I build and scale leading consumer products in Fintech, eCommerce & Marketplaces.
Proven track record of transforming underperforming P&E organizations and building impactful products and teams from scratch — supporting VC- and PE-backed companies on their growth journey.
I help them resolve these challenges, fast.
I have a proven track record of converting failing product organizations into thriving powerhouses.
Let’s transform your products and teams
by listening to customers, experimenting, and delivering value fast
Want to build up a product or tech team from scratch, skill up your existing teams, or enhance your product org?
Struggling to deal with hyper-growth, legacy systems or other tech debt?
You are early-stage and need advice to launch your MVP with the right scope and technology choice? Struggling to achieve product-market fit?
Looking for an honest assessment of your products, product teams, and product processes?
Need to ship features faster to reach your goals for the next funding round?
Looking for temporary senior guidance and coaching for your teams?
What can I help you with?
I specialize in building and scaling high-performing product organizations in FinTech & eCommerce / Marketplaces.
Interim & Fractional Support
Depending on the maturity of your product teams I can help your startup hands-on or lead your existing teams.
(CPO / CPTO / VP Product / Head of Product)
Product Due Diligence & Turnaround
We put your product strategies, practices, teams, and structures to the acid test and define actions for potential improvements. We implement product operating principles.
Product Launch
I help you turn a rough product idea into a successful MVP launch, by incorporating your target group closely in the development process and validating your hypotheses quickly with the least amount of implementation effort.
Product & Tech Hiring
Let me help you find talented product managers for your company, no matter if you are looking for Juniors, experienced product leaders, or your future CPO.
I can set up high-performing (near-shoring) engineering teams for your organization fast.
Why work with me?
Product Expertise
15+ years in product management. Track record of turning struggling product organizations into high-performing ones.
Leadership
Experienced manager & coach of product and tech teams in growth-stage companies.
Startup Expertise
Launched 20+ startups and new products in various industries (FinTech, eCommerce, Digital Health).
Tech & AI Expertise
Advanced tech skills and know-how. Developed and implemented AI strategies that drive measurable business growth.
My Product Toolkit
Product Discovery
Problem Research
Ideation
Prototyping & Experiments
Validation
Product Planning & Delivery
Vision, Strategy, and OKRs
Roadmap, Scoping & Prioritization
Tech Stack & AI Use Cases
Metrics & Growth
Learn more about the HPPO Framework that will guide your product organization towards success.
Meet Stefan
As a fractional and interim CPO, Stefan Richter helps founders, CEOs, and product leaders from VC- and PE-backed companies build and scale leading consumer products in FinTech, eCommerce, and Marketplaces.
With 15+ years of experience, he has built and scaled 20+ digital products, led major Product & Engineering transformations, and built high-performing teams of 40+ FTEs — operating in lean, fast-moving environments. Stefan has modernized legacy tech stacks, launched new product lines, and guided growth-oriented organizations through complex strategic and technological transitions.
Currently, as CPO & Group Executive at finanzen.net zero, one of Germany’s leading neobrokers, he is growing the product organization, shaping the product and AI strategy, and advancing the platform experience for traders.
Author of The Product Manager’s Playbook and creator of The Product Leader’s Blueprint Online Course. Passionate road cyclist and finance enthusiast.
Testimonials
from former direct reports, management peers, and clients
Stefan knows a lot about tech and is naturally user oriented. I really admire that. Always has an easy answer for every problem.
Stefan has both, tech and product superpowers. I can ask/share with him any idea or proposal, and he always has something good to add from his bag of experience.
I like his honesty, that he is very hands-off as a manager but acts as a great guide and understands my personality extremely well despite only working with me for a short time. Also, I think his enthusiasm, guidance and leadership within our company is really impressive.
Stefan is always willing to help and never happened that he couldn’t really solve anything. It is incredible!
I continue enjoying a lot having you as my Manager. I highly appreciate your technical background, your hustling, the fact that we can openly talk about the company/projects, that you recognize my strengths time by time.
I like working with Stefan, as he brings a calm and rational view to many aspects which I think is helpful. Additionally, he really knows the product area very well when it comes to best practices and how to launch ventures very lean, which is immensely helpful.