TRC cofounders Menno van der Zee and Alex Wallar named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Europe
Cofounders named to prestigious Forbes list under “Technology” category for 2024
April 9, 2024 – New York, New York, USA: The Routing Company (“TRC”), a global on-demand vehicle routing and management platform partnering with cities to power the future of public transit, today announced that cofounders Menno van der Zee and Alex Wallar have been named to the Forbes 2024 30 Under 30 list for Europe.
The annual Forbes Under 30 list celebrates the “brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders, and stars” spanning multiple categories including arts and culture, social impact, retail and e-commerce, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. Van der Zee and Wallar were specifically named to the technology category.
Forbes recognized both cofounders for bringing “Uber-style on-demand pickups and analytics to public transport with deals in the UK, US, and UAE”.
“Our journey at The Routing Company, reshaping the future of public transportation, has been nothing short of incredible. Just recently, we celebrated moving our 1 millionth passenger – a milestone I could have never imagined when we founded the company back in 2019,” said van der Zee. “I’m grateful to our talented and dedicated team who are driving this progress forward, and am eagerly looking forward to what lies ahead.”
“To be included in this year’s Forbes list is an incredible honor, especially because working in the public transport industry is not always seen as technology forward,” said Wallar. “What we’re doing, however, is instigating significant change in the way millions of people move, and in doing this we are reducing dependence on cars and single occupancy vehicle trips, while increasing accessibility, equity, and sustainability in transportation – and that’s something we can easily get excited about.”
Wallar is cofounder and CTO of TRC. He was pursuing a PhD in EECS at MIT where he developed algorithms for optimizing mobility-on-demand systems, when he cofounded The Routing Company alongside Menno van der Zee. Prior to MIT, Wallar received his BSc in computer science at the University of St Andrews and his S.M. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. He is passionate about making transportation equitable for everybody, everywhere. Prior to TRC, he was a researcher with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
Van der Zee is Cofounder and Director of Algorithms for TRC, where he drives international R&D for route optimization algorithms. In 2023, Dutch publication Het Financieele Dagblad named him one of 50 “FD Talenten”, recognizing “distinctive ideas that move the world forward”. He speaks regularly at tech and transport-focused conferences including Congres Mobiliteitstransitie, Automotive Week 2023, MIT, BUS2BUS (Benelux roadshow), OV Congres, and a COP26 event to name a few. Van der Zee holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Netherlands’ Delft University of Technology (“TU Delft”) with a minor in Engineering Physics/Applied Physics from the National University of Singapore, and culminated his studies with a Masters in Systems and Control Engineering from TU Delft. He also spent time in Boston as a Global Entrepreneur in Residence at UMass and was a UFirst Fellow at Underscore VC.
“We are thrilled to see Menno and Alex recognized in this year’s Forbes Under 30 list, namely as standout leaders in the technology category,” said James Cox, Chief Executive Officer, TRC. “While they are cofounders of The Routing Company, they have also been instrumental in shaping the growth and direction of the company while drawing many talented people to the team. As such, it is a recognition that all of us can celebrate and take ownership of, as we continue to focus on moving the world.”
Forbes is a global media company, focusing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and lifestyle. Forbes Magazine is the subsidiary serving as a leading source for reliable business news and financial information.
TRC’s award-winning Pingo platform includes the Drive Pingo™ and Ride Pingo™ apps and the Pingo Dashboard™ operations management tool, which together provide on-demand, paratransit, fixed, shuttle, and flexible transit that enhances ridership of existing transit networks.
Pingo has moved over one million passengers to date. To learn more, visit theroutingcompany.com, or to request a demo email move@theroutingcompany.com.
About TRC
Founded by MIT researchers and rideshare industry veterans, TRC is a global on-demand vehicle routing and management platform that partners with cities to power the future of public transit. Leveraging proprietary and unrivalled artificial intelligence, TRC delivers routing from multiple points of demand to one vehicle while enabling greater transit equity, accessibility, cost efficiency, and sustainability. Its leading product, the Pingo™ app, offers on-demand or advance trip requests and can operate in on-demand, flex, fixed, or paratransit mode.
With a team spanning eight countries, TRC directly supports international operations and customer growth through hubs in Canada, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Learn more at theroutingcompany.com.
Media Inquiries
Lindy Norris
Vice President, Marketing & Policy
Investor Inquiries
James Cox
Chief Executive Officer
