California: Numerous enterprising Indian Americans were recently recognized by Forbes in its 10th annual ‘30 Under 30’ list for 2021 in various categories. In the Energy category, Vikhyat Chaudhry and Aashna Mehra were among the individuals named by Forbes. Chaudhry, 27, the co-founder of Buzz Solutions, was named alongside his fellow co-founder Kaitlyn Albertoli. Mehra, 27, is an investment associate at New Energy Capital Partners, a private equity fund that invests in small and mid-sized clean energy infrastructure projects and companies.
In the Social Media category, Indian American TikToker Avani Gregg and growth strategist at TikTok Gauri Rangrass were among 30 individuals named by Forbes in the category. Gregg, 18, the daughter of Indian and African American parents, now a Los Angeles resident, originally started on social media after a back injury ended her training as a gymnast, according to her profile by Forbes.
She's now famous for her vlogs and makeup TikToks, which have attracted more 26 million followers, it said.
Rangrass, of Los Angeles, is a growth strategy specialist at TikTok. Forbes said, “If you've ever laughed out loud at a TikTok, Rangrass may've been responsible for its existence.” In her role at TikTok, the Northwestern University graduate helps creators within the Meme and Food categories grow their followers and brands, including creators Brittany Broski and Tabitha Brown, it said. She is now developing TikTok's 2020 live streaming strategy, the profile notes.
In the Media category, Indian American Hersh Patel, the founder of Hindsight, was included in the Forbes 2021 list. The 29-year-old Patel, of Weehawken, New Jersey, co-founded Hindsight in 2017 to help publications figure out how to effectively place ads as cookie-tracking is phased out by the major internet browsers, his profile said. The company’s software is used by sites like FOCO and FanDuel to place ads based on the content of the article, rather than the reader's data history. With the New York University graduate Patel as CEO, Hindsight has raised $1 million, Forbes noted. Prior to launching Hindsight, Patel held roles at The News Project, Goldman Sachs, Macquarie Group and Russell Investments, his bio notes.
The 600 young entrepreneurs, activists, scientists and entertainers featured in Forbes 10th annual Forbes “30 Under 30” list give everyone reason to hope, the magazine said. Some are defying the odds and building businesses despite Covid-19; others are helping to fight the illness, serving on hospital frontlines or working with A.I. to discover new drugs. They are proof positive that ambition and innovation can’t be quarantined.
This year was unlike any other in the decade Forbes has spent chronicling North America’s up-and-coming youth. But this year’s group can truly call themselves battle-tested, having successfully navigated a global pandemic and recession, noted the magazine. They have collectively managed to raise over $1 billion in funding.
