BINI, other Philippines achievers make Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list

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May 16, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Popular girl group BINI and six other Filipinos have landed in this year’s 30 Under 30 Asia by Forbes, a list composed of 300 outstanding young entrepreneurs and innovators all under the age of 30 from across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2025 included the eight-member pop sensation BINI, chess prodigy Daniel Quizon, entrepreneurs Raya Buensuceso and Ysabel Chua, food sustainability advocate Anna Beatriz Suavengco, youth leader Jasper Ruby Vijar and visual artist Renren Galeno.

The 300 listees were selected across 10 categories, including artificial intelligence; consumer and enterprise technology; entertainment and sports; finance and venture capital; health care and science; industry, manufacturing and
 energy; retail and e-commerce; social impact; social media, marketing
 and advertising; and the arts (art & style, food & drink).

Dubbed as the “nation’s girl group,” BINI is composed of Gweneth Apuli, Maraiah Queen Arceta, Sheena Mae Catacutan, Mikhaela Janna Lim, Mary Loi Yves Ricalde, Jhoanna Christine Robles, Stacey Aubrey Sevilleja and Nicolette Vergara.

The group, which is the brainchild of ABS-CBN, is behind hit songs Salamin, Salamin and Pantropiko.

Joining BINI in the entertainment and sports category is the 20-year-old Quizon, who became the Philippines’ latest grandmaster when he beat Igor Efimov during the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Hungary last September.

Buensuceso and Chua, meanwhile, both made it under the finance and venture capital category.

 The 29-year-ol Buensuceso is managing director of Kaya Founders, an investor of early-stage startups in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.

Chua, 29, serves as vice president at Singapore-based venture capital firm Forge Ventures, which has a portfolio of 16 companies.

Two Filipinos also made it under the social impact category – 24-year-old Suavengco and 28-year-old Vijar.

Suavengco is recognized for her “Urban Farmer TV” series, which teaches viewers how to make home hydroponic vegetable farms, while Vijar started a youth-led non-governmental organization in the central Philippines called Team Dugong Bughaw.

Capping off the Filipinos who made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2025 is the 28-year-old Galeno, under the social media, marketing and advertising category.

Galeno illustrated the 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist in illustrated reporting and commentary, “Searching for Maura,” for the Washington Post.

The listees were vetted and selected by a panel of accomplished and acclaimed judges in each category.

Overall, India had the most 30 Under 30 Asia listees this year with 94, followed by Australia with 32, China with 30, Japan with 25 and South Korea with 23. Singapore and Indonesia each had 19 entries.

More than 4,500 candidates were evaluated by the Forbes Asia team and a panel of independent, expert judges on a variety of factors, including funding and/or revenue, social and industry impact, product-market fit, inventiveness and potential.

All final listers must be 29 or younger as of Dec. 31, 2024.

“In this landmark 10th edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, we celebrate a decade of exceptional talent and innovation by highlighting a new generation of entrepreneurs and young leaders who exemplify resilience and creativity as they battle tougher business conditions,” Rana Wehbe Watson, Forbes Asia editorial director and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia editor, said.

“Many are using AI to refine their value propositions and attract investors in fields including health care and finance. Others are building niche businesses aimed at a local customer base as uncertainty looms over global trade,” Watson said.

Also among those featured on this year’s list are Korean singer, actor and model Cha Eun-woo; K-pop band Stray Kids; up-and-coming Singaporean singer-songwriter Shazza and Korean chef and winner of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars” Sungjun Kwon.