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Under 30 Summit Preview: Q&A with Randall Lane from Forbes

Darlene Doyle, Chief Client Officer at PAN Communications, headshot
Darlene Doyle
Chief Client Officer | Boston, MA
  • Blog
  • Public Relations

Under 30 Summit Preview: Q&A with Randall Lane from Forbes

Darlene Doyle, Chief Client Officer at PAN Communications, headshot
Darlene Doyle
Chief Client Officer | Boston, MA

This Sunday, Forbes kicks off its Under 30 Summit in Boston. The four-day event is jam packed with motivating speakers (think Jessica Alba, Chrissy Teigen, Richard Branson and Michael Phelps, to name just a few), music (featuring Jason Derulo, Halsey Gallant and Delta Rae), a food festival (curated by Chris Coombs), a pitch contest (with judges Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary) and philanthropy (with a hackathon for good).

Boston is “all in” on the summit with City Hall Plaza acting as the central hub for the event, and content stages at Faneuil Hall, Emerson, Harvard and Northeastern. And as an event sponsor and PR partner, we’re “all in” too and thrilled to welcome the Under 30 Summit to Boston!

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For a little Under 30 Summit preview, check out our Q&A with Forbes Editor Randall Lane below and The Boston Globe’s recent feature story here.

What was the catalyst for creating the Forbes Under 30 Summit?

The Forbes 30 Under 30 lists, which we launched in 2011, are made up of the most important young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and game changers from all over the world.  These superstars are transforming the rules of the game, from business sectors to social issues. By bringing these stars together to network and share ideas, the Forbes Under 30 Summit becomes a destination for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Why Boston?

Boston has the highest percentage of residents between 20 and 34. The largest number of college students. The highest percentage of college graduates. An ascendant start-up scene. An innovation capital. Boston is a city having a moment.  Forbes hopes to grow here and use this platform to burnish the city’s image, creating for Boston what South by-Southwest does for Austin, what the Ideas Festival does for Aspen, what the Mobile World Congress does for Barcelona.

Can you give us a flavor for the event festivities and highlights?

For the more than 5,000 attendees who are joining us from all over the world from Oct. 16-19, we’ve created five stages across the city’s great universities, including Harvard Business School, Emerson and Northeastern (plus Faneuil Hall), where we will feature speakers ranging from Ashton Kutcher, Sir Richard Branson, Jessica Alba, Aly Raisman, Deepak Chopra, Michael Phelps, Governor Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, among many others. Boston College powered our $1 million Change The World entrepreneur competitions (one of which is being led by Ashton Kutcher).  We’re building an Under 30 Village in City Hall Plaza, where attendees can network, recruit, share ideas – and take in a Samuel Adams beer garden or an Ocean Spray bog. The Forbes Under 30 Music Festival will kick off the summit on Oct. 16, with co-headliners Jason Derulo and Halsey along with opening acts Gallant and Delta Rae. We will also have an Under 30 Food Festival with some of America’s most notable young chefs. On Oct. 19, to conclude the four-day summit, Forbes will host a Boston-wide Service Day devoted to giving back to the City of Boston as Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees fan out across Boston public schools to mentor students.

Any Boston-based under 30s we should be looking out for?

Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Dan Koh in the Boston Mayor’s office played a critical role in bringing the summit to Boston. Restaurateur Chris Coombs is curating the Under 30 Food Festival and hosting a General Catalyst speakers’ dinner at his restaurant Deuxave…. and there are so many more Boston-based superstars. Check them out here:  http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2016/07/14/forbes-30-under-30-boston-winners-2016/.

Why should aspiring entrepreneurs attend?

The Forbes Under 30 Summit brings together thousands of honorees from all of the various Forbes 30 Under 30 lists from around the globe. The summit is the world’s greatest convening of young entrepreneurs and game-changers. These people will run every field for the next half-century. In moving the summit to Boston, we’re tripling the size and scope of our Under 30 Summit. This will be the biggest event in Forbes’ 99-year history.

We’re ready to move.
Are you?

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