Startup founders recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 list

Entrepreneurs behind two startups that got off the ground at University of Toronto, and an alumna who launched a frozen food startup while working on her master's degree are among the young up-and-comers on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Erthos co-founders Nuha Siddiqui and Kritika Tyagi were recognized in the social impact category, while Argentum Electronics co-founder and chief technology officer Sagar Jaiswal was recognized as a rising talent in manufacturing and industry. PuraVida Foods founder and CEO Lauren Watkins was recognized in the Food & Drink category.

Siddiqui and Tyagi started Erthos, formerly known as EcoPackers, while studying at U of T. The plant-based plastics venture received early support from U of T’s entrepreneurship community, including Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School of Management. Founded in 2018, the company has raised US$5.5 million in funding and is bringing in six figures in annual revenue, Forbes reports.

U of T Engineering alum Jaiswal shared a spot on the list with Argentum Electronics co-founder and president Bolis Ibrahim. The Ontario-based company, which changes the way electricity is distributed in buildings from AC to DC to reduce energy consumption, was boosted by the Impact Centre’s Techno2018 entrepreneurship program. Its patented DC power distribution system can cut a building’s electricity costs by 40 per cent. The company has raised $1.1 million, per Forbes.

Watkins, who earned a master's degree in human resources and industrial relations in 2021, launched PuraVida in 2020. The company's ethically sourced, nutrient-rich frozen foods are sold in roughly 1,000 stores in the U.S., Forbes reported.

The annual Forbes 30 Under 30 list spotlights hundreds of leaders across an array of industries who have made a mark in their fields before their 30^th birthday.