Peter Dreissigacker, along with his brother Dick, founded Concept2 in 1976. The idea for the company grew out of a graduate course they took together at Stanford University, combined with their love of rowing.
In 1976, the two brothers were competing for a spot on the U.S Olympic Team, and they saw a need for a lighter, stiffer, faster oar. After a series of kitchen experiments with carbon fiber and fiberglass, they developed the first viable, affordable composite racing oar to hit the market. In 1992, their innovation again changed the face of rowing with the introduction of the "Big Blade", an asymmetrical hatchet-shaped blade that offered a speed advantage of several percent.
In 1981, they developed the first Concept2 Indoor Rower, known familiarly as the Erg. The indoor rower rapidly became the standard for wind-resistance rowing machines. In addition to his work at Concept2, Peter continues to row competitively both on and off the water and enjoys backcountry skiing for variety in the winter.
He also makes time for painting and drawing, and playing the accordion.