• Egyptians top the list with 19 honorees, followed closely by 18 Saudis and 15 Lebanese.
  • Commerce and finance leads the way with 42 rising entrepreneurs and innovators.
  • The average age of listees is 26.9 years.

Dubai, U.A.E. – Forbes Middle East has revealed its eighth annual 30 Under 30 list, celebrating the region’s most dynamic young leaders, innovative creators, and catalysts for change. These trailblazers are redefining what success looks like in MENA, from athletes achieving milestone victories to researchers pushing the frontiers of science.

The Class of 2025 features 90 entries representing 113 individuals across three categories: commerce and finance, social impact, sports and lifestyle, and science and technology. Each category comprises 30 entries, with commerce and finance leading with 42 individuals, followed by social impact, sports and lifestyle with 36, and science and technology with 35.

To qualify for the 2025 list, candidates had to be under 30 years old as of December 31, 2024, meaning anyone born in 1995 or later was eligible. Candidates could be of any nationality but were required to have their primary ventures or initiatives based in the MENA region. If multiple cofounders from the same business qualified, they were counted as a single entry. The list is presented in alphabetical order.

The 2025 honorees span 24 nationalities, with Egyptians leading at 19, followed by 18 Saudis, 15 Lebanese, and six Emiratis and Jordanians each. These rising talents are based across 18 countries, with the UAE hosting 34, Saudi Arabia 25, Egypt 15, and Lebanon 11. The average age across the list is 26.9 years old.

Among this year’s standout achievers are Palestine’s Asar Jaradat, Nuclear Physics Researcher & PhD Fellow at CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research); the Saudi cofounding team of Ejari – Yazeed Al-Shamsi, Fahad Albedah, Khalid Almunif, and Mohammed Alkhelewy; the Egyptian cofounders of 2oolameme Sarah Abouelkhair and Abdelrahman Selim;  Jordanian footballers Ali Olwan, Mousa Al-Tamari and Yazan Alnemat; the Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna; and Lebanese fashion designer Jean Pierre Khoury. These individuals exemplify the innovation, leadership, and ambition driving the next generation of MENA changemakers.

Forbes Middle East conducted a rigorous evaluation to identify the region’s most promising young talent. Applicants could nominate themselves or be nominated by others, and hundreds of submissions were assessed by the research team. Through multiple rounds, roughly 200 candidates were shortlisted, after which external judges with expertise across industries reviewed and recommended entries for the final list. Evaluation combined qualitative and quantitative measures, considering candidates’ influence on industries, markets, and communities, as well as tangible achievements such as funds raised, revenues, awards, deal values, audience reach, and social media presence.

About Forbes Middle East

Forbes Middle East is a licensed edition of Forbes for the Arab world, championing inspiring business journalism and entrepreneurial capitalism. Its online and social platforms break news covering billionaires, business, investment, technology, economy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyles. The monthly magazine, featuring in-depth interviews with the Middle East’s most influential and innovative leaders, is published in print in English and Arabic, with digital versions available to both regional and global audiences online. Forbes Middle East extends the Forbes brand of journalism across the Arab world, conducting its own comprehensive research to publish original lists that adhere to strict methodologies. Its content attracts business leaders, investors, active and potential entrepreneurs, and a wide audience of ambitious and influential executives.

Media contact: Basma Aly Sadek: basma@forbesmiddleeast.com