Red Bull Energy

Dietrich Mateschitz founded a company in his native Austria that has changed the way young people party around the world

Rusty Jarrett / Getty for NASCAR

A.J. Allmendinger, driver of the #84 Red Bull Energy Drink Toyota, drives during practice for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Auto Club 500 in Fontana, California.

Few people can say they created an industry. But Dietrich Mateschitz founded a company in his native Austria that has changed the way young people party around the world. Red Bull, the champion of hypercaffeinated energy drinks, posted sales of $1.5 billion last year, 70% of the global market. He credits a thirst for "antiauthoritarian" products. His sponsorship of ultrasports like street luge and winter surfing has tapped a vein of young male consumers. Mateschitz, a climber and snowboarder, wants to promote a product and a lifestyle. "Extreme sports are more than a marketing tool," he says. At this month's Red...

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