Coke Scholars Recognized as Bright Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Game Changers

Each year, Forbes announces its 30 Under 30 list, naming 30 innovators in 20 different fields. Each honoree is distinguished as one of the brightest young entrepreneurs, innovators, and game changers in the country.

Forbes named 6 Coca-Cola Scholar honorees – here’s how they’re positively impacting the world as leaders in their field.

The content below was originally posted on Forbes.com.

 

Michael Martin

2005 Coca-Cola Scholar

Co-Founder of RapidSOS

 

Last year, more than 10,000 people died when they could not relay fast and accurate information after calling 911. People in danger don’t always have the presence of mind to press the right numbers and explain where they are.

But what if your smartphone could do that for you?

That’s the idea behind RapidSOS‘ smartphone app, Haven. With a single touch, it sends the 911 dispatcher your exact location. “Despite all the ways that technology has transformed our lives, [911] calls are still going through a 1960s infrastructure,” says Michael.

RapidSOS has raised $14 million and can now handle 911 calls nationwide. The service is being used just 25,000 times a month, or about 0.2% of all 911 calls, so there is plenty of room to grow. “This technology will be preinstalled across your life, whether it’s on your wearable, already in your car, on your smartphone. So that whenever you need it, it is there for you.”

 

Kylan Nieh

2010 Coca-Cola Scholar

Youngest Senior Product Manager at LinkedIn

 

After studying computer science and business administration at the University of California, Berkeley, Kylan became the youngest senior product manager at LinkedIn, running LinkedIn Students, at 23. LinkedIn Students is a portion of LinkedIn’s site that helps students find internships and jobs after graduation.

In 2011, he started his own public speaking and leadership course at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, becoming the youngest recipient of the school’s Business Teacher of the Year award in 2014.

Kylan, a Fremont, CA, native, traces his work ethic back to the example set by his immigrant Chinese parents. In high school, he co-founded Internetting Family, a nonprofit that teaches computer skills to senior citizens, and also founded WEducate, which provides educational supplies to low-income students.

 

Salone Kapur

2006 Coca-Cola Scholar

Head of City Marketing at Google Fiber

 

Salone is one of the founding members at Google Fiber, Google’s new Internet and TV service that is currently available in 8 cities. She’s led the positioning and strategy for the new product using her experiences at YouTube and StumbleUpon.

 

Steven Olikara

2008 Coca-Cola Scholar

Founder and President of the Millennial Action Project

 

Steven is the Founder and President of the Millennial Action Project, a post-partisan leadership organization that organizes bipartisan caucuses in statehouses and Congress.

In this role, Steven organized the nation’s first and only bipartisan caucus for young members of Congress, the Future Caucus, and has grown MAP into the largest nonpartisan organization of millennial policymakers in the U.S.

Steven’s leadership in this movement has led to pioneering achievements on entrepreneurship, education, the environment, and other key issues affecting millennials in America.

He also serves as Senior Adviser to multi-platinum recording artist Akon’s Lighting Africa, an initiative that has electrified over one million homes in Africa with solar power. A nationally recognized leader and political commentator, Steven has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NBC News, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and many other media outlets.

 

Cole Scanlon

2004 Coca-Cola Scholar

Co-Founder of the Fair Opportunity Project

 

Cole (left) and fellow Harvard student Luke Heine (right) co-founded the Fair Opportunity Project, a college application and financial aid guide distributed free to every American public school, enabling all students to help further their education.

Written by students from top colleges such as Pomona and Yale, it includes information about standardized testing, interviewing, financial aid and scholarships, as well as timelines.

Translated versions into Spanish and Mandarins are in the works, as well an undocumented student guide.

 

Christopher Gray

2010 Scholar

Co-Founder of Scholly

Forbes All-Star Alumus

 

Since Christopher was featured on the list in 2016, his web and app platform Scholly, which matches students with pre-screened college scholarships, has been downloaded over a million times and has helped students secure more than $50 million to fund their education.

Christopher came up with the idea of Scholly with fellow 2010 Coke Scholar Bryson Alef during their Scholars Weekend in Atlanta after he had spent months searching for college scholarships himself and realized the need to streamline the process for students with similar needs.

In addition to connecting individual students with collectively more than $50 million in scholarship funds, Scholly has created partnerships with several cities and organizations, enabling them to sponsor scholarships for even more students.