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Chris Ruder
Spikeball: Find your circle. Founder/CEO of Spikeball Inc.
Chris Ruder is the founder and CEO of Spikeball Inc., a company that produces equipment for the sport of roundnet.23 He founded the company in 2007 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.23 Ruder first encountered the game of Spikeball while on vacation and later discovered that it had never been patented.2 He then acquired the patent and began working on reviving and improving the game.12
Ruder initially ran Spikeball as a side business for five years while working full-time in corporate sales positions at companies like Microsoft, Monster.com, and Live Nation.23 In 2013, when the company reached $1 million in annual revenue, he left his corporate career to focus on Spikeball full-time.3
Under Ruder's leadership, Spikeball has grown significantly:
- The company was named #289 on the Inc 500 list2
- By 2017, Spikeball had sold its one-millionth net and was generating $15 million in sales per year3
- The sport has gained over four million players worldwide4
Ruder appeared on the TV show Shark Tank in 2014, although the deal he initially accepted did not ultimately materialize.3 He has focused on building not just a product, but a community around the sport of roundnet, with tournaments being held in several countries and even airing on ESPN2.34
Highlights
Great read. Dark story. Sad to see what happened to the family and the business. https://t.co/pzw5rHgSZY




