Fifty-eight individuals affiliated with the University of California (UC) system have been recognized on the 2026 Forbes “30 Under 30” list. The annual list highlights young leaders under the age of 30 who are making significant contributions across various fields, including artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, science, and more.
The honorees come from seven UC campuses: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, and UC Santa Barbara. The largest group is from UC Berkeley with 32 honorees. Other campuses represented include UCLA with 11 honorees and UC San Diego with nine.
Forbes evaluates candidates based on several criteria such as funding raised, revenue generated, social impact, scale of work, inventiveness, and future potential. A panel of independent judges assists in the selection process.
Among those featured are innovators like Sam Yang (UC Berkeley), who co-founded Nova Intelligence to modernize legacy business software using AI; Aryan Bhadouria and Adam Goldstein (UC Berkeley), founders of TeachShare—an AI platform for educators; and Amareen Dhaliwal (UC San Diego), who launched a global clinical research training organization serving thousands worldwide.
Other notable projects include Laurence Allen’s Terranova at UC Berkeley—using robotics to lift land out of flood danger while sequestering carbon—and Chao Hu’s Reverse Energy Solutions at UC Irvine which recycles expired solar panels through mobile dismantling technology.
In health care innovation, James Hu (UC Irvine) co-founded Illuminant Surgical to assist surgeons with advanced graphics projected onto patients’ skin. Zach Rosen and Henry Kasa (UC Berkeley) created Brellium for improved clinical compliance via AI-powered documentation review.
Several alumni have also made strides in social impact initiatives. Alex Edgar (UC Berkeley) co-founded Youth250 to promote youth civic engagement nationwide. Mackenzie Feldman’s Re:wild Your Campus works to reduce pesticide use in public spaces.
In addition to individual achievements in their respective industries—including finance, food and drink production, manufacturing technologies, science research, transportation innovation, venture capital investment strategies—the recognition reflects ongoing efforts by the University of California community to foster leadership among its students and graduates.
This year’s inclusion on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list underscores the broad influence of young talent emerging from California’s public university system.
