Forbes, the well-known American business magazine, publishes the annual 30 Under 30 lists: 20 industry-specific lists of 30 young leaders in their respective industries, under the age of 30. It then celebrates those achievements in an annual Summit held in the US, featuring high-profile speakers, professional events and a community service day. A ticket to the summit would normally set one back by thousands of Dollars. Former speakers at the Summit include Sir Richard Branson, Malala Yousafzai, John Kerry, Michael Phelps, and Ashton Kutcher.

In the past few years, Forbes has awarded a scholarship to a small group of scholars, mostly from the US, to be able to attend the conference free of charge. The Forbes Under 30 Scholars program aims to recognize those students who are likely to become future leaders in their respective industries: exceptional scholars, outstanding innovators, and young entrepreneurs. It does that by giving them an opportunity to listen to the current leaders and network with them, enjoy immersive industry-specific trips, and attend exclusive career events at the Forbes Under 30 Summit. This year, I have been selected as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar out of thousands of applicants, one of three from the UK. It was a true honor to be recognized by Forbes, for my engagement with multiple different entrepreneurial projects. This year’s edition took place in Detroit, Michigan, on October 27-30.

During my time in Detroit, I met a variety of young leaders—from film producers, to entrepreneurs, to artists, chairs of charitable foundations—who actively work to shape the future, before they have even lived three decades. It was truly invaluable to learn from them, as well as to be able to share my own insights with them. Alongside the other attendees, I was able to listen to, and network with, some of the most influential industry leaders. Tomas Pfister (Head of Research at Google Cloud AI), Serena Williams, Sean Rad (Founder of Tinder), Jay Farner (CEO of Quicken Loans), Adam Rippon, and Yael Aflalo (Founder and CEO of sustainable fashion-brand Reformation), are only a few of the many interesting speakers who have attended the event. Returning from the Summit, I have never been more motivated to pursue the entrepreneurial path. PAIS, here at Warwick has taught me not to hesitate to ask uncomfortable questions: this has helped me make the most of this opportunity, to learn the keys to successful problem-solving.

One particularly memorable event was the presidential debate jointly organized by Forbes and MSNBC, featuring the main three GOP non-incumbents, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, former Representative from Illinois Joe Walsh and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld. As a PAIS student interested in American politics, it was fascinating to become so immersed in the lead-up to the 2020 elections. Being able to directly engage with these individuals, which we usually only see through a screen, provides a different perspective on the elections.

I also had the opportunity to take part in the ErieHack Hackathon, coordinated by the Cleveland Water Alliance. My team and I attempted to tackle the issue of growing algae blooms and eutrophication in Lake Erie. Having studied the Flint Water Crisis in detail for PAIS, this opportunity was unique in that it combined my affinity for creative innovation with my scholarly interests. Our solution, which combined advanced AI technologies with a badging marketing system, impressed the panel of judges, and we won the Hackathon—a really exciting moment!

Lastly, Detroit was a fascinating city to visit. With its difficult and complex history, it is a city of hard-working Americans passionately coming together to drive their commune forward. As Steve Case, Chair of the Case Foundation and a speaker at the Summit, has predicted, a new generation of innovation is emerging in the US: one that is decentralized and is not based in Silicon Valley but in cities like Detroit. It was so interesting to witness this in first person, and to learn the history of Detroit at the Henry Ford Museum.

To any young entrepreneurs and scholars reading this, I encourage you to apply next year—it is a true learning opportunity of a lifetime! I would like to thank the Politics and International Studies department at Warwick for their support, to Forbes for this recognition, and to my friends, colleagues, and family, who consistently help me stay focused and motivated to achieve my goals. Onwards and upwards!

You can find out more about the conference here: https://live.forbes.com/under30.