Staex
Staex is a German B2B platform that delivers cryptographically verified machine connectivity and an AI agent suite for IoT and DePIN deployments, primarily serving public transport operators, telecom infrastructure, and industrial fleets across Europe and emerging LATAM and EMEA markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersPotsdam, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Staex does
Staex (legal entity: Staex GmbH, headquartered in Potsdam, Germany with a Berlin operations office) is a B2B software and connectivity platform that provides cryptographically verified machine-to-machine communication infrastructure for distributed IoT and DePIN deployments. Its core technology is the MCC (Machine Connectivity Core) Protocol, a Rust-built, end-to-end encrypted communication layer that eliminates centralized certificate authorities, VPN appliances, and cloud lock-in by issuing per-tunnel keys and anchoring metadata on-chain. The company complements the protocol with a global IoT SIM business covering 190+ countries, a self-serve management console, and an Agentic Suite that places AI agents (predictive maintenance, data pipeline orchestration, alert and response) on top of existing AWS, SAP, and SaaS stacks, alongside an AI Vault that runs encrypted Claude inference without moving customer data.
The product portfolio is organized around four commercial SKUs — Agentic Suite, Machine Connectivity (global SIMs), Bus Network (branded MINT, the Mobile Integrated Network of Trust), and Data Platform — plus supporting sub-brands including NEXA for verified drone corridors and AI Vault for GDPR-compliant AI. The primary commercial verticals are public transport and mobility (with 150+ buses running live in Germany via MIBO and others, plus a Brasília pilot with University of Brasília and Bus2), telecom and infrastructure (Vantage Towers), industrial manufacturing, energy and smart grid, and drone corridors. Revenue is generated through enterprise subscriptions on multi-year contracts, usage-based IoT SIM resale, data monetization, and professional services, with quote-based pricing ranging from under EUR 25k to EUR 500k+.
The company originated inside Deutsche Telekom Innovation Labs (T-Labs) in 2017, executed a management buyout in 2021, and is currently raising a EUR 15M Series A at a EUR 100M post-money valuation. Its investor base mixes Web3 specialist VCs (Generative Ventures, MN Capital, Blockwall), regional public capital (ILB Brandenburg Kapital), and high-signal individual backers including Sean Carey (Helium/BlockJoy) and Christoph Jentzsch (Ethereum core developer). Deutsche Telekom remains a TechBoost channel partner and origin of the technology. Certifications include the German Federal Research Allowance Act (FuE BSFZ 2026), Deep Tech Award (2021 and 2024), and Innovation World Cup 2023 in Security.
Staex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Staex
- Legal name
- Staex GmbH
- Website
- https://staex.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Staex is a German B2B platform that delivers cryptographically verified machine connectivity and an AI agent suite for IoT and DePIN deployments, primarily serving public transport operators, telecom infrastructure, and industrial fleets across Europe and emerging LATAM and EMEA markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Staex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- IoT Connectivity Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- V2X Security, PKI & Credential Management (SCMS, Certificate Authorities) (TLAJAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Confidential Computing & Hardware-backed Protection (TEE/HSM) (HDADAFAJ), Crypto Payments & Stablecoin Settlement Platforms (BPAMAFAL)
Keywords
Where Staex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Potsdam
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Staex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Software/Subscription Services: Agentic Suite, MCC Protocol licensing, network management services with recurring subscription fees for enterprise customers
- IoT SIM Card Resale Services: Reseller of IoT SIM cards with associated mobile data plans through third-party mobile network operators. Global coverage across 190+ countries.
- Data Platform Services: Ingest, govern and monetize operational data for AI. Data monetization opportunities for customers.
- Professional Services: Implementation, integration, and consulting services for enterprise deployments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Staex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Staex provides a software platform that delivers cryptographically verified machine-to-machine connectivity (via the proprietary MCC Protocol) combined with an AI-powered agentic suite for industrial IoT. The platform includes global IoT SIMs, a trusted data exchange network for public transport fleets (MINT), a data ingestion and monetization layer, and blockchain-anchored telemetry verification, enabling enterprises to connect, monetize, and automate distributed machine fleets without VPNs or centralized certificate authorities.
Product overview
Staex is a single-stack platform that turns raw machine data into autonomous action through three integrated layers: edge capture via SIMs and MCC Protocol, cryptographic verification and blockchain anchoring, and AI-powered analysis via the Agentic Suite. The core technology is the MCC Protocol providing end-to-end encrypted machine connectivity with cryptographically verified data integrity. The Agentic Suite delivers AI agents (Predictive Maintenance, Data Pipeline, Alert & Response) built on top of AWS, SAP, and SaaS systems. Supporting products include Machine Connectivity (global IoT SIMs across 190+ countries), Bus Network/MINT (public transport fleet data exchange with 150+ buses live), Data Platform (data ingestion and monetization), AI Vault (encrypted Claude inference), and Console (unified management). Blockchain networks (Solana, U2U, ICP, Celo, Hedera) provide on-chain data anchoring for tamper-proof verification. The platform is built at Deutsche Telekom Innovation Labs, operates 150+ buses live in Germany, and targets mobility, industrial, telecom, energy, and drone sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MINT (Mobile Integrated Network of Trust): Trusted data exchange network for public transport fleets, enabling vehicle-signed, tamper-proof telemetry across multiple stakeholders.
- MCC Protocol
- NEXA
- AI Vault
Products and services
- MCC Protocol Cryptographically verified communication protocol providing end-to-end encrypted machine connectivity with 256-bit AES encryption, no centralized certificate authority, no VPN appliances, and no cloud lock-in. Built in Rust with ~10 MiB executable size, runs from Raspberry Pi Zero to cloud VMs and bootstraps 12,000 nodes in under 30 seconds.
- Agentic Suite
- Machine Connectivity
- Bus Network (MINT) Trusted data exchange network for public transport fleets enabling vehicle-signed, tamper-proof telemetry anchored on-chain. Connects 150+ buses across Germany and LATAM, supporting real-time passenger counting, CO2 tracking, route optimization, and multi-stakeholder data sharing between fleet operators and municipalities.
- Data Platform
- Staex Web3 Data Packages
Quantifiable outcome
- 81%+ cost reduction vs. legacy M2M connectivity
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Staex
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Staex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Staex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LineracorePartnership to bring real-world IoT telemetry onto Linera's real-time blockchain using microchain architecture. Initial deployment across 10 city buses testing 1M+ daily transactions to prove horizontal scalability.
- iriscoreStrategic partnership combining iris AI video analytics with Staex's decentralized networking for public transportation safety. Deploying Trusted Data Chain on city buses across North Rhine-Westphalia with HYDRA Recorders and six cameras per bus.
- University of Brasília (UnB) / UnBChaincoreAcademic partnership to pioneer blockchain-based cybersecurity for IoT. Jointly building Trusted Data Chain for public transportation in Brasília with live showcase planned for October 2025. UnB's IoT Laboratory (BIoT) leads technical deployment.
- U2U NetworkcoreStrategic partnership bringing DePIN to life starting with municipality buses in Germany, expanding into energy networks and drone corridors. Staex has received grant to onboard 1,000+ connected devices to U2U Network.
- MIBOcoreStrategic partnership with German bus fleet company operating 150 buses in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Staex provides zero-trust IoT connectivity enabling MIBO to optimize routes, reduce fuel consumption, ensure accurate CO₂ tracking, and receive on-chain verified passenger counts for faster municipal payments.
- Solana Superteam GermanycorePartnership to drive DePIN in Germany leveraging Solana's high-performance blockchain for real-time data management. Deploying zero-trust network for passenger buses, EV charging stations, and drone flights with smart contracts for multi-stakeholder agreements.
- Boreal BikesminorPartnership to build smarter cities through real-time ground truth data. Sensor-equipped bikes gathering trusted urban insights.
- KaracenaminorJoint cybersecurity solution for critical infrastructure combining Staex's decentralized communication layer with Karacena's threat hunting and incident response expertise. Addresses NIS2, GDPR, ISO 27001 compliance.
- Deutsche Telekom / TechBoostcoreStartup program partnership and Open Telekom Cloud integration. Guarantees data sovereignty, security, and compliance with European regulations through Deutsche Telekom's highly secure data centers in Germany and Netherlands.
- Vantage TowerscoreTower operator using Staex to securely collect and anchor telemetry from infrastructure on verified ledger. Drone corridor project where drones, towers, and landowners are paid in real time for data generated.
- Open Telekom CloudcorePartnership with Deutsche Telekom's Open Telekom Cloud (OTC) for data sovereignty, security, and compliance with EU standards. Operates secure data centers in Germany and Netherlands.
- regio iTminorSmart city dashboard prototype in Aachen, Germany. Staex provided global connectivity between multiple sites, replacing VPNs and Kubernetes with simpler alternative, reducing infrastructure cost by ~70%.
- University of Applied Sciences KarlsruheminorResearch partnership on decentralized fault-tolerant applications. Students developed P2P chat application on MCC network with Prof. Dr. Oliver P. Waldhorst's research group.
- Bus2coreMajor data integrator in Latin America unifying mobility data from fleet management, ticketing, and telemetry. Partner in MINT LATAM project with UnB and Staex for Trusted Data Chain in Brasília.
- Berlin PartnerminorBerlin's official economic development agency for business and technology.
- The DriveryminorMobility innovation hub in Berlin connecting startups with automotive industry.
- MarienparkminorInnovation district in south Berlin - living lab for smart city technology and events.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Staex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Particle: End-to-end IoT platform with cellular connectivity, device management, and developer tools. A broader incumbent in the IoT connectivity space targeting enterprise customers with similar SIM + cloud architecture, but without Staex's cryptographic-verification / DePIN layer.
- Deutsche Telekom IoT: Global IoT connectivity and managed-services arm of Deutsche Telekom — Staex's own origin and current TechBoost partner. Larger incumbent offering cellular IoT, managed connectivity, and cloud integration across 190+ countries, competing with Staex on the M2M connectivity layer.
Direct peers
- Hivemapper: DePIN for street-level mapping using token-incentivized dashcams. Comparable DePIN business model: real-world physical infrastructure, token-incentivized data contributors, and verified mapping/telemetry data monetized through blockchain.
- DIMO: Open connected-vehicle data platform with on-chain data ownership and token rewards. Direct overlap with Staex's MINT mobility data exchange: both anchor vehicle telemetry on blockchain and monetize verified mobility data; DIMO is also a Staex partner.
- WeatherXM: DePIN weather network using token-incentivized weather stations producing verifiable local data. Shares Staex's verified-machine-data thesis with similar tokenized infrastructure economics applied to a different physical-data vertical.
- IoTeX: Blockchain platform purpose-built for IoT with privacy-preserving compute and verifiable device identity. Closely comparable architecture combining IoT connectivity with Web3 verification, addressing similar DePIN and machine-data use cases as Staex.
- Helium: Decentralized wireless network for IoT devices using blockchain and token incentives. Most comparable DePIN+IoT network model: both Staex and Helium use crypto economics to bootstrap and scale physical machine infrastructure with verifiable connectivity.
- Nodle: Decentralized Bluetooth-based network connecting IoT devices with token incentives. Direct DePIN+IoT peer to Staex, focused on low-power machine connectivity and verifiable data, similar to MCC Protocol's certificate-mesh approach.
- Chirp Wireless: IoT connectivity network building machine-to-machine communication ecosystems. Direct peer in the decentralized machine-connectivity space; already a Staex partner, indicating overlapping product/market.
Emerging players
- EMQX: Open-source MQTT messaging platform and IoT data infrastructure used by enterprises for large-scale machine connectivity. Partial overlap with Staex's MCC connectivity layer; addresses similar real-time telemetry and device-management needs.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Staex social profiles
Digital presenceStaex compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Staex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Staex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Staex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Staex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Staex
What does Staex do?
Staex provides a software platform that delivers cryptographically verified machine-to-machine connectivity (via the proprietary MCC Protocol) combined with an AI-powered agentic suite for industrial IoT. The platform includes global IoT SIMs, a trusted data exchange network for public transport fleets (MINT), a data ingestion and monetization layer, and blockchain-anchored telemetry verification, enabling enterprises to connect, monetize, and automate distributed machine fleets without VPNs or centralized certificate authorities.
Is Staex a public or private company?
Staex is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Staex founded?
Staex was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Staex based?
Staex is headquartered in Potsdam, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Staex make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software/Subscription Services are the primary driver. The others are ioT SIM Card Resale Services, data Platform Services and professional Services.
Who are Staex's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Particle and Deutsche Telekom IoT. Direct peers are Hivemapper, DIMO, WeatherXM, IoTeX, Helium, Nodle and Chirp Wireless. EMQX is listed as an emerging player.
Does Staex have an API?
Yes. Staex provides the MCC-MCP stack which enables programmatic access to the network. The MCP (Model Context Protocol) server integration allows AI systems like Claude Code to query databases securely through encrypted MCC tunnels. Installation involves downloading the MCC-MCP package and configuring network certificates and node private keys. The MCP server runs on the network and can be registered with Claude Code via claude mcp add command with SSE transport to the resolved MCC endpoint. Developer documentation is at staex.io/docs.
What industry is Staex in?
Staex's product category is IoT Connectivity Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAHAE, V2X Security, PKI & Credential Management (SCMS, Certificate Authorities), with a secondary code of HDADAFAJ, Confidential Computing & Hardware-backed Protection (TEE/HSM). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7373.