Nine PH entries land on Forbes' '30 Under 30 Asia' List 2026

Nine entries from the Philippines were included in this year’s Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list, which recognizes entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators across the Asia-Pacific region “pushing the boundaries” in their respective fields.

The listees were chosen from close to 4,000 candidates who were evaluated by the Forbes Asia team and a panel of judges based on factors such as funding and revenue, social and industry impact, product-market fit, inventiveness, and potential.

Below are the listees from the Philippines, with cofounders of the same company listed together as one entry:

• BayaniChain Tech cofounders Raphael Sevilla and Brandon Angelo Wong
• Tennis player Alexandra Eala
• Singer-songwrite Zack Tabudlo
• Amico Innovations cofounder Kharl Christian Yeung
• Fan connection SEA cofounders Pauline Dizon and Adrian Jumangit
• GoRocky cofounders Kiyanusch Braun and Martin Joaquin Palaña
• ASEAN Youth Advocates Network founder Emmanuel Mirus Ponon
• Empath founder Steph Naval
• Siklab founder Saje Miguel Molato

“The 11th edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list spotlights a fresh wave of young minds from across Asia Pacific, who continue to innovate and disrupt their industries at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping our daily lives,” Forbes Asia editorial director Rana Wehbe Watson said in an emailed statement.

“From entrepreneurs building companion robots and AI tools to up-and-coming stars stepping into the global spotlight, this year’s listees illustrate Gen-Z’s influence across business and culture in the region,” she added.

The list covers 10 categories: AI; Consumer & Enterprise Technology; Entertainment & Sports; Finance & Venture Capital; Healthcare & Science; Industry, Manufacturing & Energy; Retail & Ecommerce; Social Impact; Social Media, Marketing & Advertising; and The Arts.

India had the most entries for the year with 78, followed by China with 46, Australia with 38, and Japan with 32. Indonesia, Singapore, and South Korea all had 18. —VAL, GMA News