25 Under 25 Awards blog 2022

Future Minds Network today announced the 2022 Future Minds 25 Under 25, recognising young founders, scientists, creators and changemakers under the age of 25 who are already shaping industries and communities around the world.

This year's class was drawn from nominations across 50 countries. 

Among this year's honourees are Alyssa Carson, an astronaut in training preparing for a future in deep space exploration; Dania Wilson, founder of Black Sisters in STEM, who has trained women across more than 10 countries in Africa, with a goal of reaching 30,000 women by 2030; and Melati Wijsen, founder of Bye Bye Plastic Bags and Youthtopia, whose six years of campaigning led to a ban on plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam across Bali in 2019.

The class also includes young founders pushing the limits of technology. Grace Brown of Andromeda Robotics is developing a fleet of humanoid robots, starting with Abi, a companion robot designed to ease loneliness among elderly residents in aged care through conversation and hugs. Julian Fernández, founder of FOSSA Systems, is making space-connected IoT accessible, with an 80-satellite constellation planned for deployment by 2024. Zain Samdani founded ExoHeal at 16 to make robotic rehabilitation affordable for paralysed patients, and has already helped more than 50 patients recover faster.

Others are opening doors for the next generation. Paige Doherty co-founded Behind Genius Ventures after writing Seed to Harvest, a children's-style book explaining venture capital, and has since deployed $1.25 million across 12 future of work and future of play companies. Vee Kativhu, founder of Empowered by Vee, helps underrepresented students around the world recognise their academic potential, reaching a community of more than 300,000 people. And Shina Novalinga has turned viral TikToks of Inuit throat singing with her mother into a platform of 4.1 million followers, preserving traditions that nearly disappeared in her mother's generation.

Nathaniel Diong, Founder and CEO of Future Minds Network, said: "Young people are our best hope. This year's honourees are building robots, launching satellites and changing laws, and they are proof that the future is already being shaped by the people who will live in it."

The 2022 class at a glance

The honourees span three categories:

• STEM Innovators: researchers, engineers and inventors working at the edge of what's possible.
• Founders & Entrepreneurs: young people building businesses with real customers and revenue.
• Social Impact & Changemakers: leaders of social enterprises, charities and campaigns serving communities the system has overlooked.

How the honourees were chosen

Nominations were open to anyone, anywhere. Every nomination was read by our team, and shortlisted candidates were assessed by a panel of esteemed judges, on the scale of their impact, the originality of their work and where it is heading next.

The full 2022 Future Minds 25 Under 25 can be viewed at: https://futuremindsnetwork.org/awards-year/2022

About Future Minds Network

Future Minds Network is an Australian social enterprise and registered charity founded in 2018. It delivers entrepreneurship and innovation programs to young people, with a focus on regional, low-income and multicultural communities.