Meet the Austinites on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list
Austin is rich with young talent. | Photos courtesy of Forbes
The Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2023 has dropped, and Austinites stepped up to the plate.
With 600 enterprising people selected, the list measures “tomorrow’s brightest young leaders” who are solving “the world’s biggest problems — on their own terms.” A few quick facts about these go-getters:
The average age of this year’s list is 27 years old
The average workload is about 64 hours per week
59% identify as male, 40% as female, and 1% as non-binary
Without further ado, here are the 18 trail-blazing vicenarians — people between the age of 20 and 29 — and a few even younger, with ties to Central Texas.
💅 Art + style
Wisdom Kaye | 21 | Model | A Houston local and former Texas State University student, Wisdom began his social media career in early 2020. Now he boasts more than 2 million TikTok followers, a guest judge credit on “Project Runway,” and collaborations with designer brands like Gucci.
👩💻 Consumer Tech
Aanandh Chandrasekar, Daniel Miyares | 26, 25 | PetPair cofounders | It’s no secret Austinites love their pets — these cofounders created a pet adoption marketplace pairing with eight shelters with a goal to end animal euthanasia.
🕹 Games
Oyin Egbuson | 27 | Epic Games marketing manager | One of the youngest members on the “Fortnite” marketing team, Oyin works on bringing sports, music, fashion, and diversity to the game.
🎶 Music
Simon Kessler | 29 | Insomniac Events talent buyer | The previous booker for Lollapalooza festivals, Simon now scouts for Insomniac Events and serves as cofounder for publishing company Maison Arts.
🤝 Social impact
Pelkins Ajanoh | 28 | CassVita cofounder | Through CassVita, Cameroonian immigrant Pelkins — who got a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT and MS from Harvard — has created biotechnology that increases the shelf life of cassava from 3 days to 18 months.
Peppermint Parkway | Now-Friday, Dec. 30 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $40-$95 | This drive-thru light display ends at Peppermint Plaza, which includes a holiday market, zipline, COTA Karting, a kissing booth, and carnival rides.
Thursday, Dec. 15
A Sherlock Holmes Christmas | Thursday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 18 | 8-10 p.m. | Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr., Austin | $10-$35 | Throw it back to the Victorian era this Christmas with this Sherlock Holmes story.
Saturday, Dec. 17
Holiday Market at Vista Brewing | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 12-5:30 p.m. | Vista Brewing, 13551 FM 150 W., Driftwood | Free | Shop small at this market with handcrafted, one-of-kind products and a build-your-own gift basket station.
Sunday, Dec. 18
Beerthoven Presents Hoppy Holidays | Sunday, Dec. 18-Monday, Dec. 19 | Times vary | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St., Austin | $25-$30 | The Tinsel Singers will perform classical and contemporary holiday tunes while you enjoy complimentary hot cocoa, beer, and warm pastries.
Monday, Dec. 19
Chris Isaak | Monday, Dec. 19 | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $35-$80 | Settle into a performance of this Grammy-nominated singer and actor’s second Christmas album.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
The runoff results are in: Kirk Watson — who already held the position from 1997-2001 — will be the next mayor of Austin, securing 50.39% of the votes. As for City Council, José Velásquez won District 3, Ryan Alter won District 5, and in a tight race, Zohaib “Zo” Qadri took District 9. (The Texas Tribune)
Coming Soon
The first multi-story H-E-B in the Austin area has an official opening date — Wednesday, Feb. 15 — on 715 S. Exposition Blvd. The store has been under construction since October 2019. (KXAN)
Austin-based skincare and cosmetics company Mad Hippie is opening its first retail shop after more than a decade in business on 700 S. Lamar Blvd., although an opening date has yet to be announced. (Austin Business Journal)
Sports
Austin FC announced a new MLS NEXT Pro team: Austin FC II, one of 28 clubs in the MLS NEXT second season. The new team will have its own support staff and create a pro-player pathway to Austin FC. ⚽️
Ranked
Austin is the No. 10 best city in the world for Gen Z residents, according to a new study from Peek & Cloppenburg, based on factors including digitalization, lifestyle, and the economy. Austin was the highest US city on the list.
Plan Ahead
Mark your calendars — American singer and ACL Fest alumna SZA is coming to the Moody Center on Thursday, March 9, for her “SOS Tour” with Omar Apollo. Tickets go on sale at 12 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 16. 🎤
Health
Holiday cheer isn’t the only thing spreading this season. The CDC reported “very high” flu activity in our state this season. Find a flu vaccine near you — there may even be a needleless option.(Verywell Health)
Shop
What gifts are on the radar this season? City EditorLondon is ready to pour into this ATX swirl mug, and City Editor Figi is ready to sport this ATXtoday quarter sleeve baseball tee. Shop these unique gifts + more at our online shop Six & Main. 🛍️
Travel
How does Scott’s Cheap Flights work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Scott’s will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $300+ round trip to Bermuda). 🌴*
We ordered the ZIKI Bites, basil fajita chicken bowl, and pork bowl.
Photo by ATXtoday
Today’s issue was written by Figi.
Editor’s pick: City Editor London and I tried ZIKI — a new mini-chain of Greek-Mexican fusion — for the first time yesterday, and I’m impressed. I got the basil fajita chicken bowl, which was enough food for two full meals, and was happily surprised by the use of compostable packaging. Plus, there are five locations around town.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn about the hyper local Stranger’s Guides, here.
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