Forbes Australia 30 Under 30 List Editor, Anastasia Santoreneos, told Mediaweek that the team was waiting until “our feet were firmly on the ground” in the market before launching a local edition of the 30 Under 30 list.
Almost two years after the title launched locally, Forbes Australia will be publishing its inaugural 30 Under 30 list, identifying Australia’s young innovators using entrepreneurship to impact their respective industries.
The list will be released in the print issue and posted on Forbes Australia’s site on 14 October.
Why was now the time to bring the 30 Under 30 list to Australia?
Santoreneos: An iconic list like the 30 Under 30 takes a lot of time and preparation to put together. To do an Australian list the justice it deserves, we wanted to wait until our feet were firmly on the ground, we were stable in market, and we had the resources and expertise to put it together. Now Forbes Australia is just shy of two years old – two years we’ve spent building our brand and making connections with great entrepreneurs, founders and industry leaders – it finally feels like the right time.
What sort of work is going on behind the scenes to pull the list together?
Santoreneos: There’s so much. As well as trawling the online nominations meticulously, background and fact-checking each candidate, we’ve been busy tapping industry insiders and our contacts for other potential nominees. The list will ultimately be a culmination of a lot of research from our team of reporters and feedback from a judging panel made up of founders, venture capitalists, and experts.
How will the Australian list compare to the global 30 Under 30?
Santoreneos: Very simply: this is the first, definitive 30 Under 30 list Forbes has ever produced to focus on Australian stars pushing boundaries across all disciplines. Which is a big job when you think about it… our judges are going to have a tough time in sport alone after this Olympics. It’s a hugely exciting opportunity to profile Australian leaders like this, especially when we know the global Forbes family are watching.
What are you and the team looking for when finalising the people on the list?
Santoreneos: We know the list historically acknowledges some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, leaders and stars under the age of 30. Drilling down deeper, we’re really asking questions like, “Will this person, or this idea succeed in market? How innovative are they? Will they make a positive impact on society?” And of course, when it comes to Forbes, we put a lot of stock in game changers and entrepreneurs.
The list will be released in the print issue and online on 14 October. Do you have any plans for what the rollout will look like?
Santoreneos: Visually stunning. I don’t want to give away too much, but there’s a reason we’ve waited this long to bring Forbes’ fastest growing brand to Australia. There will be plenty of fascinating and inspiring stories we can’t wait to share.
Sponsorship opportunities have been opened up, what has the response to the list been so far from brands?
Santoreneos: Partners have been really excited to hear about 30 Under 30 since we launched in this market, we have a number of sponsors on board and a select few opportunities left for the right partners.
It still takes some education to shift the perception that Forbes is exclusively a print magazine for billionaires, but our digital and social footprint is very healthy for the demographic. As we mentioned, 30 Under 30 is the fastest growing brand for Forbes globally. The annual event is now a multi-day festival in the USA, and the Australian market is ready for this platform to highlight and support the huge number of young entrepreneurs and innovators becoming our future leaders.
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Top image: Anastasia Santoreneos