Philadelphia athletes, social media influencers, and ‘Shark Tank’ winners among those on the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 list
The list includes Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, the founders of the Community Grocer, and others.
The 15th class of Forbes 30 Under 30 has some major Philadelphia connections, from Shark Tank winners to social media influencers, and Super Bowl champions.
A total of 18 people with ties to the Philadelphia area were recognized on the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in categories such as sports, social media, education, aerospace, and venture capital, among others.
Awardees who attended Philadelphia universities or based their businesses in the city appeared in all 20 categories.
Among the 600 honorees chosen for this year’s class, the local representatives include Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley, 28, and Jalen Hurts, 27. Along with carrying the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX win earlier this year, Hurts and Barkley have landed major brand partnerships and endorsement deals, which have elevated their profiles beyond the gridiron.
Social media influencer Brandon Edelman (aka Bran Flakezz), 29, popular for his humorous TikTok videos about Philly culture and insights into influencer marketing, has also landed on the coveted list.
University of Pennsylvania alums Alexandre Imbot, 27, and Eli Moraru, 25, who founded Philadelphia’s the Community Grocer, are on the list. With partnerships with M&T Bank and FMC Corp, the leaders of the food-justice nonprofit have provided nutritious food to more than 10,000 Philadelphians, including recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Another honoree is fellow Penn alum Kausi Raman, 28, cofounder of ChompSaw, a kid-safe power tool for cardboard cutting. Raman’s company has produced nearly 76,000 ChompSaws since 2022. In 2024, Raman joined cofounder Max Liechty on Shark Tank, where they secured $250,000 in a deal with Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban.
Another Philly-area honoree is John Huddleston, 27, the cofounder of Albacore Inc. The defense and space manufacturing company develops underwater vehicles to deter maritime invasions. Albacore has raised $6.5 million from backers including Z-Fellows, Outlander VC, Liquid 2, and Brave Capital.
Other Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees with Philadelphia ties
David Waltcher, 29, Penn alum and principal at New York-based venture capital firm FirstMark.
Salaar Kohair, 29, Penn grad and cofounder of L.A.-based gaming studio CAGE Studios.
Yejin Yeoum, 29, a Penn alum and principal at New York-based alternative investment manager BC Partners.
Tristan Fogt, 28, cofounder of Cincinnati-based Sensory Robotics and a Penn alum.
Jason Kaufmann, 26, Penn grad and cofounder of San Francisco-based Maritime Fusion.
Farah Otero-Amad, 29, Penn grad who’s a video producer and host at the Wall Street Journal.
Crystal Yang, 18, Penn student and founder of Audemy, a nonprofit assisting blind video gamers.
Katherine Sizov, 29, Penn alum and founder of the life science company Strella, which designs technology to reduce food waste and improve quality.
Cindy Ji Won Lim, 29, Penn grad and director of brand marketing at Dallas’ Match Group. She’s also the cofounder of Korean American streetwear company Sundae School.
Andre Hamra, 28, Penn grad and founder of the recruiting platform Refer.
Kara Rosenblum, 28, Penn grad and co-owner of Bar Next Door in West Hollywood.
Maggie Tang, 25, Penn graduate and founder of Magic Technologies, an AI company specializing in hospitality services.
For the full list of honorees, visit forbes.com.
The article has been updated with the correct name for Kara Rosenblum’s organization.