the launch of his new sports agency, 4Lifers, and that his inaugural signee would be highly-touted, Florida Gators prospect Princely Umanmielen.

He was recently recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the 50 People Defining Next 50 Years of Hip-Hop and was highlighted on the publication’s Top 20 Most Influential Creators list. Druski was also invited to The White House as part of the Biden Administration’s first-ever, Juneteenth Jubilee celebration.

Vince is CEO and Co-Founder of Nabis, the leading licensed cannabis wholesale platform, supplying half a billion dollars worth of products per year by retail value for over 300 brands to thousands of retailers. With expertise forged at Microsoft and in his prior company later sold to Amazon, Vince is a world-class technologist and entrepreneur who has turned his focus to accelerating cannabis industry growth operationally and compliantly. Vince’s prowess in technology, finance and data analysis have made him an invaluable partner to top-tier cannabis brands across the state of California, where he has helped hundreds of businesses launch and scale. Through his leadership, Nabis, a Y Combinator-backed company, is poised to become the largest national cannabis B2B platform.

Vince, a 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 executive, currently holds a position as a Board Director of the Cannabis Distribution Association (CDA) to help shape regulations for the betterment of the cannabis supply chain. He graduated from the University of Virginia with degrees in Computer Science, Economics and Statistics.

Ham Serunjogi is the Co-founder & CEO of African fintech giant, Chipper Cash. As CEO, Ham heads the Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for leading the company's overall direction and strategy.

After Graduating from Grinnell College in 2016 with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Ham began his career at Meta (formerly Facebook) where he worked in their Dublin, Ireland office responsible for building partner relationships with some of Facebook’s biggest UK advertisers.

Today Ham also serves on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater Grinnell College, where he is one of a few Trustees that sit on the Investment Committee which is charged with the responsibility of overseeing, managing, and allocating of the college’s approximately $2.5B endowment.

At a personal level, Ham swam competitively for many years and competed in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, representing Uganda. Prior to attaining his degree in Economics from Grinnell college, Ham attended the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa serving as President of its Student Council.

Ham is based out of Chipper's global headquarters in San Francisco, California.

Arian Simone is an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, best-selling author, and highly sought-after international speaker. She is widely recognized as a trailblazer in her industry, making significant contributions and empowering others along the way.

Arian is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, a groundbreaking venture capital fund that is the first Venture Capital Fund built for WOC by WOC with a focus on investing in pre-seed, seed level, and series A financing which includes institutional investors such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Mastercard, Ally Bank, and more.

With an MBA from Florida A&M University, Arian has demonstrated her expertise and acumen in strategic business management. She established a highly successful public relations and marketing firm, boasting an impressive portfolio of billion-dollar corporate clients including Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Universal, and other renowned Hollywood studios.

Recognized for her exceptional ability to guide strategic growth and increase company value, Arian's remarkable resilience and achievements led to her appointment to the Board of Directors for the esteemed Steve Madden Company. Her invaluable insights also extend to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where she actively serves on the board, as well as advisory roles for Amazon and Mastercard.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Arian has embraced a regal role as the Queen of Dawa Grand Bereby in Côte D'Ivoire. In this capacity, she collaborates closely with Ivorian government officials to improve the welfare and uplift the lives of the people in her region.

Arian's impact and influence have garnered widespread recognition, with Entrepreneur Magazine naming her as one of the "100 Women of Impact." Her unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for women of color and her exceptional achievements in various fields truly set her apart as a dynamic and inspiring leader.

Akash Nigam is the CEO & founder of Genies, an avatar technology company empowering developers to create an interoperable “mini games” avatar social network using the genies AR Developer Kit. A tech visionary with a knack for innovation, Akash has successfully positioned Genies as the go-to for global celebrities, developers, and creators fueled by a 2D model early on, followed by 3D, and now AI infused smart avatar offering.

Under Nigam’s leadership, Genies has raised $250M from investors such as Silver Lake, BOND, NEA, and Bob Iger, bringing its value to $1 billion. Recently, Genies has built meaningful opportunities for fans and developers to build, engage and monetize on emerging ecosystems. This reflects his vision of a world where digital identities are as important and expressive as our physical ones. Akash is also the Founder and GP of Humans, an early stage venture fund investing at the intersection of AI and AR for culture.

Jordan E. Cooper is an Award-winning playwright, producer, director, performer, and the youngest Black American playwright in the history of Broadway, as well as the youngest Black showrunner in television history.

His Obie Award-winning play, AIN’T NO MO’ received six TONY Award nominations including “Best New Play” and “Best Featured Actor in a Play” for Jordan’s role as the hilarious and bossy flight attendant “Peaches.” The satirical comedy originally debuted to a sold out run at The Public Theater in 2019 and in December 2022 opened on Broadway to resounding acclaim, marking Jordan’s Broadway debut both on and off stage. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb and produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Lee Daniels, press called AIN’T NO MO’ “fearlessly provocative,” “jubilantly disruptive,” and the “Best New Play on Broadway This Year,” citing Jordan as “Broadway’s Groundbreaking New Voice.” Jordan was joined by such industry giants as Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tyler Perry, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Shonda Rhimes, Queen Latifah and more to support the #saveAINTNOMO campaign and extend the show’s run on Broadway.

Jordan co-created, executive produces and directs the Emmy-nominated “The Ms. Pat Show,” which is hailed by critics as "one of the most radical sitcoms of the modern era.” The hit multi-cam series returned to BET+ for its third season this February, with a fourth on the way. Jordan was also featured on the final season of FX’s groundbreaking series “Pose” as “MC Tyrone” and has his own production company, Cookout Entertainment.

Jordan was raised in Texas and graduated from The New School in New York.

Ross Mackay is the CEO and founder of Daring, the leading plant-based chicken brand on a mission to remove chicken from the global food system.

Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Mackay always kept a strict diet of high protein, low calorie foods as a former competitive tennis player. Mackay became vegan over ten years ago, after a fellow athlete “dared” him to try a vegan diet for a week to discover if there was a positive impact on his performance (hence the name Daring Foods). After struggling for years to find a minimally processed vegan alternative with recognizable ingredients, Mackay set out to create a plant-based chicken that rivaled the animal-based counterpart in taste, texture and accessibility, while contributing to a more healthful world. After years of product development alongside researchers and food scientists in the UK, Mackay launched Daring Foods in the US in early 2020. In 2021, Mackay closed Series A-C funding, raising more than $120M from high-profile investors like Founders Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Maveron, Palm Tree Crew, Drake and Naomi Osaka, and rapidly expanded the brand’s national retail distribution from 200 to 15,000+ stores.

Mackay continues to position Daring for significant growth through retail expansion, as well as the brand’s national direct-to-consumer platform, new restaurant partnerships, innovative product launches, and more. Since its inception in 2018, Daring has been named an honoree on Fast Company's World Changing Ideas list, awarded NOSH’s Best New Product, and in 2021, Mackay was recognized as a Food & Beverage innovator by Forbes 30-Under-30.

Mackay currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and dog.

Wemimo grew up in the slums of Lagos, Nigeria, and came to the United States when he was 17 years old. He and his mother struggled to receive a loan without a credit score and borrowed money from a payday lender at over 400% interest. Years later, that experience inspired Abbey and his co-founder to start Esusu, a financial technology company that helps low- to moderate-income households use their on-time rent payments to build credit.

Esusu’s platform provides rent reporting, property management analytics, and rental assistance to unlock financial access and stability for renters and property owners. Most recently, Esusu was valued at $1 billion in their Series B round of fundraising.

Although Esusu was founded in 2018, Abbey’s journey as an entrepreneur did not begin there. Prior to Esusu, he created a global social venture which provided affordable access to clean water for over 250,000 people in eight emerging countries. In addition, he founded data analytics company Open Aid Initiative which was acquired in 2014. Abbey’s early career includes roles at Accenture, Goldman Sachs, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Beyond Esusu, Abbey serves as a Queen’s Young Leader and member of the Royal Commonwealth Society. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Business Management and earned his M.P.A. from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. In 2020, Abbey was recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In 2021, he was selected by Goldman Sachs as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.

An entrepreneur devoted to impact at scale, Arturo Elizondo has made it his life’s mission to improve the global food system.

He is the co-founder and CEO of trailblazing food technology business, The EVERY Co, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. EVERY is disrupting the world’s food and beverage industries, reimagining protein delivery with hyper-functional animal proteins from fermentation that are kinder, more sustainable, and precision-tailored to 21st Century nutrition needs.

Prior to founding the company under the name Clara Foods in 2014, Arturo served under Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Credit Suisse. Arturo has been named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, “America’s 50 Greatest Disruptors” by Newsweek, and “Ten Innovators to Watch” by Smithsonian Magazine.

He was also named 2019 Person of the Year by the National Hispanic Institute, one of “10 Latinos Who Inspire the United States” by BBC World News, and an Ernst & Young 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year – Bay area.

Arturo hails from Laredo, Texas and grew up living on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. He holds a degree in Government & Comparative Politics from Harvard University.

David is the founder and CEO of Retool, a better way of building software. Instead of building software by writing code from scratch, Retool provides customers with building blocks, which can be assembled together rapidly. This allows your engineers to be more effective, but also enables your business to leverage software and operate much more productively. Companies such as Airbnb, Disney, and Pfizer run on Retool.

Previously, David studied Computer Science and Philosophy at the University of Oxford, and is originally from Palo Alto, CA.

Mick Batyske (p/k/a/ MICK) is a DJ, content creator, tech investor, inspirational speaker, and music curator.

Forbes said “Mick walks a tightrope between entertainer and entrepreneur.” Vogue said he “keeps the dance floor going all night.” And Drake once said MICK's mixes were “pivotal” in his life.

As a deejay, MICK is a regular at Art Basel, Cannes Lions, CES, F1, The Grammys, Miami Tech Week, NBA All-Star, and Super Bowl. Clients have included A16Z, Cartier, GQ, Instagram, LeBron James, Michelle Obama, The NBA, Prince, Spotify, + Vanity Fair.

MICK has helped create social campaigns for brands such as: Avion, Cadillac, LinkedIn, Macallan, Maserati, New Balance, NBA2K, Public, and Tonal.

More than just a deejay, MICK invests in + advises a wide array of start ups and early stage companies. Investments include Anchor, Buzzer, Dot Dot Dash, Quicknode, and Tiny Organics.

MICK speaks regularly on creativity, entrepreneurship + culture to brands, conferences and universities, including Alibaba, Cannes Lions, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Twitter + Walmart.

Jon Husted is the current Lt. Governor of Ohio. He previously served as the Ohio Secretary of State and as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. Lt. Governor Husted has had an extensive career in economic development, dating back to his time at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce.

As Lt. Governor, Husted serves as the Director of both InnovateOhio and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation as well as oversees the Common Sense Initiative (CSI-Ohio). These three initiatives come together to support his mission to make Ohio the most innovative, entrepreneurial state in the Midwest.

Lt. Governor Husted is committed to using technology to deliver better services that save Ohioans time and money, while promoting a healthy economy and a more streamlined, efficient state government.

Under his leadership as Director of InnovateOhio, the office has overhauled OhioMeansJobs.com – the state’s premier job search website; launched DataOhio – the first-of-its-kind in state technology that acts as an interactive window into Ohio’s secured data-sharing platform; and created the Ohio I.P. Promise which brings together the state’s higher education institutions to provide a unified process for commercialization so students and faculty have a clear path to commercialization of their research in Ohio.

Additionally, through InnovateOhio’s work with the state’s BMV, Ohioans can now complete more services online without ever stepping foot in a government office – saving Ohioans over 4.5 million trips to in-person deputy registrar locations thanks to InnovateOhio’s efforts to improve customer service through technology.

Lt. Governor Husted considers his most important roles to be that of husband to his wife, Tina, and father to Alex, Katie, and Kylie.

Sarah Kunst, founder and managing director of Cleo Capital, is an investor and entrepreneur who has worked at Apple, Red Bull, Chanel, and Mohr Davidow Ventures. She is also a contributing editor at Marie Claire Magazine. She founded LA Dodgers backed Proday and has served as a senior advisor at Bumble, where she focused on their corporate VC arm, Bumble Fund, and on the board of the Michigan State University Foundation endowment. She is also a regular guest commentator on CNBC, Bloomberg, Marketplace Tech, Fox Business, and BBC News.

Kunst has been named a Future Innovator by Vanity Fair, a Forbes 30 Under 30, and a top 25 innovator in tech by Cool Hunting. She has been recognized for her work in Business Insider as a 30 under 30 Women in Tech and Top African-American in Tech and Pitchbook's Top Black VC To Watch, honored as a top woman in STEM by Create & Cultivate, and Marie Claire Magazine named her a Young Gun to Watch. She was also honored as a top woman in VC by the Wall Street Journal and named a Top Dealmaker by the National Retail Federation.

She has written for Techcrunch, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Entrepreneur.com. Marc Andreessen named her one of his "55 Unknown Rock Stars in Tech." She was also named a coach for the 2020 Cartier Women’s Initiative, where the startup she coached won the top prize.

Hannah Ross (Buchan) is the Chief Operating Officer of Edie Parker, a lifestyle brand merging the worlds of fashion and cannabis. Hannah has served as the COO of Edie Parker since 2022 and has spearheaded the company’s growth.

Hannah is also a Partner at Beehouse LLC, an investment firm that has allocated over $300MM to the legal cannabis industry. Hannah has over five years of experience investing in public and private cannabis companies across various growth stages and capital structures.

As of September 2023, Hannah serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Green Thumb Industries, a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of RISE Dispensaries operating in the United States. Hannah serves on both the Audit and Compensation committees.

Hannah began her career in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs from 2016 to 2017, advising companies in the Healthcare and Consumer / Retail sectors. While at Goldman Sachs, Ms. Ross advised businesses on the equity capital markets, including IPOs, up listings, spin-offs, follow-on transactions and M&A.

Hannah is a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2022. Ms. Ross also serves on the boards of the Beehouse Justice Initiative and the Edie Parker Foundation, both 501(c)(3) status organizations focused on healing the harms caused by the unequal enforcement of cannabis prohibition.

Hannah received a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. She splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.

John Walsh is the Founder and CEO of Endera, a technology company specializing in electric commercial vehicles, charging stations, and software solutions.

John has served C-level positions at multiple venture-backed technology companies. He currently operates an investment company in Los Angeles and holds the position of Managing Partner. The fund focuses on Transportation, Energy, Technology, and Real Estate.

John participated in the prestigious Peter Thiel Fellowship program, has appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, is an international public speaker, and has received multiple awards. He has been publicly recognized by world leaders, including an honorary round-table event with President Joe Biden.

John has attended programs at prestigious universities such as MIT and Caltech and holds a degree in Economics. John is also a CFA member and is a Forbes 30 under 30 spotlight.

Chris Ronayne is the third Cuyahoga County Executive and took office on January 1, 2023 with a vision for a healthy Cuyahoga County with safe communities, good jobs, a fair justice system and excellent services. He is a 40-year resident of Cuyahoga County, living in Cleveland’s Edgewater neighborhood.

Before being elected as County Executive, Chris served for 16 years as President of University Circle Inc., (UCI), the nonprofit Community Service Corporation that leads community development, education, and safety efforts in the University Circle neighborhood. A planner at heart, Chris served on the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, lead the City of Cleveland’s Planning Commission, and served as Chief of Staff and Chief Development Officer for Mayor Jane Campbell. In these roles he led initiatives ranging from the Cleveland Lakefront Plan to the Euclid Corridor, and partnered with local agencies on innovative projects like the Towpath Trail and the Cleveland-Europe Express container service.

Randall Lane is the Chief Content Officer of Forbes Media and editor of Forbes Magazine, responsible for editorial content across all platforms. Since returning to Forbes in 2011, he has helped the magazine and Forbes.com reach peak levels of readership. He created The Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy and the Under 30 Summit, the world’s greatest convening of young leaders and entrepreneurs.

Prior to joining Forbes, Lane cofounded two media companies, launching over a dozen editorial brands, including P.O.V. (Adweek’s “Startup of the Year”), Trader Monthly and Dealmaker. Lane began his career at Forbes in 1991, and served as reporter, staff writer and Washington bureau chief.

Lane sits on the board of directors of Global Citizen, as well as three boards affiliated with his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

Diane Brady oversees the editorial team that's focused on C-suite communities, careers, and entrepreneurial networks, including ForbesWomen, Small Business, and Under 30. Prior to joining Forbes, Diane was a senior editor at McKinsey, where she hosted The McKinsey Podcast. She also ran her own company, working with partners worldwide to create strategies, events, and multiplatform storytelling to tackle critical issues in leadership and business.

Diane has interviewed many of the world's leading business and political figures, with a particular focus on leadership and C-suite trends. Her previous roles include being a senior editor/content chief at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal and an associate editor at Maclean’s. She has also written two books and won numerous awards for her writing. Diane holds graduate degrees from Columbia University and the University of Nairobi, as well as an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto.

Moira Forbes is the Executive Vice President of Forbes, one of the world’s largest media brands, where she is responsible for driving new business initiatives across the company’s diverse media platforms and branding Forbes events worldwide. Today, Forbes, which is synonymous with “success” in almost every country around the world, engages 140 million people across every platform every month – the most in its 104-year history.

Moira also serves as the President and Publisher of ForbesWomen, a multi-media content channel dedicated to successful women in business and leadership which she founded in 2007. Moira oversees Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Powerful Women and the annual Power Women’s Summit which she launched in 2013.

Across Forbes’ global editorial platforms, Moira convenes preeminent thought leaders for timely perspective and analysis around today’s most critical issues. She hosts "Success with Moira Forbes," a Forbes interview series spotlighting dynamic changemakers and industry innovators as well as “The Takeaway,” a new Forbes simulcast series featuring how top minds are navigating these defining times and explores what’s ahead within their respective arenas.

Moira is a Governing Trustee of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and serves on the Board of Trustees for the St. Andrews School. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.

As Assistant Managing Editor and Head of Forbes Communities & Forbes Impact Lab, Seth guides the Forbes team in transforming its audiences into global communities and initiatives that advance prosperity, opportunity, and inclusivity. Seth also works across the Forbes editorial and business teams to identify and implement creative ways that Forbes can partner with a diverse range of businesses, philanthropic partners, and NGOs to achieve positive social impact through entrepreneurship and action.

Before joining Forbes, Seth had over 20 years of experience at the intersection of philanthropy, business and impact. Seth is the founder of Applied Optimism, an entrepreneurial global impact consultancy that has worked with some of the world’s leading philanthropies and media brands. Prior to Applied Optimism, Seth spent over seven years as the Senior Director of Schusterman Family Philanthropies, a global foundation focused on empowering young adults and igniting entrepreneurial solutions to complex social challenges. At Schusterman, Seth oversaw a range of philanthropic initiatives in the US, Europe, and Israel, including the development of REALITY, a global travel experience that focused community building and leadership development. Prior to Schusterman, Seth had a 13+ year career as a highly recognized corporate attorney, most recently a partner at the international law firm of Holland & Knight.

Content creator, media personality, and entrepreneur Serena Kerrigan has cemented her name as one of the most sought after, multi hyphenates and storytellers in the entertainment industry today. With nearly one million followers across her social media platforms and millions of views of her videos, Kerrigan’s dedicated audience has coined her the “Queen of Confidence,” guiding them through breakups, building up their self-esteem, and promoting self-love. Kerrigan left her corporate job in 2020 to begin building her empire, and in just three years has become a budding Latina mogul. From her best-selling card games to her original content living on social media, sold-out live shows across the country and the upcoming launch of her channel “SFKTV,” Kerrigan proves time and time again, she can do it all.

Born and raised in New York City, Kerrigan is bilingual and bicultural. A proud Latina of Argentinian decent, Kerrigan believes that utilizing her platform to empower women and provide them with tools to make informed decisions in every avenue of their lives in a fun way, is imperative. Her bold personality and life changing mantras continue to inspire her followers to live their lives authentically, and unapologetically. She currently resides in the New York City area.