In mid-December Forbes published its 30 under 30 list; a list of 30 young disruptors, innovators and entrepreneurs in each of fifteen categories. What is fascinating are the number of young people listed that are actually under eighteen. There are twelve. Here is the edited list of “12 under 18″ organized according to their categories.
EDUCATION
Nikhil Goyal
17
Author
Graduating high school in January, Goyal is the author of “One Size Does Not fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School.” His premise? That the U.S. education system does not serve every student–and that perhaps the “school of life” is the better place to learn.
ENERGY
Jonny Cohen
17
Inventor
GreenShields
When only 12, Cohen figured there must be a way to make school buses more aerodynamic. Spent five years building prototypes with help of faculty at Northwestern University; now perfecting an airfoil to mount on top of buses. New version weighs 8 pounds, costs $30 and improves gas mileage by 15%.
Taylor Wilson
18
Inventor
Thiel Fellowship
At age 14, Wilson became the youngest ever to build a nuclear fusion reactor. He then invented a cheap and highly sensitive device to detect enriched uranium. Now working on engineering a small neutron-generating device, and plutonium detector to inspect cargo containers. This year he received a Thiel Fellowship.
Param Jaggi
18
Inventor
Vanderbilt Univ.
In high school, Jaggi invented an algae-filled device that fits over a car’s tailpipe and turns carbon dioxide into oxygen. Now he’s working on a thermo-voltaic wind system that can be installed in an exhaust system to capture energy from waste air and heat.
GAMES & APPS
Nick D’Aloisio
17
Founder
Summly
He recently launched Summly, an iPhone app that automatically aggregates and summarizes the news. He’s already struck content deals with the likes of News Corp. The company is backed by Li Ka-Shing.
HOLLYWOOD
Maude Apatow
15
Actor, Writer
Judd Apatow’s daughter made her film debut in dad’s 2007 “Knocked Up” as the daughter of a character played by her real-life mother, Leslie Mann. This year she revisted that role in the sort-of sequel, “This Is 40.” Apatow has also become a well-followed tweeter and writer, contributing to Zooey Deschanel’s website HelloGiggles.
Chloe Moretz
15
Actor
Moretz is well on her way to becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Only 15, she’s shown she can hold her own in violent pictures like “Kick-Ass” and “Let Me In.” Now she’s taking on the iconic role of Carrie White in an update of the Stephen King horror classic. Expect to see Moretz on our Celebrity 100 in the next decade.
MEDIA
Tavi Gevinson
16
Editor-in-Chief
Rookie Magazine
By day, she’s a high-school student in a non-descript Illinois suburb; by night — or weekend, or school holiday — she’s the founder, owner and editor of the online fashion website Rookie, and a pal of Vogue editor Anna Wintour and “This American Life” host Ira Glass.
MUSIC
Justin Bieber
18
Musician
The Canadian crooner released his third album, launched a new world tour and continued investing in startups on his way to a $55 million payday this year, earning him a spot on the cover of FORBES in June.
SCIENCE & HEALTHCARE
Laura Deming
18
Partner
Floreat Capital
At 18, Deming is already a venture capitalist, working closely with biotech legend Corey Goodman. Obsessed with curing aging, she began working in labs at 12, entered MIT at 14. Frustrated that such work was not being commercialized, she obtained the backing of Facebook founding investor Peter Thiel through the 20under20 fellowship to start an anti-aging focused VC fund.
SPORT
Gabrielle Douglas
17
Gymnast
US Olympic Team
The “Flying Squirrel” was the first black female to win the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the Olympics — and she could be back in four years at age 20. Douglas has also guest-starred on “The Vampire Diaries.”
Alex Kline
18
Founder
The Recruit Scoop/Rivals
Who better to cover upcoming high school basketball prospects than a high school student? Kline, who works at a nexus between reporter and promoter, founded The Recruit Scoop website at age 15. Now in college himself, he carries major clout with players and coaches.
Images and text from Forbes 30 under 30.
Website: http://www.forbes.com/special-report/2012/30-under-30/30-under-30.html