The Zebra Co-Founders Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 2017 List

Austin, TX, January 4, 2017 (Newswire.com) - ​The Zebra, the nation’s most visited car insurance comparison marketplace, today announced that its founders, Adam Lyons and Joshua Dziabiak, have been named to the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Consumer Tech category. Forbes’ annual list highlights “game changers” under 30 years of age who are revolutionizing industries with a goal “nothing short of breaking the status quo and transforming the world.”

Forbes received over 15,000 submissions for the list, which they narrowed down to 600 honorees – 30 winners for each of 20 categories including Consumer Tech, Sports, Art & Style, Venture Capital, Science, Finance, Law & Policy, Healthcare and more.

It's phenomenal to be recognized among such driven and diversely talented people. The Forbes list truly shows that there's no single recipe for success, and there's no time frame. I didn't have the most traditional youth (having dropped out of high school), and neither did Josh, but we've both always worked incredibly hard to achieve our goals and to create a company that isn't so traditional either.

Adam Lyons, CEO

Other notable 2017 winners include Olympic athletes such as Simone Biles and Patrick Kane; entertainers and media moguls including Margot Robbie, Kylie Jenner, and Charlie Puth; founders of innovative new companies; venture capital principals; and senior White House officials, among others. Past Forbes 30 Under 30 winners include Mark Zuckerberg, Jennifer Lawrence, and LeBron James.

“It’s phenomenal to be recognized among such driven and diversely talented people,” Lyons said. “The Forbes list truly shows that there’s no single recipe for success, and there’s no timeframe. I didn’t have the most traditional youth (having dropped out of high school), and neither did Josh, but we’ve both always worked incredibly hard to achieve our goals and to create a company that isn’t so traditional either.”

The First 29

Lyons, 29, is a Pittsburgh native who took an early interest in entrepreneurship, sneaking out of elementary school to buy penny candy and resell it to classmates for a profit. He dropped out of high school at age 15, decrying the structure despite an exceptional report card. He then held a series of odd jobs before returning to school to study risk management and insurance at Temple University. Through his studies and work experience, Lyons observed a broken insurance process that left consumers in the lurch. He started The Zebra with co-founder Dziabiak in 2012 to simplify auto insurance and help people find the right coverage and pricing for their needs.

Dziabiak, also 29, grew up in rural Pennsylvania and felt a similarly early entrepreneurial instinct, particularly among his family of small business owners. When he was 14, Dziabiak used his 56K dial-up Internet connection and was enthralled with how the technology could connect anyone in the world. He began designing websites for other local businesses and then sold his business a few years later, making him a teenage millionaire. He went on to start several other businesses, including ShowClix, an event management software company, before meeting Lyons and co-founding The Zebra.

“I’ve always been fascinated with understanding how things work – from computers to businesses to entire industries. But I found out early on that I like to learn in my own way, and that entrepreneurial approach has been most successful for me,” Dziabiak said. “It’s not easy to find a business partner who balances and complements your skills, but Adam and I both share that proactive energy and drive to create, so we’ve been able to build a stellar team and achieve some fantastic growth milestones as a result.”

The Zebra Turns 5 Years Old

Today also marks The Zebra’s fifth birthday, as the company incorporated on January 4, 2012. Over the past five years, The Zebra has expanded its reach nationwide, offering auto insurance in every state and creating new partnerships with national insurance carriers. The company announced a $17 million Series A funding round in January 2016, and plans to expand into new lines of insurance and into new markets in 2017 and beyond.

In 2016, The Zebra was named an Austin American-Statesman “Top Workplace” and an Austin Business Journal “Best Place to Work;” the Austin Chamber of Commerce named The Zebra to its “A-List of the Hottest Startups” and a “Greater Austin Business Awards” Finalist; and Lyons was named a Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Finalist and an Austin Business Journal “Best CEO” Finalist. ​

About The Zebra

The Zebra is the most comprehensive online car insurance comparison platform in the U.S. Since 2012, the company has sought to bring transparency and simplicity to car insurance shopping — “insurance in black and white.” With The Zebra’s real-time, side-by-side quote comparison tool, drivers can identify insurance companies with the coverage, service level, and pricing to suit their unique needs. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, The Zebra compares over 200 car insurance companies and provides agent support and educational resources to ensure drivers are equipped to make the most informed decisions about their car insurance.

Media Contact:

Alyssa Connolly
​The Zebra
Phone: 773.59.ZEBRA
press@thezebra.com

Source: The Zebra

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