Gies College of Business and the University of Illinois were among the top schools represented in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2020, which recognizes innovators under the age of 30 across 20 industries who are “changing the world forever.” Overall, the University of Illinois placed the tenth-most honorees on this year's Forbes list, ranking second in the nation among public universities. iVenture Accelerator Director Manu Edakara; leaders from iVenture-supported startups MakerGirl, Cast21, and Optivolt Labs; and a number of Gies alumni received this year’s coveted honor.
"Illinois alums account for more people on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists for 2020 than any other college or university in the Big 10, the state of Illinois, or any other state in the country between California and Pennsylvania," said John Quarton, senior director of innovation and entrepreneurship programs at Gies College of Business. "That screams volumes about the quality of people who have pursued a college education at Illinois and the exceptional work of our faculty and staff to prepare them to be leaders for the innovation economy."
Manu Edakara, 27, is an associate director in the Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership and plays a leading role in managing the iVenture Accelerator, which supports student-led startups with knowledge, funding, and access to world-class University of Illinois resources and alumni. iVenture, which is open to all University of Illinois students, is powered by Gies College of Business and has helped entrepreneurs raise millions of dollars, create dozens of full-time jobs, and participate in prestigious programs such as Y-Combinator, TechStars, and the Hax Accelerator.
"Gies is fundamentally changing the way students think about career and life,” said Edakara. “We're leading by challenging students to think about purpose - and at the iVenture Accelerator, one of many programs at the Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership, led by my colleagues John Quarton, Professor Noah Isserman, and Valeri Werpetinski, we work closely with student entrepreneurs to figure out their purpose. Whether it's building a full-time venture or working in another satisfying career, we support the growth of individual student leaders by teaching through venturing.”