Three American Heritage Schools graduates are some of the up-and-coming entrepreneurs and leaders selected on the 11th Annual Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2023, the magazine’s list of young innovators.

 

The Forbes 30 under 30 list highlights the brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders and stars under the age of 30  who are making a significant impact on their industry. The prestigious publication recognizes 600 business and industry figures, with 30 chosen in 20 different categories. Among the AHS alumni on the Forbes 30 under 30 list is Danielle Colson, Class of 2011, Blake Mandell, Class of 2012, and Nicolas Norena, Class of 2012. 

 

 

 

Danielle Colson, Class of 2011, was part of American Heritage's Pre-Engineering Program and that’s when she discovered her aptitude in the field and her desire to pursue engineering in college and beyond. The 29-year old Heritage alum has been named this year's Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list in the Energy category for her entrepreneurship in building a platform of solutions to reduce emissions in hard-to-abate industries such as industrial heat, cement, steel, and hydrogen. Danielle co-founded a company called Mantel Capture, which stemmed from one of her classes at Harvard Business School. After Danielle graduated from AHS in 2011, she attended Duke University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She then worked in the corporate world for a few years before earning her MBA at Harvard Business School. That’s where she met her co-founders in a class called Climate and Energy Ventures. “The technology behind the company came from my co-founder’s PhD work,” Danielle says. When asked how it feels to be a "Forbes 30 Under 30" Danielle responds, “This award will benefit our company by helping out in recruiting and with future investors, but mainly, my parents are very proud.”

 

 

 

 

Nicolas Norena, Class of 2012, founded the acclaimed social media platform The Succulent Bite three years after graduation, which earned him a spot in the Food & Drink category of the Forbes “30 Under 30” list. The AHS alum and Miami-based food influencer and entrepreneur earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Florida International University and worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative at Eli Lilly and Company while working to get his company off the ground. Nicolas says he combined his passions for food and photography to provide a guide of the restaurants where he has had what he calls “delightful experiences.” He has made over $1 million in brand deals throughout a four-year span, and his content reached over 360 million people last year. His client list is filled with global consumer, snack, and alcohol brands such as M&Ms, McDonalds, Snickers, Papa John's, Coca Cola, Kellogg's, Absolut Vodka, Bud Light, Pepsi, and Tostitos among others, as well as Disney and Chevrolet. Throughout 2022, Nicolas also hosted 12 episodes of a cooking show on Univision’s Despierta America, the largest U.S. Hispanic live television morning show. 

 

Truly these young entrepreneurs are game-changers. According to an article in The Science Survey written by staff reporter Samgar Aidarhanov on April 27, 2022, “Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list is serious when it comes to selecting the best of the best in each field. In fact, it could be said that the list is a catalyst for innovation of young entrepreneurs around the world.” We are proud of these three award-winning AHS alumni who are making a notable difference in our world.