Building a Resilience Pioneer

Hello Christian! What inspired you to start F24? What was your vision for the company 25 years ago?

The trigger to start this business in fact came from a client of my former partner’s firm. It was a refinery which had to do weekly drills after an accident and asked us for some technical support. 

My former partner, Ralf created the idea to provide the corresponding functionality as a Service – and the both of us founded F24 and executed it jointly. 
In the late 1990s, emergency alerting systems were largely hardware-based, and often relied on manual processes.  We recognized the need for a more efficient and accessible solution and envisioned a service-based approach. This was the inception of FACT24.  

Our vision was to provide an emergency alerting solution just as-a-service – globally available without any need for specific hardware. 

What were some of the toughest challenges F24 faced, and what lessons were learned from them? 

One of the toughest challenges was the initial need to convince potential clients of the importance of software alerting systems. I personally spent the first year driving 60,000 kms back and forth within Germany and Austria trying to showcase our vision to potential customers. While many prospects recognized the necessity, the concept of application-based services was met with skepticism. Eventually, when we bagged our first customer – the Cologne Bonn Airport – it turned out to be a big client (who remains a client even to this day!). 

Even with our team and office set up, we started small – a team of three, trying to deliver end-to-end support in whichever way the customer required. In fact, I still remember going to IKEA to buy a kitchen for our office and setting it up myself. All I can say is, I am thankful for those experiences because true growth happens through challenges. These challenges have underscored our resourcefulness and urge to grow. 

Can you share some pivotal moments or turning points in the company’s history? 

I would say there have been many – in fact, an early decision to offer our solutions exclusively as-a-service was a groundbreaking move at the time. And even though clients were hesitant in the beginning, we gained their confidence and ended up being the frontrunners in Europe.  

Another pivotal point was internationalizing our formerly German-only business – and to strengthen this move with an IPO in 2007.  Though at the time, this posed a significant challenge for the company, it compelled us to think bigger, elevate our professionalism and stay committed to our goals.  Last but not least, we made the decision to expand our offerings beyond emergency alerting to include resilience solutions, and one step further – also beyond resilience, into business messaging, and service notifications, enabling F24 to support clients more comprehensively. 

How have F24’s products or

services evolved over the years?What drove these changes?

Since our founding, our mission has been to become the global first choice and keep catering to the growing demands of our clientele — starting with Emergency Notification System, expanding to Crisis Management, and now for comprehensive Resilience Services.  We started to provide our first services beyond emergency notification around 2012 already.
Our products have continuously evolved since then, not only in functionality but also in cutting-edge technology, availability and security features.

How has F24 adapted to the changes in the market and industry trends over the past two decades? 

Over the past two decades, F24 has not only adapted to changes in the market but has also set new industry standards. For example, we pioneered by introducing Crisis alerting SaaS offerings in Europe, established a fully redundant alerting procedure, and seamlessly integrated emergency notification with crisis management services. These innovations demonstrate our proactive approach to meet evolving market needs. 

How does F24 stand out from the other organizations? 

There is a lot worth mentioning here but let me highlight a few. F24 stands out from other organizations for several compelling reasons: 
Advanced Resilience Offerings: We pride ourselves on having one of the most comprehensive resilience portfolios in Europe, which we are continually enhancing. Our solutions are tailored to meet the specific service needs of our clients, ensuring they are fully prepared for any challenges they may face. 
Local Presence: We are where our customers are. Our local teams not only understand the unique cultural and linguistic needs of our clients but also provide personalized support that fosters strong relationships. Today, we proudly provide support in five languages as standard, ensuring global accessibility. 
Cutting-Edge Security: In today’s world, security is paramount. We are at the forefront of security protocols, ensuring our clients’ data and operations are protected with state-of-the-art measures. These key differentiators illustrate our commitment to delivering exceptional value and service to our clients. 

What kind of culture have you tried to foster at F24, and why do you think it’s important? 

Culture, besides vision is probably the most important thing to establish and grow a company over a long time. Our culture serves as a vital link connecting all employees and stakeholders, and since our foundation, it has been built around our core principles: 
Customer First: We are deeply committed to our customers, striving to provide them with our best innovations and support. Their success is our top priority. 
Accountability: We empower our employees to take ownership of their actions, encouraging them to act with the same care and responsibility they would apply to their own interests. 
Solution-Oriented “Just-Do” Mentality: We foster an environment where trying new ideas is encouraged, allowing employees to embrace innovation without the fear of failure. 
Work Hard and have fun: We believe in balancing professionalism with enjoyment. Creating a workplace where hard work is paired with camaraderie leads to a motivated and engaged team.  notifications, enabling F24 to support clients more comprehensively. 

What is your vision for F24 in the next 5 to 10 years? 

That is an easy one: We want to be the first choice in Resilience – globally! 

What has kept you motivated over the years, especially during tough times? 

My motivation has always been rooted in my passion for entrepreneurship, a dream I nurtured since my student days. Being part of F24’s remarkable success story fills me with pride, and I genuinely can’t imagine a better role for myself. 
What truly drives me, especially during tough times, are our customers and our team. The opportunity to serve our clients and witness the impact of our solutions on their success inspires me. To know that for 25 years, we have empowered companies to stay prepared, protecting lives and safeguarding their values, is deeply fulfilling. It’s always the customer and people for me.  

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own companies? 

For aspiring entrepreneurs, my key advice is – find a true vision you’re passionate about.
While essentials like a clear value proposition, a strong USP, a solid financial plan, and a diverse team are important, defining your values and beliefs is crucial. 
Success in entrepreneurship is ultimately about building relationships and nurturing a culture aligned with your mission. Find the right people who share your vision, as without a dedicated team, even the best ideas can falter. 

Looking back over the past 25 years, is there anything you would have  

done differently?

In detail probably a thousand things… but overall, I am honestly quite happy with our journey so far. If I still had to choose one area for improvement, I would accelerate our game-changing initiatives, particularly in internationalization and growth investments, even sooner than we did.  

Is there anyone you would like to thank or acknowledge for their role in F24’s journey? 

As I mentioned already, without the right people it is all in vain. F24 is truly a team success story, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to every individual involved since our foundation. I would also take this opportunity to acknowledge Ralf Meister, my long-term founding partner at F24. It was he who convinced me to start F24 together and provided invaluable coaching and mentorship during my early years as a founder. His support has been instrumental in shaping our success. 

F24 is headquartered in Germany, more precisely in Munich. What does Germany still mean to you as a location and what is your relationship with Munich?  

Germany, and Munich in particular, holds significant meaning for us at F24. Our origins are rooted here, and it remains one of our most important markets. Although we have evolved into a truly international organization, with a greater number of our team members now working abroad, we cherish our roots in Munich. 
 

From the very beginning, Munich has played a crucial role in our success, offering access to a talented workforce and embodying the “Bavarian way of life,” which we continue to celebrate. This blend of local culture and global perspective has shaped our identity and values at F24.

Contributed by F24 Experts

This interview has been conducted by Marina Chatterjee, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at F24.

F24 is Europe’s leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider for resilience. More than 5,500 customers worldwide rely on F24’s digital solutions, which support companies and organisations through all areas of resilience. Solutions cover business messaging and service notification, emergency and mass notification, incident and crisis management, as well as governance, risk and compliance.