Alex Konrad leaves Forbes after 12 years to build something new
Feb 3, 2025
Key Points
- Alex Konrad departs Forbes after 12 years, including work on the Midas List and 18 cover stories, to launch an unnamed venture.
- Konrad has signaled interest in building an "Icarus List" ranking venture capitalists who failed spectacularly, the inverse of Forbes' celebrated Midas List.
- A list-focused media company replicating Forbes' playbook could generate significant revenue through annual rankings and pay-to-play inclusion fees.
Summary
Alex Konrad is leaving Forbes after 12 years to start something new. He announced his departure as a staff member who worked on the Midas List and authored 18 cover stories during his tenure at the publication.
What comes next remains unclear. The hosts speculate he could launch a Substack, start a media company, or pursue something else entirely. One concrete possibility that emerged in the conversation: Konrad has signaled interest in creating an "Icarus List" — a ranking of venture capitalists who failed spectacularly, the inverse of Forbes' celebrated Midas List. One of the hosts had suggested this idea on X, Konrad responded positively, and now that he's left Forbes, the hosts note he might actually build it.
The broader speculation centers on whether Konrad could be part of a group attempting to acquire Forbes itself, which has been known to be on the market. One host floats the scenario half-seriously: Konrad leaves, forms a buyer group, then returns as CEO.
The hosts also flag a potentially stronger business model: a list-focused media company built on Forbes' proven playbook. The Midas List and 30 Under 30 generate significant viral momentum each year, and there's room to expand the format — fresher age-gated lists (best 21-year-olds, best 22-year-olds, etc.) or entirely new ranking categories. The hosts note such lists could operate on a pay-to-play model, where inclusion carries a fee premium for those ranked.