The 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Education list showcases an inspiring group of young leaders redefining education. From leveraging AI to improve learning outcomes to creating equitable opportunities, these innovators stand out for their ingenuity, impact, and vision. The annual list highlights ambitious entrepreneurs and changemakers under 30, chosen from thousands of nominations and evaluated by a panel of experts, including Tess Michaels (founder of Clasp), Max Lytvyn (cofounder of Grammarly), Jenny Rickard (CEO of Common Application), and Ian Chiu (managing director at Owl Ventures).

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing education. With market research firm Grand View Research projecting a $32 billion global market by 2030, it's no surprise that six of the listmakers this year focus on AI-powered solutions.

• Julia Dixon, 29, created ESAI, an AI writing tutor aimed at democratizing college admissions essay support. Her tool assists students in brainstorming, outlining, and editing essays, especially vital with affirmative action no longer in play. ESAI has raised $1.25 million in funding since its 2023 launch, with much of its growth attributed to Dixon’s viral TikTok videos.
• Arman Jaffer, 29, developed Brisk, an AI-driven app integrated with Google to simplify teachers’ tasks such as lesson planning and quiz creation. Currently, 1 in 10 U.S. teachers uses Brisk, and Jaffer has secured $7 million in funding.
• Cofounders Michael Giardino, Sidhant Bendre, and Achraf Golli brought AI to students with Quizard AI, a homework assistance app. With nearly 4 million users and 70 million AI tutoring sessions completed since its 2023 launch, Quizard AI anticipates $3.5 million in revenue this year.

The trend of combining education with entertainment continues to rise:

• MathDash, created by Daniel Sun and Akshaj Kadaveru, both 24, pits students against each other in math problem-solving competitions. In just 10 months, the platform has attracted 350 daily players and $1.7 million in funding from major investors like Google Ventures.
• King of the Curve, developed in 2020 by William Kelly, AndrewPaul McIntosh, and Heath Rutledge Jukes, is a gamified test-prep app for medical exams such as MCAT and NCLEX. More than 400,000 students use the app, spending an average of $17 per month.

Several listmakers have focused on fostering communities to drive social and educational transformation:

• Natalie Tung, 29, established HomeWorks Trenton, a nonprofit residential program offering underserved high school girls a chance to thrive with dorm housing, meals, and transportation. Over eight years, HomeWorks has raised $6.6 million and housed 70 girls.
• Aarian Forman, 29, cofounded Xceleader, an Atlanta-based nonprofit empowering Black students at historically Black colleges and universities through mentorship and workshops. Since 2021, Xceleader has supported over 8,000 students and secured $1 million in grants.

This year’s honorees also include trailblazers in more conventional educational roles. Krystal McLeod, 29, raised $2.8 million as the executive director of New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery.

Ryan Liu, 29, and Bushra Amiwala, 26, are leading change in school governance, with Liu serving on the Pasadena City College Board and Amiwala breaking records as one of the youngest elected officials in the country at 21.

These young leaders embody the innovative spirit that drives education forward, proving that the intersection of technology, creativity, and community-building can pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future in learning.