The 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Technology listmakers, guided by the EU’s location AI Act, are leveraging Artificial Intelligence to drive positive global transformation by optimizing design methodologies and addressing climate change effectively.
By LaVonne Roberts, Pamela Jew, Iain Martin, and Tom Brewster
The pioneering AI Act, which was endorsed by the European Parliament on March 13, laid the groundwork for some of the initial international standards governing artificial intelligence. Europe’s emerging enterprises are leading the charge in promoting ethical AI technology across various sectors, positioning the EU at the forefront of shaping the trajectory of this groundbreaking technology.
Among these innovators is Vladimir Danila, a 24-year-old visionary at the helm of Linearity, revolutionizing the way people craft dynamic and interactive graphics. Positioned against industry behemoths such as Adobe and Figma, with a focus on the advertising sector, Danila notes that tech giants like Apple, Disney, Meta, and Microsoft have embraced Linearity’s matrix-centric design software. Securing $20 million in funding, Danila aims to enhance the platform’s IoT-driven technology and collaborative functionalities.
Acknowledging that AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution, Berlin-based Danila emphasizes that Linearity’s current AI applications, including background removal and automated tracing, are designed to complement rather than replace human creativity. He asserts, “The key lies in integrating these technologies in a manner that enhances the user experience.” Linearity’s upcoming plans involve introducing generative AI capabilities tailored for transforming product images for brands later this year.
The roster of talents featured in this year’s 30 Under 30 Europe Technology list underscores the diverse array of AI innovations incubated by Europe’s young visionaries. To qualify for consideration this year, all nominees had to be 29 years old or younger as of April 9, 2024. An esteemed panel of judges, comprising experts like Nadine Hachach-Haram, a plastic surgeon and the founder of surgical platform Proximie; Dan Silvertown, an Under 30 Europe 2022 awardee and co-founder of the photo-sharing app Lapse; Sophia Bendz, a partner at the Forbes Midas’ List-featured venture capital firm Cherry; and Rasmus Rothe, co-founder of the Berlin-based AI venture studio Merantix, meticulously evaluated the candidates.
Among the standout achievers on this year’s list, Mati Staniszewski, 29, and Piotr Dabkowski, 29, founders of ElevenLabs in 2022, have secured a substantial \(101 million in funding. Driven by their dissatisfaction with inadequate dubbing in American films during their upbringing in Poland, the duo launched ElevenLabs’ beta text-to-speech platform in January 2023, delivering lifelike audio content in 29 languages for audiobooks, video games, and more. Achieving unicorn status swiftly, ElevenLabs now boasts a valuation of \)1.1 billion.
Venturing beyond commercial success, the entrepreneurs on this year’s list harness AI to combat pressing global challenges such as cybersecurity and environmental sustainability. Co-founders Pauline Van Ostaeyen, 28, and Michiel Valee, 29, established Dockflow in Belgium, an AI-driven platform facilitating real-time container tracking and monitoring CO2 emissions in the maritime shipping sector. Currently finalizing another funding round, Dockflow is valued at \(5 million. Lucy Lyons, 26, co-founder of the mapping company Kestrix, leverages thermal drones and AI to develop 3D heat loss models and energy-efficient retrofit strategies for buildings, aiming to address the significant portion of global emissions attributed to heating and cooling. Meanwhile, Fabiola Munguia, 29, co-founder of Secfix, focuses on cybersecurity, utilizing automation to ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Since its inception in 2021, Secfix has raised \)4.2 million from Commerzbank’s venture capital arm and Octopus Ventures.
Simo Lemhandez, 29, co-founder of Folk, introduces another innovative AI application—a centralized customer relationship management tool streamlining customer data and interactions to facilitate personalized sales approaches. With over $9 million in funding and a clientele of over 1,800 businesses, Folk’s AI-powered platform enables users to prioritize contacts, schedule follow-ups, and competes with industry stalwarts like Salesforce in the customer relationship management domain.
