Forbes Under 30 Summit

In both 2021 and 2022, Bluewater played a key role in producing the annual Forbes Under 30 Summit. Their involvement included managing various aspects of the event, such as stage production, lighting, audio, and technical support. Bluewater’s expertise helped ensure that the hybrid format—featuring both in-person and virtual elements—was executed smoothly, delivering a seamless experience for attendees.

The annual Forbes Under 30 Summit brings together the brightest entrepreneurs, leaders, creators, and game-changers leading the way in their industries. Held in Detroit for the three years in a row, this four-day event draws over 2,000 young leaders, attracts dynamic speakers such as Megan Thee Stallion, Hailey Bieber, and Steve-O, and features a private concert. Along with the insightful sessions, Forbes Under 30 offers an immersive space that offers exclusive networking opportunities, local culinary experiences, roundtables, happy hours, local business tours, and a powerful day of community service.

The event provides an opportunity for attendees to engage with influential speakers, thought leaders, and fellow innovators. It’s designed to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation of leaders by offering insights into entrepreneurship, sustainability, social impact, and industry trends. The summit also typically includes opportunities for venture pitches, showcasing new products or ideas, and facilitating partnerships and collaborations.

Honored to partner with Forbes for two years in a row, Bluewater assisted with producing the experience from entrance to exit, signage to stage. Improving upon the success of 2021, we listened, refined, and built upon the feedback from attendees and Forbes alike.    

One specific piece of feedback we took from the prior year’s feedback was the need to build out a cohesive and on-brand space for attendees to network and grab lunch without leaving the Detroit Opera House. To meet this need, we helped design and manage an outdoor tented area featuring local food trucks, music, and refreshment stations.

In addition, Forbes was able to double attendee counts, coming out of a reduced 2021 program, which brought forth its own set of pandemic-related challenges. Identifying locations inside the Detroit Opera House to create experiences such as private book signings, intimate round-table discussions, and a one-of-a-kind local experience for all the honorees to attend was high on our priority list. Our pre-production planning allowed us to anticipate what the Forbes team was going to require and helped us meet them with solutions rather than resistance. 

“The Bluewater team works seamlessly as an extension of our own to help bring our vision to life and build the event experience our attendees come to expect.  The attention to detail and overall knowledge this team brings to the table is unparalleled.” – Brett Cohen, Forbes | Executive Director, Production and Event Partnerships