What Ebner Media Group does

Ebner Media Group is a privately held, family-owned German media company headquartered in Ulm, operating a portfolio of more than 30 specialized media brands across B2B professional and consumer enthusiast verticals. The portfolio spans trade publications (Deutscher Drucker, PAGE, Developer-World/dotnetpro, Telekom Handel, Professional System, W&V, Flexo+Tiefdruck, Etiketten-Labels, Verpackung), enthusiast magazines (Gitarre & Bass, SAZbike, SAZsport, SkiMagazin, Wanderlust, WatchTime, Feuerwehr-Magazin, Rettungsmagazin), film and production media (Film + TV Kamera, Cinec, Production Partner, Sound & Recording), fashion/tailoring (M. Müller & Sohn), and event brands (Guitar Summit, LEaT/LEaTcon, WatchTime Düsseldorf, Cinec). The company reaches roughly 300 professionals across six offices in Germany (Ulm, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg), Switzerland (Zurich), and the United States (New York).

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) recurring magazine subscriptions managed via the plenigo platform across print and digital editions, (2) advertising and sponsorships sold to B2B advertisers across the trade and enthusiast portfolio, (3) event ticket sales and exhibitor participation fees from flagship events such as Guitar Summit (14,600 visitors, 614 brands from 50+ countries in 2025) and WatchTime Düsseldorf, and (4) one-time digital product sales including specialty books (e.g., DOB Drapieren at €98) and professional literature. Distribution operates through owned e-commerce storefronts (Shopware-based), print distribution networks, third-party ticketing platforms (Eventbrite, Rodrigue, Lumux, vivenu), and the LO:X hybrid event platform.

The company's underlying technology stack combines AI-augmented editorial workflows (ChatGPT-assisted translation with human expert review since 2023), a proprietary EMG-Form-Builder for data capture, and a matrix organization that pairs brand-focused editorial teams with shared functional expertise in software development, digital products, data, and business development. CRM runs on Salesforce Sales Cloud / Marketing Cloud on EU servers, with consent management via Usercentrics and Google Consent Mode, and a broad integration footprint spanning payment (PayPal, Stripe, Klarna), marketing automation (MailChimp, SendGrid, mailingwork, Mailgun), and webinar/event tooling (GoToMeeting, Daily.co, Vimeo, YouTube).

Name

Ebner Media Group

Legal name

Ebner Media Group GmbH & Co KG

Website

https://ebnermedia.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ebner Media Group is a privately held, family-owned German media company operating 30+ specialized B2B trade and enthusiast media brands across publishing, events, and digital platforms for professionals and hobbyists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Trade Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ), E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices) (MPAJAMAA), E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Specialty trade publishing
• Professional B2B media
• Consumer enthusiast magazines
• Live media events
• Portfolio media company

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions across 30+ professional and enthusiast brands covering sectors including cycling, music, printing, IT, firefighting, packaging, and more.
2. Event Tickets and Participation: Revenue from flagship events including Guitar Summit (14,600+ visitors), WatchTime Düsseldorf, and other industry-specific conferences. Includes ticket sales, vendor booth rentals, and participation fees.
3. Advertising and Sponsorships: B2B advertising across print and digital platforms, banner advertising on websites, and sponsorship packages for events. Multiple ad formats including display, content, and newsletter advertising.
4. Digital Products: Digital publications including e-books, streaming content, software, and online access to premium content. Also includes professional literature like the DOB Drapieren book at €98.
5. Event Venue and Facility Services: Events hosted at prestigious venues like Mannheimer Rosengarten and Rheinterrasse Düsseldorf. Revenue from ticket sales, vendor spaces, and associated services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ebner Media Group operates a portfolio of 30+ specialized media brands that publish print and digital trade magazines, run flagship live events (such as Guitar Summit and WatchTime Düsseldorf), and distribute related digital products and specialty books to both B2B professionals and consumer enthusiasts. Revenue is generated through magazine subscriptions, B2B advertising and event sponsorships, paid event tickets and exhibitor fees, and sales of specialty publications such as the DOB Drapieren draping book.

Product overview

Ebner Media Group is a German media company operating over 30 strong brands across professional and enthusiast media. The portfolio consists of print magazines, digital platforms, live events (including Guitar Summit and WatchTime Düsseldorf), and video content. Key brand clusters include B2B professional media (Developer-World/dotnetpro, Telekom Handel, Professional System, W&V, PAGE), sports and outdoor publications (SAZbike, SAZsport, SkiMagazin, Wanderlust), watch and jewelry (WatchTime), music and audio (Gitarre & Bass, Sound & Recording), film and production (Film + TV Kamera, Cinec, Production Partner), emergency services (Feuerwehr-Magazin, Rettungsmagazin), and printing/packaging (Deutscher Drucker, Verpackung, Flexo+Tiefdruck). Since 2023, the company has implemented AI-powered publishing solutions for content enhancement. The company operates a matrix organization structure with brand-focused teams complemented by functional expertise in software development, digital products, data, and business development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEaTcon: Event/conference brand for live event and production technology
• PAGE
• W&V (Wirtschaft und Verkaufen)
• Developer-World
• Print.de
• Guitar Summit
• Flexo+Tiefdruck
• Feuerwehrmagazin
• SAZbike
• WatchTime
• SKI Magazin
• Müller & Sohn
• Gitarre & Bass
• Event Partner
• Film+TV Kamera
• Rettungsmagazin
• Telekom Handel
• Naturstein
• Production Partner
• Etiketten-Labels
• SAZsport
• Grafische Palette
• Communicate
• Deutscher Drucker
• Professional System
• Wanderlust
• CINEC
• LEaT

Products and services

• Guitar Summit Annual flagship European guitar culture event combining workshops, masterclasses, live concerts, and brand exhibitions, targeting guitar and bass enthusiasts and the music industry.
• WatchTime Düsseldorf Live event brand for mechanical watch collectors and enthusiasts, held at Rheinterrasse Düsseldorf.
• LEaT (Live Event Technology Conference) Conference focused on live event and production technology, with ticketing managed through the Lumux platform.
• CINEC Cinematography-focused publication and event brand covering cinema, production technology, and the cinematography industry.
• PAGE magazine Germany's leading B2B design media brand covering creative trends, digital design, and innovation for design professionals.
• Developer-World / Dotnetpro Developer-focused publications covering software development, programming languages, .NET/dotnetpro, and technology trends.
• W&V (Werben & Verkaufen) Advertising and marketing trade magazine covering campaigns, agencies, and marketing industry news.
• Deutscher Drucker Printing trade publication covering printing techniques, machinery, and industry developments for the printing sector.
• Telekom Handel Telecommunications trade magazine covering mobile networks, telecom industry news, and business technology for telecom retail.
• Film + TV Kamera (Relaunch) Professional cinematography and camera technology magazine covering set knowledge, image composition, workflows, and broadcast industry news.
• SAZbike Leading German cycling and bicycle industry magazine covering bikes, components, and cycling culture for B2B industry readers and cycling enthusiasts.
• Gitarre & Bass Guitar and bass guitar magazine covering instruments, equipment, players, and music culture for enthusiast readers.
• SkiMagazin Skiing and winter sports magazine covering equipment, destinations, and alpine sports for enthusiast readers.
• WatchTime Watch enthusiast magazine and event brand for mechanical watch collectors and enthusiasts, with associated live events.
• Wanderlust Hiking and outdoor adventure magazine covering trails, destinations, and nature experiences for enthusiast readers.
• Feuerwehr-Magazin / Rettungsmagazin Fire department and emergency/rescue services magazines covering firefighting equipment, techniques, emergency medicine, and rescue operations for professional readers.
• Verpackung / Flexo+Tiefdruck / Etiketten-Labels / Print Packaging, flexography/gravure printing, labels, and print industry publications serving the printing, packaging, and labeling industries.
• DOB Drapieren (Specialty Book) Comprehensive specialty book on draping techniques in garment construction, published by M. Müller & Sohn under the Ebner Media Group. Sells through EMG specialty book channels at €98.
• M. Müller & Sohn Fashion & Tailoring Publications Fashion and tailoring brand publishing books and content covering garment construction, draping techniques, and pattern making.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guitar Summit 2025: 14,600 visitors, 614 brands from 50+ countries, 113 workshops
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vogel Communications Group: Würzburg-based German B2B media company with a portfolio of trade publications, digital platforms, and events serving automotive, IT, and industrial verticals. Closely comparable to Ebner's B2B trade publishing and live-event franchise model.
• Hubert Burda Media: Germany's largest family-owned media conglomerate, headquartered in Offenburg/Munich, operating a portfolio of national magazines, digital media, and events (e.g., Focus, Bunte). Direct peer given overlapping multi-vertical B2B/B2C publishing, event operations, and family-owned German media heritage.
• WEKA Media: German B2B media group specializing in professional trade publications, digital products, and events for technical and regulatory niches. Comparable to Ebner's multi-vertical B2B print/digital/events approach and family-owned heritage.
• Haymarket Media Group: UK-based private media company operating a diversified portfolio of trade publications, consumer magazines, and events across marketing, automotive, and medical verticals. Closely comparable to Ebner's multi-brand B2B/B2C publishing-plus-events business model and family ownership structure.
• Motor Presse Stuttgart: Stuttgart-based German enthusiast media group with magazines and events in automotive, cycling, and outdoor verticals (e.g., Bike, Outdoor, Motor Klassik). Comparable for overlapping enthusiast sports/outdoor publishing and event-driven GTM (e.g., parallel to SAZbike, SkiMagazin, Wanderlust).
• IDG (International Data Group) / IDG Communications: Global technology media company with B2B tech publications (Computerworld, CIO, Macworld), events, and research. Directly comparable to Ebner's Developer-World, Professional System, and Telekom Handel brands serving the IT and telecom verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Future plc: UK-listed global multi-brand media company with magazines, websites, and events across technology, gaming, music, and lifestyle verticals. Comparable for hybrid print/digital/events model and vertical-specialist approach, though at significantly larger scale than Ebner.
• Bauer Media Group: Hamburg-headquartered global media company with extensive portfolio of magazines, digital platforms, and audio. Broader and larger than Ebner, but operates in the same DACH B2B/B2C publishing market with similar subscription and advertising monetization.
• Axel Springer (now part of the broader Springer Group): Germany's largest digital media company and leading publisher of newspapers, classifieds, and digital B2B media (e.g., Computer Bild, Auto Bild, WELT). Larger incumbent in the same German B2B/B2C publishing market, with overlapping tech and lifestyle verticals.
• Gruner + Jahr (now part of RTL Deutschland): Hamburg-based German magazine publisher (Stern, Brigitte, GEO) now operating under RTL Deutschland. Larger incumbent in the same German B2C magazine publishing market, offering comparable subscription and advertising models for enthusiast and lifestyle audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ebnermediagroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/ebnermedia
• Xx.com/ebnermediagroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ebner Media Group