Members of the University of Toronto community are well-represented on a new Toronto-focused “30 under 30” list published by Forbes magazine celebrating up-and-comers who are making waves from the fashion world to the bioplastics industry.

Anishinaabe designer Lesley Hamptona recent U of T Mississauga grad, and Genecis CEO Luna Yua recent U of T Scarborough grad, are among 19 local leaders on the list who count U of T as a stop on their path to success.

“Toronto, the pulse of Canada’s business and tech life, has been called the next Silicon Valley,” the magazine says. “It’s a city renowned for its entrepreneurial and multicultural spirit and world-class educational institutions, like the University of Toronto.

“The first-ever Forbes 30 Under 30 Local Toronto list reflects the city’s strengths, which lie in industries like finance, technology, science, sports and the arts.”

The list, which also includes such non-U of T celebrities as actor/writer Bilal Baig and athletes Bianca Andreescu, Brooke Henderson and Summer McIntosh, highlights the impact of a diverse array of U of T entrepreneurs across a wide range of fields. Among the alumni and U of T community members in the spotlight are:

  • Dalia AhmedAlexandra Assouad and Akanksha Shelat, co-founders of Mind-Easy
  • Mark Ang, co-founder of GoBolt
  • Alex Cui, co-founder of GPTZero
  • Ben Gigone and Abtine Monavvari, co-founders of Chexy
  • Francois Gouelo and Peter Sorbo, co-founders of Enso Connect
  • Ayaan Haider and Shayaan Haider and Bashir Khan, co-founders of AirMatrix
  • Charlie Hua and Frank Yu, co-founders of Myo Palate
  • Pimyupa Manaswiyoungkul and Nabanita Nawar, co-founders of HDAX Therapeutics
  • Christine Yuen, co-founder of Shakudo 

See all the U of T community members recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 Local Toronto