New Forbes list pays tribute to Asia’s young pioneers
Print Edition
WHEN nine-year-old Owen Xu cried out against eating shark’s fin soup during a banquet in honor of his grandfather’s birthday, he had no idea that he would one day become one of the most important activists of his generation.
Xu, who lives in Shanghai, has been an environmentalist for as long as he can remember. During the banquet, as he explained the cruel way sharks were killed to make soup, he realized that even a child can have a positive impact on the world.
Soon after this episode, he became a “green ambassador” at his father’s textile factory, where he looked for ways to reduce the output of pollutants.
In 2015, a 16-year-old Xu built up his own company called MicroH2O. This organization focused on wastewater treatment and renewable technologies. This endeavor also landed him a spot on Forbes’ inaugural 30 Under 30 Asia list earlier this year.
The list features 300 young innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders across Asia in 10 categories who are transforming business, technology, industry, media, culture and more.
Talking about these young entrepreneurs, Randall Lane, editor of Forbes magazine, says that technology makes these young people quite different from their parents’ generation.
“They’re digital natives. These under 30 entrepreneurs have never known a time without the Internet. Think about that, people just 10 years older didn’t see a computer even in college ... And they didn’t know what the Internet was, so their brains work differently,” Lane says.
What also distinguishes Xu and his peers on the list is their dedication to society. As Lane explains, those recognized by Forbes are committed “to change the world for the better.”
The information age has also helped to create a new look for the young entrepreneurs. G-Dragon, a South Korean pop star who also made the list, represents many of the traits of these young leaders: They’re talented and confident, but not rebellious. And, unlike their parents, they have a wide range of interests, yet work is not their whole life.
And most of all, they are not afraid to fail.
“They are comfortable with taking risks,” Lane says. “They understand that sometimes the biggest risk of all is to not take a risk. They’ve got drive. They’ve got the ability to keep trying and not worry about failure, which traditionally, most of the world sees as a bad thing; but if you’re comfortable with that and understand you’ve got to fall down and get up, you’re likely to succeed. And those succeeders are the ones that are here today.”
While they hail from different countries and cultures, Lane was impressed by their many commonalities.
“It’s funny, they have far more similarities than differences. Whether American ... Israeli, French or Chinese, they have more in common as entrepreneurs than two people from the same country, because they understand what it is like to risk everything; what is like to start a company.”
The 30 Under 30 Asia list reflects the vast potential and creativity in the Asia-Pacific region. Among the 300 young leaders, more than 70 come from China, which suggests that even as the Chinese economy is “restructuring,” youngsters in the country are still finding new opportunities to capture.
“China is obviously an incredible ascending country. And entrepreneurship is something that the more mature an economy gets, the more it allows entrepreneurs to thrive. This process is well underway in China,” notes Lane.
Talking about the young Chinese leaders honored by Forbes, Lane says that many of them have big ideas that align with the country’s big potential.
“It’s a big market and there’s so much going on. So I see huge opportunities reflected in the eyes, hearts and unyielding optimism of these young trail-blazers.”
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