Tackling Conflicts And Forging Coexistence In Israel

It’s been two weeks since I returned from our 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit EMEA in Israel and it’s still hard for me to answer everyone’s first question: What was the best part? Sure, tasting my way through “The Shuk” marketplace in Jerusalem was an experience unlike any other, as was ringing the bell at the opening ceremony of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange alongside a group of brilliant and talented Under 30 alums.

But I think the part that sticks with me the most was my time at Jerusalem’s Margalit Startup City, one of Startup Nation’s signature innovation hubs. Situated under vibrant cherry trees, I got to watch members of the Forbes Under 30 community mentor 11 early-stage Middle Eastern startups—many of who have made it their mission to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Take Andy Hirsh, whose animation studio Olive Branch Pictures is addressing the conflict with a children’s film about two young women (one Israeli, one Palestinian) who use music to cope with trauma and combine their talents to bring peace to Jerusalem.

Conflict was top of mind for many of the listers who attended the Summit (from more than 30 countries around the world). I was honored to get the chance to speak with three Ukrainian Under 30s–Victoria Repa of health app Better Me, and Betty and Siona Endale of hip-hop group Fo Sho–onstage about entrepreneurship during wartime. “Act, not react, because the time you spend in a negative state of mind, you can spend on action, creation and good stuff,” Repa told me. “If after the war I just laid down and cried, I . . . can’t help my country.” Be sure to check out the full panel here.

How Selling $160 Sweatpants Turned A SoCal Surfer Into One Of America’s Richest Women

Paige Mycoskie’s Aviator Nation took off during the pandemic as TikTok teens embraced the Venice Beach vibe by snapping up its pricey smiley face sweatpants and rainbow-striped hoodies.

This Week’s Money Moves

Despite the fact that employees are now accustomed to remote work, most billionaires, including Jim Thompson and Tilman Fertitta, don’t believe in a fully remote future. (Forbes)

If you noticed your Uber fare has gone up recently, you aren’t the only one. With a tight labor market and historically high gas prices, here’s why this aptly named Millennial Consumer Subsidy might be over. (The Atlantic)

And speaking of cars, a new report shows that Tesla had the highest incident report for accidents that included driver-assistant technologies. More than 100 companies—both automakers and companies building the tech behind it—were subject to the agency’s report. (WSJ)

Say goodbye to your instantaneous late-night Ben & Jerry’s order: Fast delivery startup Jokr, which operates in cities like New York and Boston, will pull back operations in the U.S. Instead, it will focus its attention on Latin America, which it claims is underserved. (Bloomberg)

A corporate culture war is brewing in the crypto space: In a New York Times report, Jesse Powell, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, was accused by employees of fostering a hateful workplace. (New York Times)

In other corporate news, there’s a reason your Facebook feed has been filled with more videos recently. An internal memo shows that the social media giant is altering its algorithm to directly compete with TikTok, hoping to bring back the younger audience that has migrated there. (The Verge)

NFL star and 2020 Forbes Under 30 alum Patrick Mahomes is upping his off-the-field game: He joins a growing list of athletes, including Nascar driver Bubba Wallace, investing in a third fund led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz to grow Black wealth. (Forbes)

And though Mahomes certainly isn’t intimidated, getting experience in venture capital can seem a daunting task for the rest of us. Here’s how Emory University is letting students dip their toes in through a student-led fund that seeks to fund underrepresented founders of color. (TechCrunch)

Not many people can claim that they taught rapper SZA to pole dance, but one Gen-Z Yale graduate can. This is how Cami Árboles took her pole dancing and yoga skills and built a global business around it. (Forbes)

Now Open: Forbes Under 30 2023 Nominations

Do you know someone creating the next Instagram, Stripe or Spotify? Nominate them (or yourself!) today.