2 Pitt alumni made the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 lists

Two University of Pittsburgh alumni have been named to the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 lists for their impact in manufacturing and finance.

Becca Segel (ENGR ’25G), who was recognized on the manufacturing list, is the founder of FlowCellutions, a startup developing predictive diagnostics and hardware sensors for grid-scale batteries. Her work aims to help energy-reliant systems — including data centers, hospitals and electrical grids — operate efficiently over long lifetimes.

She brings seven years of research experience in flow battery technology and was named one of the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 5 Founders Under 25 in 2022. That same year at Pitt, she was honored as one of the department’s outstanding graduate students and previously won the Randall Family Big Idea Competition.

Salvador Gala (A&S ’18) appears on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Finance list for his work as cofounder of Escape Velocity (EV3), a venture firm launched in 2022 to support early-stage companies “reimagining internet infrastructure, identity and economic opportunity.”

In less than three years, EV3 has grown to $120 million in assets under management, according to Forbes. The firm, which has supported more than 30 companies, invests between $500,000 and $3 million in startups across sectors including generative AI, drone services and space data.