Three Leeds alumni have been recognised in the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list in 2025.
Alumni were recognised for their global impact in drug development, cocktail making and social media respectively.
From science and healthcare to media and marketing, Forbes magazine’s 30 under 30 list highlights notable people under the age of 30 who are making an impact in various industries.
The judging panel considers key factors such as social impact, inventiveness, scale and revenue across.
Developing drug solutions: Layla Hosseini-Gerami
Named in the science and healthcare category, Layla (MChem 2018) cofounded Ignota Labs to bring new life to abandoned drug development projects.
The company use AI to identify drugs that are 80% on the way to success, but face safety concerns. Using AI and scientific expertise they help determine underlying issues and develop solutions.
"I’m incredibly proud to be named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list,” said Layla. “It’s a meaningful moment that reflects how far I've come since my time at Leeds, where my year in industry project first sparked my interest in using AI to solve real-world problems.”
Ignota Labs secured a $6 million seed in February 2025 to advance into early-stage clinical trials of their first asset, a metabolic health drug for post-menopausal women.
Celebrity and influencer lead: Bita Jedo
“Being named on this list is a powerful validation of the hard work I’ve put into my career so far,” said Bita (Digital Media 2018). “I'm so incredibly grateful and excited for what's to come.”
Recognised for her impact in media and marketing, Bita is the global celebrity and influencer lead at Bumble, the online dating and networking application.
Bita oversees talent partnerships in eleven regions, and she has worked with the likes of comedian, writer and presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg – with whom she produced a "cover" that reached more than 40 million impressions in January 2025.
Bita also has 93,000 TikTok followers of her own. Prior to Bumble, Bito worked at Journey Further and TikTok, launching collaborations with Benefit Cosmetics, LG, Charlotte Tilbury and L'Oreal.
Cocktail maker: Wynter Karo
Wynter Karo (International Business 2018) and fellow Leeds alum Alice Parmiter (Business Management 2018) left corporate roles to cofound tequila cocktail brand Pimentae in 2021.
The company now offer four signature flavours of canned margaritas – grapefruit, spicy, cucumber and classic. The drinks can be found in large retailers including Selfridges, Waitrose, and Ocado.
“Being named in Forbes 30 Under 30 feels like rare validation in a world where start-ups are constantly told 9 out of 10 will fail,” Wynter said. “This recognition is a powerful reminder that with relentless belief and resilience, it's possible to defy the odds - even in a category dominated by global giants.”
Since forming Pimentae, Wynter has managed to raise more than $2 million in venture capital funding.
Further information
For more information, email Ed Newbould, Digital Communications Officer at the University of Leeds, at e.w.newbould@leeds.ac.uk.