Meet the Visionary Young Leaders Creating Tomorrow’s Impactful Businesses!
Passionate social entrepreneurs are stepping up to tackle critical issues like climate change, mental health, disabilities, and electoral engagement, crafting innovative startups that promise real, sustainable impact.
By a team of visionary storytellers
Like many trailblazers in the startup world, Maya Kuppermann found inspiration in her own journey. After tirelessly navigating the labyrinth of nonprofit grants and witnessing firsthand the cumbersome data analysis that foundations face, she saw a golden opportunity to revolutionize the tech landscape for nonprofits.
“This industry moves at a snail’s pace, leaving so much room to introduce fundamental tech solutions that can completely reshape workflows,” explains Kuppermann, 28, cofounder of Temelio, a nonprofit tech firm alongside her partner Ruthwick Pathireddy, 29. Together, they shine among this year’s standout innovators on the Forbes Under 30 2025 Social Impact list.
Tim Tadder for Forbes
But Maya isn’t alone in her mission. Drawing from personal experiences, Olivia Abrams, just 25, developed TiCK MiTT, a reusable solution for tick removal inspired by her battle with Lyme disease since childhood. In a poignant response to mental health crises among college students, Jared Fenton, 29, founded The Reflect Organization, a supportive platform for students to discuss mental wellness. And Adeola Ajani, 26, launched Fem Equity, determined to address the stark pay gaps she experienced early in her career.
This year’s Social Impact list also highlights groundbreaking efforts to enhance accessibility. Luke Buckberrough, 24, created Glidance to empower the visually impaired, while Rebecca Rosenberg, 26, founded ReBokeh Vision Technologies, offering assistive tech designed for those with low vision—something she understands all too well due to her own albinism.
Moreover, innovators like Nishit Bhasin, 24, and Lakshya Garg, 26, co-created Incskill to make websites and apps more accessible for people with disabilities. Anna Voelker, 29, is on a mission with SciAccess to foster greater inclusion for individuals with disabilities in STEM education. Additionally, Abhinav Chawla, 29, and Hamza Shaikh, 28, launched Stabl, a digital health startup that brings physical therapy right into your living room.
At a time when electoral engagement is critical, the list also showcases pioneers like Will Long, 28, whose Numinar merges data intelligence and AI to help political campaigns, especially for down-ballot candidates, connect with voters. Equally impactful, Daphne Frias, 26, of Box the Ballot, gathered over 20,000 absentee ballots during the tumultuous 2020 midterms to empower voter participation.
This year’s Under 30 Social Impact category is bursting with innovators tackling mental health, environmental challenges, and social equity for underrepresented communities. Collectively, they have secured over $100 million in funding, reflecting their potential to transform industries.
Spotlighting changemakers under 30 who have yet to grace any prestigious 30 Under 30 lists, this year’s selections were rigorously evaluated by a panel of respected leaders in the field. For the Social Impact category, judges included Jean Case, Cheryl Dorsey, Abhi Ramesh, and Randall Lane.
Notably, 56% of this year’s honorees identify as people of color, and 44% are women, illustrating a commitment to diversity in driving social change.
For the complete Under 30 Social Impact list, click here, and for extensive coverage of all 30 Under 30 categories, click here.
