Forbes has unveiled its first ever 30 Under 30 Europe list, featuring 300 young innovators who are transforming businesses, technology, industry and more.
Spanning 10 sectors and judged by relevant accomplished individuals in each, the Europe list follows the global success of Forbes’ annual US list.
Alongside peers hailing from across Western, Central and Eastern Europe, the nine-strong contingent representing UK industry include European Space Agency young graduate trainee, Leo Teeney; quality operations manager at Airbus, Beth Owen; and Alexander Schey, founder of Vantage Power.
You can find the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in full here.
President and CEO of Forbes Media, Mike Perlis explained: “Ever since we started the 30 Under 30 list in the US five years ago, there have been calls from other key markets –Europe and Asia – to bring the list to those regions.”
Editor of Forbes, Randall Lane added: “We scoured the continent to find the most talented millennials and, with the help of our expert judges, are proud to honour 300 of the most important young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and brightest stars in Europe right now.”
30 Under 30 Europe – Industry (UK):
Fraser Doherty, 27 – founder, SuperJam
At the age of 14, Doherty was selling jams he made with his grandmother’s recipe. Today his SuperJam sells millions of jars in more than 2,000 stores a year. He’s expanded from preserves to caffeine and alcohol with brands Envelope coffee and Beer52.
Peter Edwards, 29 – general manager, China Carbon Forum
An energy policy expert, Edwards is GM of the China Carbon Forum, which offers insight, data and policy advice to Chinese industry bosses about global emission policy and standards. Previously, Edwards worked for the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the British Embassy’s climate change arm.
Louise Ellis, 26 – chartered civil engineer, Arup
The civil engineer is getting cities ready for global warming by weatherproofing massive infrastructure works. Until recently, Ellis was deputy manager of the Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park in New York City and worked to improve the storm resiliency of the New York subway system. Now back in England, she focuses on coastal flood and urban drainage projects.
James Holloway, 28 – chartered civil engineer, Arup
The civil engineer helps lead Scotland’s $2.1bn Queensferry Crossing bridge where he’s responsible for client oversight of design and construction of the bridge’s three 200-metre tall towers. In 2012, the Guardian named Holloway one of the UK’s 300 Rising.
Arthur Kay, 26 – cofounder, Bio-Bean
Coffee fuels your day, now Kay wants it to fuel your car. His company, Bio Bean converts used grinds from instant coffee factories and coffee shops into 7.5m litres of biofuel and 42.5m tons of biomass pellets annually.
Beth Owen, 26 – quality operations manager, Airbus
The Airbus logistics guru runs teams across three countries to find the best materials to build the wings of its wide body A350. Owen started at Airbus at age 16 and has won manufacturing awards for her work in cost cutting, efficiency and quality.
Alexander Schey, 28 – founder, Vantage Power
The engineer is making London’s classic, red double decker buses go green. The founder and CEO of Vantage Power designs hybrid and electric powertrains to retrofit heavy-duty vehicles, cutting fuel consumption and gas emissions by 40%.
Sakthy Selvakumaran, 27 – innovation engineer, Laing O’Rourke
A civil engineer and author, Selvakumaran has focused on bringing water treatment to Africa, earthquake proofing homes in Peru, and adding new green energy technology to old structures. A volunteer for Engineers without Borders, she was named to Great Britain’s ‘30 Under 30’ list.
Leo Teeney, 26 – young graduate trainee, European Space Agency
An aerospace engineer by training, Teeney is discovering how we’ll survive in the final frontier by experimenting on in-space energy storage and making cement with lunar soil. Currently Teeney serves as a young graduate trainee at the European Astronaut Centre.
