Four LaunchPad Students Named Forbes 30 Under 30

Dec 03, 2020
LaunchPad Forbes 30 Under 30

2021 marks the tenth anniversary of the Forbes 30 under 30, and this year’s list includes four Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars network student companies. Alongside other inspiring young entrepreneurs, activities, scientists, and entertainers who have collectively raised over $1 billion in venture funding, are LaunchPad students Kelsey Davis, Jamika Martin, Alyssa Petersel, and trio of cofounders Angelo Damiano, Michael Paris, and Eric Rice.

Kelsey Davis, Founder of CLLCTVE

Kelsey Davis founded CLLCTVE while a student at Syracuse University, where she received both her Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s from the Whitman School of Management. CLLCTVE acts as a matchmaker between college creatives seeking freelance work and Gen Z brands. Kelsey started out as a freelance college content creator herself, creating music and entertainment content for Coca-Cola, Puma, Land Rover, and other brands. To help get CLLCTVE off the ground, Kelsey participated in the 2019 LaunchPad Annual Conference, where she won second place, and was one of 10 student founders to participate in the LaunchPad Virtual Mentorship program (previously, Lift).

You can find Kelsey on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Marketing and Advertising list.

Jamika Martin, Founder of ROSEN Skincare

Jamika Martin always struggled with breakouts, but was unimpressed by the lack of natural, effective skincare products meant for young skin. While she was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, she decided to take matters into her own hands. With the help of the UCLA LaunchPad, she launched ROSEN Skincare with a line of products that use natural ingredients to help clear skin and reduce dark spots and scarring. Aimed at Millennials and Gen Z, she leverages fun, holographic packaging and micro-influencer marketing. Jamika graduated from UCLA early to focus on ROSEN, and participated in the second LaunchPad Virtual Mentorship cohort in the summer of 2019. Now, ROSEN is quickly growing, with an expanding presence at Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, FabFitFun, and GlossyBox.

You can find Jamika on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Retail & Ecommerce list.

Alyssa Petersel, Founder of MyWellbeing

Alyssa Petersel is the founder and CEO of MyWellbeing, a platform that connects people to therapists. She founded MyWellbeing while a student at New York University Silver School of Social Work, where she received a license in social work. After participating in the first LaunchPad Virtual Mentorship cohort, Alyssa was able to turn her own experiences struggling to find a therapist into a company that has received $1 million in funding and serves over 100,000 customers.

You can find Alyssa on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Consumer Technology list.

Angelo (A.J.) Damiano, Michael Paris, and Eric Rice, Cofounders of PowerSpike

The three friends, A.J., Michael, and Eric, cofounded PowerSpike while undergraduates, A.J. and Michael at Syracuse University, while Eric attended Binghamton University. Their company links brands with influencers, providing tools for gaming streamers to gain sponsorship. They turned to the Syracuse LaunchPad to help get started — A.J. credits the LaunchPad network with playing a pivotal role in the early stages of PowerSpike, providing mentorship, coaching, and access to business plan competition funding, where they won nearly $50,000. They have since raised $2.5 million in venture funding and connected 1,300 streamers to clients including Intuit, Fireball Whiskey, and Express.

You can find them on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Games list.