Forbes 30 under 30

Four alumni named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list

An entrepreneur who is making the restaurant industry more environmentally sustainable and an executive trying to make it easier for suppliers and retailers to trade with each other are among the four Queen鈥檚 alumni named to the 13th annual

The magazine highlights a total of 600 people 鈥 30 entrepreneurs under the age of 30 in 20 different categories such as finance, social impact, and healthcare 鈥 who are making a difference in their industries and the world. 

Here are the four Queen鈥檚 alumni who made the list:


De Sadeleer is an investor at A* Capital, a different type of venture capital company that invests and helps companies grow without taking a large ownership stake. De Sadeleer he has led investments into startups such as CivilGrid, Oviant, and Landbase.


Grouchy co-founded in 2017 with the goal of helping retailers and distributors empower their suppliers. 鈥淐onvictional's mission is to connect the world's trading partners,鈥 says Grouchy. 鈥淲hen we started the company, we found it challenging for suppliers and retailers to connect and transact with each other. By making it easier for suppliers and retailers to trade with each other, we believe Convictional can increase the amount of trade in the world.鈥


Hawkins is making the takeout food industry more environmentally sustainable. Hawkins co-founded in 2020 to replace the single-use cups and takeout containers used by restaurants and cafes with stainless steel ones. Consumers are asked to return containers or pay a replacement fee. 鈥淲e are helping food service operators avoid tons of packaging waste and carbon emissions through reusables,鈥 says Hawkins. His company serves about 70 Vancouver eateries and is expanding to Seattle. 


In 2020, Itzhaki founded , a company that helps business-to-business software start-ups strategize and generate revenue faster and more efficiently. Itzhaki鈥檚 company has advised more than 60 clients who have collectively raised more than $800 million in funding. The company says it now generates more than $1 million in annual profit. 

Grouchy was honoured to be included on Forbes鈥 list.

鈥淭he recognition is entirely a testament to Convictional's team, my co-founder Roger (Kirkness), and the customers we serve,鈥 says Grouchy. 鈥淏ecause of the persistence of our team and the trust of our customers, Convictional is growing faster than ever.鈥