Christopher Fuhrhop

Christopher Fuhrhop is the Founder and CEO of RESTUBE GmbH, a company that specializes in water safety products.13 His entrepreneurial journey began with a life-threatening experience while kitesurfing on the open sea, which inspired him to develop a innovative safety device for water sports enthusiasts.1

Background and Education

Fuhrhop studied Mechanical Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). During his time at university, he attended a seminar at the Center for Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship (CIE), where he further developed his initial idea for RESTUBE with a friend.1

Founding RESTUBE

After his near-death experience, Fuhrhop realized that many people had been in similar situations but hadn't talked about it. Recognizing a gap in the market for effective water safety devices, he set out to create a solution.1 The company's early days involved developing prototypes using a friend's old sewing machine, which allowed Fuhrhop to gain invaluable knowledge for future negotiations with suppliers and producers.1

Growth and Achievements

Under Fuhrhop's leadership, RESTUBE has experienced significant growth:

• The company has raised approximately 3.6 million Euros through six investment rounds and two crowdfunding campaigns.1
• RESTUBE won the prestigious German Founder Award in 2015 (Deutscher Gründerpreis 2015).1
• The company expanded its target market to include professional sea and water rescue with the development of the RESTUBE lifeguard product.1
• RESTUBE was selected for the German Accelerator Program, allowing Fuhrhop to work in the US to develop and access the American market.1

Personal Traits

Fuhrhop is described as a water sports enthusiast and musician, in addition to his background in mechanical engineering.4 His LinkedIn profile has 6,884 followers, indicating his influence in the entrepreneurial and water sports communities.2

Christopher Fuhrhop's journey from a near-tragic experience to founding a successful company demonstrates his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to improving water safety for others.