30% of the Forbes list of entrepreneurs “under 30 years old” reside in the Emirates

Yesterday, Forbes Middle East revealed the eighth annual edition of its “30Under30” list for the year 2025, which highlights the next generation of young leaders, creatives, innovators, and change makers, under the age of 30 in the region. Forbes stated, in a statement, that 34 people out of a total of 113 on the list (30%) reside in the UAE.

The list from the Emirates included six young entrepreneurs and creative leaders: Fatima Al Shamsi, a doctoral student at Khalifa University and KU Leuven University, Jawaher Al Ameri, senior researcher and head of the Laser Systems Engineering Department at the Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi, Noura Al Marri, researcher, CEO and co-founder of BioHarv, in addition to Safia Al Hashimi, assistant professor and researcher in mechanical engineering at New York University Abu Dhabi, and an activist in the field of… Sustainability, Sarah Al Ameri, and the Senior Legal Advisor at the Presidency of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28) and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change, Ahmed bin Abdul Rahman Al Hurghada.

Forbes reported that these pioneers are reshaping the features of success in the Middle East and North Africa region, from athletes achieving historic achievements, to researchers pushing the boundaries of science to new heights.

This year’s list includes 90 entries representing 113 people, divided into three main categories: “Trade and Finance,” “Social Impact, Sports, and Lifestyle,” and “Science and Technology,” with each category including 30 entries.

The “Commerce and Finance” category is the largest in terms of the number of participants, with 42 people, followed by the “Social Impact, Sports and Lifestyle” category with 36 people, and finally the “Science and Technology” category with 35 people.

The Forbes Middle East list for the current year included 113 young men and women from 24 nationalities, while Egyptians dominated the list with 19 people, followed by the Saudis with 18 people, the Lebanese with 15 people, then the Emiratis and Jordanians with six people each.

Forbes Middle East revealed that these young men and women reside in 18 countries, while the UAE hosts 34 of them, 25 of whom reside in Saudi Arabia, 15 in Egypt, and 11 in Lebanon, and the average age of the young men classified on the list is 26.9 years.

Forbes Middle East clarified its criteria to qualify for the 2025 list, as candidates must be under 30 years of age, by December 31, 2024, that is, born in 1995 or later. Participation was also available to all nationalities, provided that the companies or initiatives led by the candidates focus on serving residents of the Middle East and North Africa region, and if the company has more than one founder under the age of 30, and they are selected on the list, they are counted as a candidate. One, while the list is classified in alphabetical order.

Accurate evaluation and quality standards

Forbes Middle East confirmed that it conducted a careful evaluation to identify the most promising young talents in the region, while applicants were allowed to nominate themselves or be nominated by others, and after multiple rounds, about 200 candidates were selected. Then external arbitrators, with experience in various sectors, reviewed the nominations and recommended the final list. The evaluation combined qualitative and quantitative criteria, taking into account the influence of the candidates in sectors, markets, and societies, in addition to their tangible achievements, such as the size of funds, revenues, and awards. that they received, the value of deals, audience reach, and social media presence.