Link11
Link11 is a Frankfurt-based German cybersecurity company providing cloud-based DDoS mitigation and web application/API protection (WAAP) for European enterprises and regulated critical infrastructure operators, leveraging patented AI-powered mitigation, EU data sovereignty, and a broad certification stack (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, NIS2, DORA, KRITIS).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Link11 does
Link11 is a Frankfurt-headquartered German cybersecurity company founded in 2005 that specializes in cloud-based DDoS mitigation, web application and API protection (WAAP), and adjacent application performance services. Its product platform is organized into three pillars: Network Security (Network DDoS Protection as the core Layer 3/4 service, supplemented by the NetFlow DDoS Detector on-demand analysis add-on and Clean Transit for ISPs/hosting providers), Web Application Security (a unified WAAP platform combining Web DDoS Protection, Bot Management, Web Application Firewall, and API Security, with the newly launched AI Management Dashboard for AI traffic governance), and Application Performance (Secure CDN and Secure DNS). Underpinning these offerings is Link11's own distributed scrubbing infrastructure — 2 Security Operation Centers, 13 scrubbing centers, and 40+ PoPs — together with patented DDoS detection/mitigation technology featuring AI-powered adaptive threshold learning. The platform is documented as having absorbed Europe's largest DDoS attack at 1.4 Tbit/s and peak 207 billion packets/second in 2025.
The company sells primarily to European-regulated enterprises and critical infrastructure operators, with named customers spanning banking (Bank-Verlag, Quipu/ProCredit, GLS Bank, SCHUFA), insurance (HUK-Coburg), aviation (Fraport, DFS), logistics (Hermes, Arvato Bertelsmann), manufacturing/retail (Beiersdorf, Varta, Hornbach, Teufel), media (dpa), telecom (NETHINKS), and other sectors across Germany, Europe, Israel, and the USA. Link11 operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise field sales (custom pricing, dedicated Technical Account Managers, 99.99% SLA), self-service online tiers (Core at €490/month and Advanced at €790/month annual, with 30-minute onboarding and a 90-day money-back guarantee), and channel partnerships (evoila for Europe, Panera for Israel, BSO for network coverage). Revenue is predominantly subscription-based recurring with managed-service overlays for enterprise customers; the company's pricing model deliberately avoids usage-based or per-attack fees, offering "attack flat rate" predictability.
Link11 is PE-backed (€26.5M from Pride Capital Partners in December 2023) and has used that capital for inorganic and geographic expansion — including the January 2024 acquisition of Reblaze Technologies (web application security/WAAP), the August 2024 opening of an Ashburn, Virginia location for US capacity, and the announced Q4 2026 Lisbon Customer Excellence Hub to consolidate EU-based technical support. The company is privately held, led by founder/CEO Jens-Philipp Jung with CFO Maximilian Haakh (joined Feb 2025) and CPO Marc Lamik (joined Sep 2025), and underwent a May 2025 rebranding that consolidated three brands (including Reblaze) onto a single platform. Its commercial positioning centers on EU data sovereignty, full GDPR compliance, and a deep certification stack (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS Level 1, BSI C5, KRITIS qualification, NIS2 and DORA alignment) that directly addresses the procurement requirements of regulated buyers.
Link11 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Link11
- Legal name
- Link11
- Website
- https://link11.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Link11 is a Frankfurt-based German cybersecurity company providing cloud-based DDoS mitigation and web application/API protection (WAAP) for European enterprises and regulated critical infrastructure operators, leveraging patented AI-powered mitigation, EU data sovereignty, and a broad certification stack (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, NIS2, DORA, KRITIS).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Link11 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud DDoS Protection and Web Application Security
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Communications Services, Nec (4899), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud Network Security (Microsegmentation, Cloud Firewall, WAF, DDoS) (HDABAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Edge Security Delivery (DDoS, WAF, Bot Mitigation at Edge) (HDABAGAH), Web Application Security (WAF, RASP) (HDADACAA), DDoS Mitigation & Traffic Scrubbing (Edge/ADC‑Adjacent) (HDAFAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Link11 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Link11 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription-based Security Services: Recurring subscription revenue from DDoS protection, WAAP, CDN, DNS, and related security services. Plans range from self-service Core tier at €490/month (annual) to custom Enterprise pricing. All plans include unlimited DDoS protection without traffic caps or usage-based billing.
- Managed Security Services: Fully managed service offerings with premium support, custom configurations, and dedicated account management for Enterprise customers. Includes optional Technical Account Managers and priority incident handling.
- Clean Transit (IP Transit): DDoS-protected IP transit service for ISPs and hosting providers, integrating protection directly into the transit layer with commercial structure aligned to transit purchasing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Core protection for small teams with essential security features |
| Subscription | Monthly | Advanced security with full API access and enhanced protection |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise-grade security with full customization |
| Subscription | Monthly | Network DDoS Protection with AI-powered always-on defense |
| Subscription | Monthly | NetFlow DDoS Detector add-on for on-demand analysis |
| Subscription | Annual | Secure CDN for streaming and content delivery |
| Subscription | Monthly | Secure DNS with Anycast network |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Link11 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Link11 sells cloud-based cybersecurity services built on its own globally distributed scrubbing infrastructure. Its core offerings are Network DDoS Protection (Layer 3/4 always-on mitigation) and the Web Application & API Protection (WAAP) platform combining WAF, Layer-7 DDoS defense, Bot Management, and API Security. Complementary services include Secure CDN, Secure DNS, NetFlow DDoS Detector, and Clean Transit IP transit.
Product overview
Link11 is a German-based European provider of cloud-based IT security solutions headquartered in Frankfurt. Its product portfolio centers on a unified security platform architecture organized across three pillars: Network Security (Network DDoS Protection as the core offering, plus NetFlow DDoS Detector and Clean Transit as add-on modules), Web Application Security (Web Application & API Protection (WAAP) as the core unified platform, with Web DDoS Protection, Bot Management, Web Application Firewall, and API Security as integrated sub-products), and Application Performance (Secure CDN and Secure DNS as add-on modules). The WAAP platform also includes an AI Management Dashboard for AI traffic governance. All solutions are backed by the company's own global cloud infrastructure, threat intelligence research, and the annual European Cyber Report. Key differentiators include AI-powered adaptive mitigation, 100% GDPR compliance, EU-based data sovereignty, and 24/7 customer support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Reblaze: Web application security and WAAP platform acquired by Link11 in January 2024
- Follow the White Rabbit
Products and services
- Network DDoS Protection AI-powered, always-on Layer 3/4 DDoS mitigation engine delivering real-time threshold learning, sub-3-second mitigation on unknown vectors, packet-level filtering, and full transparency logs with reason codes for every action. Designed for organizations that operate their own IT infrastructure or autonomous systems.
- NetFlow DDoS Detector On-demand NetFlow and IPFIX analysis add-on for Network DDoS Protection that detects complex volumetric and anomalous attacks out-of-band (without inline overhead) and automatically reroutes traffic to Link11's scrubbing centers via dynamic BGP routing during an attack. Customers include DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung.
- Clean Transit IP transit product with built-in DDoS protection for Layer 3 operators (ISPs, hosting providers, gaming networks). All inbound traffic is continuously scrubbed through Link11's infrastructure before delivery, so only clean traffic reaches the customer's network without requiring additional tools or configuration.
- Web Application & API Protection (WAAP) Unified, fully managed Layer-7 security platform combining Web Application Firewall (WAF), Web DDoS Protection, Bot Management, and API Security in a single all-in-one solution with multi-layered protection, available in Core, Advanced and Enterprise subscription tiers.
- Secure CDN High-speed content delivery network with built-in DDoS protection on all nodes, guaranteeing 100% CDN uptime and optimized performance for streaming and VoD content up to 4K resolution. Includes SSL/TLS termination, origin load balancing, image optimization, custom cache keys, and integration with Link11 WAAP.
- Secure DNS Highly available DNS service with built-in DDoS protection and DNSSEC support, powered by 10 strategically placed DNS servers in an anycast network. Includes automated certificate management via Let's Encrypt, unlimited DNS queries and zones, real-time query analytics, ANAME records and DNSSEC + DANE support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sub-3 second mitigation response time for unknown attack vectors
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Link11
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Link11 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability9 records
Feature10 records
Link11 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Link11 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fastly: Edge cloud and CDN competitor with an integrated Next-Gen WAF and DDoS protection, comparable to Link11's Secure CDN and WAAP combination for digital-native and media customers.
- Cloudflare: Direct competitor across the same product pillars as Link11: Magic Transit for L3/4 DDoS mitigation, WAF, Bot Management, API Shield, and CDN. Closest head-to-head in the EU-regulated market where Link11 competes on EU data sovereignty.
- Imperva (Thales): Direct competitor in WAF, API security, bot management, and DDoS protection. Sells to similarly regulated, large-enterprise customers with overlapping compliance-driven procurement.
- Radware: Specialist competitor in DDoS protection and WAAP, with both cloud and on-premises offerings. Targets the same enterprise and service-provider customers as Link11 with overlapping technology.
- Akamai: Direct competitor via Akamai Prolexic (DDoS) and App & API Protector (WAAP). Comparable target market of large enterprises needing multi-terabit scrubbing capacity and CDN-integrated security.
- Corero Network Security: DDoS-protection specialist with both cloud (SmartWall) and on-prem offerings targeting ISPs, hosters, and enterprises. Closest pure-play DDoS peer and a natural M&A candidate in Link11's space.
- F5 (Distributed Cloud / NGINX App Protect): WAAP competitor offering WAF, bot defense, API security, and DDoS mitigation under the Distributed Cloud platform. Comparable focus on Layer-7 application protection for large enterprises.
Broad incumbents
- AWS Shield: Broad incumbent offering cloud-native L3/7 DDoS protection as part of the AWS ecosystem. Competes with Link11 for any workload already running on AWS, often at included or low marginal cost.
- Microsoft Azure DDoS Protection: Hyperscaler-native DDoS protection bundled into Azure deployments. Represents a default, bundled alternative for Link11's enterprise prospects running workloads in Azure.
Emerging players
- StackPath: Edge-compute and security vendor offering CDN with integrated WAF and DDoS mitigation. Smaller and more U.S.-focused than Link11 but provides overlapping secure-content-delivery capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Link11 social profiles
Digital presenceLink11 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Link11 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Link11 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Link11 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Link11 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Link11 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Link11
What does Link11 do?
Link11 sells cloud-based cybersecurity services built on its own globally distributed scrubbing infrastructure. Its core offerings are Network DDoS Protection (Layer 3/4 always-on mitigation) and the Web Application & API Protection (WAAP) platform combining WAF, Layer-7 DDoS defense, Bot Management, and API Security. Complementary services include Secure CDN, Secure DNS, NetFlow DDoS Detector, and Clean Transit IP transit.
Is Link11 a public or private company?
Link11 is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Link11 founded?
Link11 was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Link11 based?
Link11 is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Link11 make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription-based Security Services are the primary driver. The others are managed Security Services and clean Transit (IP Transit).
Who are Link11's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fastly, Cloudflare, Imperva (Thales), Radware, Akamai, Corero Network Security and F5 (Distributed Cloud / NGINX App Protect). Broad incumbents are AWS Shield and Microsoft Azure DDoS Protection. StackPath is listed as an emerging player.
Does Link11 have an API?
Yes. Full REST API access is available as part of the Advanced WAAP plan, enabling customers to programmatically manage dynamic rules, security alerts, custom WAF rules, quarantine capabilities, and configuration settings. Additionally, the NetFlow DDoS Detector provides real-time email alert notifications on detection, mitigation, and route recovery events.
What industry is Link11 in?
Link11's product category is Cloud DDoS Protection and Web Application Security. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABAHAJ, Cloud Network Security (Microsegmentation, Cloud Firewall, WAF, DDoS), with a secondary code of HDABAGAH, Edge Security Delivery (DDoS, WAF, Bot Mitigation at Edge). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 4899.