brand eins Verlag
brand eins Verlag is a Hamburg-based German-language business media company publishing a monthly business magazine, a podcast network, an annual industry rankings report with Statista, and recurring conferences for executives and future-of-work professionals. It serves business professionals, corporate subscribers, and enterprise clients across the DACH region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What brand eins Verlag does
brand eins Verlag, legally brand eins Medien AG, is a Hamburg-based German-language business media company founded in 2001 that publishes a monthly business magazine under the brand eins masthead, focused on how companies, people, and ideas transform the economy. The company operates a multi-product media platform comprising the print and digital magazine (tiered subscriptions including combo, digital-only, Probe-Abo, Sommer-Abo, and themed packages New Work, Führung, and Consulting at EUR 168-208/year), the annual brand eins /thema industry report, the brand eins Podcast Network (flagship podcast co-produced with detektor.fm plus 15+ partner shows), two flagship conferences (work awesome in Berlin drawing 500+ attendees and Leadershift in Hamburg drawing 450), the brand eins Academy learning platform, and regional Neuland and brand eins edition extensions.
The underlying technology is a conventional digital publishing stack — website, digital editions/PDF, online archive, podcast RSS distribution, and an in-house e-commerce kiosk — augmented by a single AI feature: KI-generierte audio versions of each issue's Schwerpunkt embedded as a subscription benefit. No public-facing API, SDK, or developer surface is offered; integrations are editorial and distribution partnerships rather than technical.
Revenue mechanics span five streams: (1) recurring magazine subscriptions through direct, gift, trial, and corporate tiers; (2) advertising across print, digital, and the podcast network (Stefanie Giese handles podcast advertising partnerships); (3) B2B Corporate Publishing / "In Zahlen" custom research and branded content for enterprise clients including Tchibo, Siemens, DB Regio, G DATA, McKinsey, KPMG, NFON, AbbVie, and IKK classic; (4) conference ticket and sponsorship sales for work awesome and Leadershift; and (5) recurring Statista-co-produced "Die Besten" rankings covering 275 consulting firms, 194 HR recruiters, 283 IT providers, and 80 career portals. Customer segments include individual business professionals and executives, corporate buyers purchasing firm-wide subscriptions, young leaders targeted by Leadershift, and HR / future-of-work professionals targeted by work awesome, with a geographic footprint centered on the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
brand eins Verlag firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- brand eins Verlag
- Legal name
- brand eins Medien AG
- Website
- https://brandeins.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- brand eins Verlag is a Hamburg-based German-language business media company publishing a monthly business magazine, a podcast network, an annual industry rankings report with Statista, and recurring conferences for executives and future-of-work professionals. It serves business professionals, corporate subscribers, and enterprise clients across the DACH region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
brand eins Verlag industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Media Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ)
Keywords
Where brand eins Verlag is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
brand eins Verlag business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Monthly magazine subscriptions in various tiers including print, digital, and combined packages. Subscriptions range from 6.00 EUR per issue (digital) to 10.80 EUR per issue (print + digital combo) with annual or monthly payment options.
- Corporate Publishing Services: Custom research reports, whitepapers, and branded content for corporate clients. Projects include 'In Zahlen' reports, case studies, and themed publications for clients like Tchibo (Kaffeereport), DB Regio AG (Mobilitätsreport), and others.
- Advertising: Print and digital advertising opportunities in the magazine and on website properties. Media data available for advertisers.
- Conference Events: Revenue from ticket sales for conferences including work awesome and Leadershift, plus partnership and sponsorship packages.
- Podcast Network: Podcast advertising partnerships and sponsorships within the brand eins podcast network, with contact for advertising partnerships available through Stefanie Giese.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Print + Digital Kombi Abo - 10 issues per year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Digital Only Abo - 10 issues per year |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Probe-Abo - 3 issue trial subscription |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Sommer-Abo - Summer special offer |
| Subscription | Annual | New Work Abo - Annual specialized subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Führungs-Abo - Leadership subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Consulting Abo - Consulting industry subscription |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
brand eins Verlag product offering
Product offeringCore offering
brand eins Verlag publishes a monthly German-language business magazine (brand eins Wirtschaftsmagazin) available in print, digital, and combined subscription formats, producing independent journalism focused on business change, leadership, and innovation. Beyond the core magazine, the company sells themed annual subscriptions (New Work Abo, Führungs-Abo, Consulting-Abo), produces B2B corporate publishing projects for enterprise clients (e.g., Tchibo Kaffee Report, DB Regio Mobilitätsreport), operates two flagship conferences (work awesome and Leadershift), and runs a podcast network and newsletter ecosystem.
Product overview
brand eins Verlag operates as a multi-platform German business media company with a portfolio of interconnected products spanning print/digital publishing, audio content, events, and B2B services. The core offerings include the monthly brand eins Wirtschaftsmagazin (print + digital subscription with AI-generated audio), the annual brand eins /thema industry report in partnership with Statista, and the brand eins Podcast Netzwerk with original and partner podcasts. Subscription tiers include specialized packages (New Work, Führung, Consulting) bundled with Academy access and online sessions. The company runs two flagship conferences: work awesome (future of work, Berlin) and Leadershift (young leaders, Hamburg). The Corporate Services division produces custom industry reports for clients including Tchibo, DB Regio, and G DATA. Digital Kollektionen (themed collections) and regional Neuland magazines extend the content reach, while the brand eins Kiosk e-commerce platform manages all subscriptions and product sales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- work awesome: The brand eins Conference for the Future of Work, held annually in Berlin focusing on tools, skills, structures and strategies for the future of work.
- Leadershift
- Corporate Services
- Academy
- brand eins edition
- brand eins Neuland
- 2hoch2
Products and services
- brand eins Wirtschaftsmagazin The primary monthly German business magazine featuring themed issues with unconventional perspectives on business and economics. Available in print and digital subscription formats (Print+Digital Kombi and Digital Only tiers), with online archive access and AI-generated audio summaries of focus topics for subscribers.
- brand eins /thema Annual industry report published in cooperation with Statista, featuring best-of rankings including Best Consultants (275 firms and 7 networks), Best HR Recruiters (194 companies), Best IT Service Providers (283 providers), and Best Career Portals (80 portals). Used as a B2B reference and decision-making source for hiring consulting and IT services.
- brand eins Podcast Network (brand eins Podcast Netzwerk) Branded podcast network featuring the weekly flagship brand eins Podcast produced in cooperation with detektor.fm, plus a portfolio of partner podcasts covering management research, digital transformation, sustainability, work culture, regional economics, and the future of work. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- work awesome Konferenz Annual brand eins conference on the future of work held in Berlin (BOLLE Festsäle), focused on tools, skills, structures, and strategies shaping tomorrow's workplace. Attracts 500+ CxOs, executives, founders, and HR professionals with 30+ speakers and a peer-dating attendee format. The next event is November 26, 2026.
- Leadershift Konferenz Annual brand eins conference for young leaders, held at the historic Gleishalle Oberhafen events venue in Hamburg. Includes a 'Hero's Journey' virtual preparation program co-developed with Kessels & Smit, workshops, a stage program, and peer-dating. Hosts approximately 450 attendees. Next event September 11, 2026.
- Corporate Services / In Zahlen Reports Custom B2B corporate publishing service producing industry reports, case studies, whitepapers, themed publications, and branded podcasts for enterprise clients. Past projects include Tchibo Kaffee Report 2026, DB Regio Mobilitätsreport, G DATA Cybersicherheit in Zahlen, NFON Kommunikation in Zahlen, IKK classic Gesundheit in Zahlen, Siemens Das Buch der Fragen, KPMG Wie können wir wachsen?, McKinsey McK Wissen, and Regionalverband Ruhr Auf Ruhr podcast.
- brand eins Academy Education and learning platform offering Masterclasses (e.g., Performance Culture), brand eins Deep sessions, and themed online events for subscribers. Subscription bundles — New Work Abo (168 EUR/year), Führungs-Abo (208 EUR/year), and Consulting-Abo (208 EUR/year) — include exclusive online sessions, presentation slides, recordings, and community newsletters.
- brand eins edition Special-edition publications that compile the best articles from the main magazine around single themes in a compact format. Available both as e-paper (digital) and print.
- Neuland (Regional Magazine) Regional economic magazine series (e.g., Niederbayern edition) showcasing the strengths, identity, and economic characteristics of specific German regions.
- Die Besten Rankings Annual expert-survey-based industry rankings of the best consultants, HR recruiters, IT service providers, and career portals in Germany, produced in partnership with Statista. Includes interactive Germany-wide maps and detailed company profiles.
Companies that use brand eins Verlag
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
brand eins Verlag technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
brand eins Verlag partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- StatistacoreAnnual partnership for 'Die Besten' (Best Lists) rankings - surveying thousands of recommendations from experts and clients to identify top business consultants, HR recruiters, IT providers, and career portals. Creates industry-leading B2B reference rankings.
- detektor.fmcorePodcast production partnership for the brand eins Podcast. detektor.fm produces and distributes the flagship brand eins Podcast offering weekly business insights with exciting guests and perspectives on economics.
- Migros-PionierfondsminorPartnership for the '100 Minuten' podcast series. Third season explores living together in Switzerland, covering new housing forms, cooperative building, healthy cities, and medieval concepts for modern living.
- ForaminorPartnership for 'Nein to Five' podcast about New Work, exploring the future of work, leadership changes, employer branding, talent acquisition, and office/community roles.
- Planet AminorPartnership for 'Planetary Podcast' discussing new economics within planetary boundaries. In collaboration with BMW Foundation, exploring transition from old industrial society to new economic mindsets.
- BMW FoundationminorCo-partner for Planetary Podcast on sustainable economics and planetary boundaries.
- VIUminorEyewear brand collaboration. VIU and brand eins unite two disciplines focused on precision and depth. Collection features 'The Simple' and 'The Lucent' models, emphasizing attitude over trends for lasting content and design.
- Kessels & SmitcoreThe Learning Company - annual co-development partner for Leadershift 'Hero's Journey' virtual preparation program. Specializes in original and clever learning journeys for conference participants.
- DELPHISminorEvent marketing partner for Leadershift conference implementation.
- Regionalverband RuhrminorPartnership for 'Auf Ruhr' podcast exploring transformation of the Ruhr region from coal and steel to new energies, technologies, research, and sustainable networking.
- MetaplancoreOrganizational consulting partnership for brand eins peergroups - format for change-oriented executives. Metaplan also partners on SXSW innovation conference content.
- Alpha Innovation x NOI TechparkminorSponsors free access to the 'Radikal & Innovativ' collection until July 19th, supporting innovation and succession themes.
- PlacetelminorCommunication collection sponsor enabling free access to the Kommunikation themed collection.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
brand eins Verlag competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bloomberg Businessweek (German edition): International business magazine with German distribution and online presence. Competes for the same executive readership and B2B advertising dollars across DACH.
- Horizont: German trade publication covering advertising, marketing, and media industries. Comparable in covering DACH B2B marketing clients (similar to brand eins' corporate services buyers) and running industry rankings/events.
- The Economist: Global weekly business publication with a strong German subscriber base. Overlaps on premium executive subscriptions and on live-event programming (e.g., The Economist Events).
- Absatzwirtschaft: German B2B marketing and sales magazine. Adjacent peer: shares the same corporate-services and event monetization around marketing decision-makers, though targeted more narrowly at marketing/sales functions.
Direct peers
- impulse (magazine): German business magazine targeted at entrepreneurs and SMEs with a similar mix of editorial, subscription, and event revenue. Comparable audience overlap on founders and owner-managers.
- Harvard Business Manager: German edition of Harvard Business Review serving the same senior-manager audience. Competes directly in the premium business-content subscription category and on conference programming.
- Wirtschaftswoche: Leading German-language weekly business magazine with similar target audience of executives and managers. Direct competitor in the DACH business-magazine category, with comparable subscription, advertising, and event revenue streams.
- Capital (magazine): German business and finance magazine covering economics, careers, and investment. Direct competitor in DACH business-magazine subscriptions and corporate-services content.
- Handelsblatt: Germany's flagship business newspaper with a strong executive readership. Competes for the same subscriber and corporate-services budgets and runs comparable live events, newsletters, and rankings.
- Manager Magazin: Monthly German business magazine focused on executives, management, and economics. Closely comparable in editorial positioning, premium subscription pricing, and B2B content focus, owned by the Spiegel group.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
brand eins Verlag social profiles
Digital presencebrand eins Verlag financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
brand eins Verlag leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
brand eins Verlag funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
brand eins Verlag 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 brand eins Verlag
What does brand eins Verlag do?
brand eins Verlag publishes a monthly German-language business magazine (brand eins Wirtschaftsmagazin) available in print, digital, and combined subscription formats, producing independent journalism focused on business change, leadership, and innovation. Beyond the core magazine, the company sells themed annual subscriptions (New Work Abo, Führungs-Abo, Consulting-Abo), produces B2B corporate publishing projects for enterprise clients (e.g., Tchibo Kaffee Report, DB Regio Mobilitätsreport), operates two flagship conferences (work awesome and Leadershift), and runs a podcast network and newsletter ecosystem.
Is brand eins Verlag a public or private company?
brand eins Verlag is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was brand eins Verlag founded?
brand eins Verlag was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is brand eins Verlag based?
brand eins Verlag is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does brand eins Verlag make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Publishing Services, advertising, conference Events and podcast Network.
Who are brand eins Verlag's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bloomberg Businessweek (German edition), Horizont, The Economist and Absatzwirtschaft. Direct peers are impulse (magazine), Harvard Business Manager, Wirtschaftswoche, Capital (magazine), Handelsblatt and Manager Magazin.
Does brand eins Verlag have an API?
No public API is recorded for brand eins Verlag.
What industry is brand eins Verlag in?
brand eins Verlag's product category is Business Media Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAM, Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJADAJ, Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C). Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.