The Why, What, and How of Hugo & Hoby
Fred Kukelhaus '16 and Ben Young '16 are the co-founders of Hugo & Hoby.
Founded by Fred Kukelhaus ’16 and Ben Young ’16, Hugo & Hoby is creating beautiful, sustainable furniture produced by a network of US-based craftspeople using locally-sourced materials. Kukelhaus and Young arrived at Yale SOM in the fall of 2014 as roommates and soon realized they shared a love of fine craftsmanship and an interest in entrepreneurship. As students, they launched Hugo & Hoby, which is named for their grandfathers. While their furniture can be seen at various restaurants, hotels, and offices throughout the East Coast, Hugo & Hoby’s headquarters remain in New Haven -- not far from where the company was launched. The two founders continue to be driven by a desire to build a company that they can pass onto their children.
They share their story here: The Why, What, & How of Hugo & Hoby
Fred Kukelhaus and Ben Young were the recipients of the Entrepreneurship Fellowship (2016).