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Zebra Technologies Corporation

Enterprise AutomationFounded 1969
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded Zebra Technologies?

Edward Kaplan, Gerhard Cless · Founded 1969 · HQ today: Lincolnshire, Illinois, United States

Who founded Zebra Technologies?

Zebra Technologies was founded by Edward Kaplan, Gerhard Cless in 1969. It is now led by Bill Burns.

Founders
Edward Kaplan, Gerhard Cless
Founded
1969
Headquarters
Lincolnshire, Illinois, United States
Number of founders
2
Current CEO
Bill Burns (since 2023)
Where was Zebra Technologies founded?
Zebra Technologies was founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1969.
When was Zebra Technologies founded?
Zebra Technologies was founded in 1969.
Who started Zebra Technologies?
Zebra Technologies was founded by Edward Kaplan and Gerhard Cless.
How old is Zebra Technologies?
Zebra Technologies is 57 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Zebra Technologies was founded in 1969 as Data Specialties Incorporated by Ed Kaplan and Gerhard Cless. Originally operating out of a small office in Chicago, the company manufactured high-speed electromechanical products like paper tape punches. In 1982, recognizing the massive logistical potential of the emerging barcode standard, the company pivoted entirely to on-demand barcode labeling and ticketing systems, eventually renaming itself Zebra Technologies in 1986 to reflect the black-and-white nature of barcodes.

What each Zebra Technologies founder did

FounderRole at foundingContribution
Edward KaplanCo-founder—
Gerhard ClessCo-founder—

Edward Kaplan

Co-founder 1969

Background

Mechanical engineer who graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Role at Zebra Technologies Corporation

Edward Kaplan co-founded Data Specialties (later Zebra Technologies) in 1969 with a $1,000 investment. He served as the company's CEO for 38 years, guiding its pivotal transition into the barcode printing industry and driving its highly successful 1991 IPO. Under his leadership, Zebra became the global standard for industrial supply chain tracking. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

Gerhard Cless

Co-founder 1969

Background

Mechanical engineer educated at the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

Role at Zebra Technologies Corporation

Gerhard Cless co-founded Zebra Technologies alongside Ed Kaplan. As the primary engineering architect, he designed the company's first barcode printers, which fundamentally changed how massive global supply chains tracked inventory. He served as Executive Vice President of Engineering, holding numerous patents for thermal printing technology. Gerhard Cless was born in 1939.

Zebra Technologies Corporation: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Bill Burns

CEO

2023 – Present

He manages the strategic pivot toward enterprise machine vision and AI-driven automation following Zebra's acquisition of Matrox Imaging.

Nathan Winters

CFO

2021 – Present

As CFO, he heavily optimized the company's supply chain financing, ensuring liquidity during the massive inventory destocking by retail clients in 2023.

Edward L. Kaplan

Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

1969 – 2007

He took Zebra public in 1991 and led it until 2007, when Anders Gustafsson succeeded him.

Compare Zebra Technologies Corporation Leadership With Competitors

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Who Founded Zebra Technologies? FAQ

Who were the co-founders of Zebra Technologies?

Zebra Technologies was founded in 1969 by Edward L. Kaplan and Gerhard Cless, two inventive mechanical engineers who started the company with just $1,000 in personal capital.

What was Edward Kaplan's background before founding the company?

Edward Kaplan graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and earned an MBA from the University of Chicago before launching Data Specialties.

What was Gerhard Cless's background and contribution to Zebra?

Gerhard Cless was a German-educated mechanical engineer who served as Zebra's Executive Vice President of Engineering, inventing dozens of patented printing and mechanical handling mechanisms.

What original products did Kaplan and Cless manufacture in 1969?

The founders started by designing high-speed electromechanical paper tape punching and reading machines for telecommunications and early computing systems before barcodes existed.

How did the founders decide to enter the barcode printing industry?

In the late 1970s, Kaplan and Cless noticed supermarkets adopting the Universal Product Code (UPC) and recognized that factories and warehouses would require rugged on-demand label printers.

Why did the founders choose the name 'Zebra' in 1986?

The founders renamed Data Specialties to Zebra Technologies because black-and-white barcode lines visually resemble the iconic stripes of a zebra, creating an unforgettable global brand.

What philanthropic legacies did the founders establish?

Edward Kaplan served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Illinois Institute of Technology, making transformational donations to build the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation.

When did the founders step down from active corporate management?

Ed Kaplan retired as CEO in 2007 and stepped down from the board in 2015; Gerhard Cless retired from executive leadership in 2007 and served as a director until his passing in 2020.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.