Forbes Under 30 Summit: Kendall Jenner, Bad Bunny and others inspire thousands at Public Hall

Posted by: Laura DeMarco on Monday, October 9, 2023

Nearly 6,000 young changemakers - and celebrities - attended day two of the Forbes Under 30 Summit

Day two of the Forbes Under 30 Summit began with a song – and ended with of the most famous recording artists in the world giving out $100,000.

Nearly 6,000 young innovators and changemakers gathered for a day of panels, thought leadership, networking, performances and an Ohio City pub crawl to end the evening.

The event, which honors hundreds of the most innovative and inspiring young Americans, includes a two-day conference at Public Hall and a closing party hosted by Machine Gun Kelly at the Rock Hall Tuesday.

The gathering began with a networking party and concert featuring Halsey and Latto at Public Hall on Sunday.

The Cleveland event is the first of three Forbes Summits that will hit Ohio. Cincinnati and Columbus will host it the next two years, in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Summit is also the launch of the Forbes Local Leaders lists, which feature our city as one of just ten innovation hubs nationwide.

The morning began with Los Angeles-based songwriter Madison Love making a surprise appearance. Love’s intimate set included an acoustic performance of "Waste Love," which she wrote for Cleveland’s Machine Gun Kelly – who will close the conference Wednesday by hosting a party at the Rock Hall.

Forbes Chief Content Officer Randall Lane followed, welcoming the crowd with no small promise: “The next three days can change your life – you are in a room full of allies, potential partners and customers. A roomful of people who will inspire you and challenge you or make you better.”

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted took the stage next to sing the praises of our state.

“We consider Ohio the heart of it all because we make the things the people of the world need to live and thrive everyday – from the food you eat to the cars you drive, the airplanes you fly in and chips that power your devices,” he proclaimed.

Morning sessions focused on topics including the cannabis and meatless protein industries, which featured Peter McGuinness, CEO, Impossible Foods.

“Food is the thing that can reduce climate change and move the needle the most,” he noted.

Actor Rainn Wilson delivered the most emotional moments of the morning in a surprisingly profound Q&A that focused on spirituality, mental health and finding meaning in the world.

“Search for greater meaning. Let your ambition guide that and a lot of doors will open,” said Wilson, who later signed copies of his new book, “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.”

Lunch was served at a food truck fest on the mall.

Professional celebrity and new 818 Tequila company CEO Kendall Jenner launched the afternoon session with a Q&A with Moira Forbes. Her wide-ranging talk addressed everything from horseback riding to social media to tequila.

Other speakers in the afternoon included Pinky Cole and Paige Mycoskie. But no one generated the applause and rapt attention of Bad Bunny, who hosted a LatinX Pitch Competition during which he gave away $100,000 (supplemented by $200,000 of support from Forbes). All the pitches were inspired, but the judges eventually settled on Columbia mental health services company Selia.

Following a dinner hour break, the fun continued with an Ohio City bar crawl.