Cosign Founder & CEO Zach Schofel Named to Forbes 30 Under 30

Leader Behind Third-Party Guarantor Platform Delivering a 90% Renter Approval Rate Earns National Recognition

LIVINGSTON, N.J., Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cosign, the nationwide data-driven guarantor platform, announced that its founder and CEO, Zach Schofel, has been named to the 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 – Social Impact list.

At just 28, Schofel is leading one of the most ambitious housing-access initiatives in the country. He founded Cosign after years as an owner/operator revealed a systemic issue: traditional renter screening tools relied on blunt credit metrics that excluded capable renters, fueled unnecessary vacancies and limited economic mobility.

Schofel began his real estate career early, founding Eastman Residential at 22 and growing it to more than 2,500 units and over $400 million in multifamily acquisitions nationwide. After repeatedly seeing credit-score-driven guarantor solutions fail both owners and renters across his portfolio, he set out to build a platform rooted in real estate experience rather than Silicon Valley assumptions.

Cosign officially launched nationwide after a yearlong beta across 150,000 units, delivering a 90% approval rate for renters and zero churn among property management partners. Its proprietary dynamic risk model evaluates payment behavior and recency rather than relying solely on credit scores, an industry-first underwriting approach built with top data scientists and real estate professionals.

The platform helps property owners fill units faster, reduce vacancy losses and safely approve qualified renters who would otherwise be denied. Today, Cosign is being adopted by National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) Top 50 owners and operators and is rapidly expanding across the country. The platform is tracking for 1 million units by the end of 2026, with a goal of 10 million units by 2030.

"Far too many qualified renters have been shut out of housing simply because traditional tools weren't built to understand them," said Schofel. "Cosign was built by real estate professionals for real estate professionals, to open doors for renters while improving performance for owners. Being recognized by Forbes drives home how urgent and impactful this work truly is."

The 2026 Social Impact list was chosen by a panel of distinguished judges and highlights young leaders building solutions to pressing social challenges despite a difficult landscape for mission-driven organizations. This year's honorees address issues ranging from disability access to women's health and housing, recognizing innovators like Schofel who are reshaping systems at scale.

For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com.

About Cosign
Cosign is a real estate technology company and third-party guarantor platform that bridges the gap between qualified renters and landlords. Founded by real estate professionals, Cosign's mission is to expand housing access through data-driven underwriting that considers payment behavior, not just credit scores. For more information, visit www.rentwithcosign.com

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SOURCE Cosign