The best way to describe Chris is as the bedrock of the already rock-solid foundation we call the Skytree team. He joined the company, for the very first time, all the way back in 2017 as a mechanical engineering intern, bringing the total number of employees to a team of six. However, he already knew of the company’s existence and was closely tracking its progress since 2015. Dedication and loyalty, another of Chris’ great qualities!

Before joining Skytree, Chris found himself on a crossroad between continuing his studies or taking a detour to discover what it is that would truly interest him. Looking back now, he is happy to say that his time at Skytree solidified and rekindled his passion for sustainability drives solutions. Seeing how theoretical and practical knowledge can work in a harmonious marriage made him pursue a masters degree in the renewable energy field with a business and entrepreneurship focus.

Earlier this month, Skytree had the pleasure of welcoming Christopher back to the team as a full-time R&D Engineer. And we wanted to get a better picture about what  drew him back to Skytree.

How did you find your way back to Skytree?

“After seeing how the direction of Skytree has pivoted over the years and recently moved towards the vertical farming and greenhouse sector, that truly intrigued me. I talked with some of my past colleagues to gain a better insight into what is happening and what the future holds for the company. And it soon became clear that it is almost a new company with on point structure and vision. What was really important to me was the prevailing "start-up" feel, where a lot of things are happening and you can sink your teeth into different topics each day. Above all, I had the feeling that the culture that pulls like-minded people to the company was still intact, even after all these years. Having realized that, the decision to come back was quite easy.”

What do you value the most about the company culture?

“What I like the most about Skytree is the collaborative and encouraging spirit. Everyone is working towards a common goal and is supportive of each other when it comes to coming up with solutions to get us to the final destination. There’s always space for new ideas and input on any topic, so everyone feels included. The vibe is very youthful and international, paving a way for a lot of open-mindedness and general openness.”

Can you tell us about a fun memory from the early days at Skytree?

“There is a day, from back when I was doing my internship at Skytree, that will remain ingrained in my memory forever. The team was just in the process of putting together and testing a new unit prototype. And as things go, it is sometimes a hit or miss situation. Well, this time, it was a big miss.

Now that you know where the story is going, I’ll start by setting the scene. Smoke. There was smoke everywhere and the smoke detectors screeched throughout the building, as people were lazily making their way outside. It turned out that the prototype actually caught on fire and smoked out the entire floor. Later on, we uncovered that it was caused by an overheating issue. But small setbacks are sometimes exactly what we need to propel us further. And look at Skytree now. We overcame all hurdles that arose and are readying for manufacturing, a truly exciting time to rejoin the company!”

How would you describe Skytree in one sentence?

“Cool technology, even cooler people”

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Read more about open positions at Skytree here.