Gillware Data Recovery

What Gillware Data Recovery does

Gillware Data Recovery is a privately held, US-based data recovery laboratory founded in 2004 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The company recovers data from failed hard drives, SSDs, RAID arrays, NAS devices, servers, flash media, and phones, with particular depth in modern and complex storage stacks including Btrfs, Ext4, APFS, ZFS, Synology/QNAP modified filesystems, and Intel Optane hybrid drives. Its core technical capability rests on an ISO 5 Class-100 certified cleanroom with modular benches, specialized burnishing equipment, and 100% proprietary in-house hardware and software tooling developed for micro-surgeries on modern high-density hard disks; engineering expertise is concentrated in an in-house team with combined 200,000 hours of recovery experience, including computer scientists, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers.

The company's go-to-market combines three motions: a sales-led risk-free engagement model (free evaluation, flat-rate quote in writing, payment only on successful recovery for most single-drive cases), enterprise field sales via direct referral relationships with Dell and VMware, and a substantial channel partner network of more than 2,000 managed service providers and computer repair facilities, augmented by a national retail distribution partnership with Micro Center for in-store service. Customer segmentation is horizontal, spanning individual consumers with failed personal devices, small and mid-sized businesses running aging servers and NAS devices, and enterprise IT departments with VMware and SAN environments. Pricing is usage-based, with a priority expedited tier (1–2 business days) and a HIPAA processing surcharge ($150) as additional monetization hooks beyond the standard 6–10 business day turnaround.

Gillware has built its position without any disclosed external funding and remains founder-controlled under Chairman and CEO Brian Gill, with operations sustained by case-by-case service revenue. Cumulative volume exceeds 100,000 successful recoveries since founding, supported by a marketing model that leans heavily on technical content (detailed filesystem-recovery articles), partner referrals, and toll-free phone and web-based case intake rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Gillware Data Recovery

Legal name

Gillware

Website

https://gillware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gillware Data Recovery is a privately held, Madison, Wisconsin–based data recovery laboratory founded in 2004 that recovers data from hard drives, SSDs, RAID arrays, NAS devices, servers, and phones, serving consumers, SMBs, and enterprise IT through an ISO 5 cleanroom, proprietary tooling, and a 2,000+ partner referral network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Data Recovery Services

NAICS

Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Data Recovery, Device Unlocking & Software Repair Services (CRACAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immutable Backup, Air-Gap & Ransomware Recovery (HDABAIAJ), Cyber Recovery & Ransomware-Resilient Backup Services (BPAEALAG)

Keywords

• Data recovery services
• RAID data recovery
• NAS data recovery
• SSD data recovery
• Server data recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Data Recovery Services: Standard single-drive recoveries use risk-free model: free evaluation, flat-rate quote in writing before work begins, payment only on successful recovery; complex multi-drive cases may carry engineering charges regardless of outcome
2. Priority Service Upgrade: Optional priority service tier offering 1-2 business day turnaround for additional fee; standard service is 6-10 business days at no extra charge
3. HIPAA Data Processing: Special processing for electronic protected health information requiring special handling; adds $150 to standard pricing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gillware Data Recovery is a professional data recovery laboratory that recovers lost data from failed hard drives, SSDs, RAID arrays, NAS devices, servers, flash media, and mobile phones. The company operates an ISO 5 Class-100 certified cleanroom and develops proprietary in-house hardware and software tools to handle complex recoveries including modern filesystems (Btrfs, Ext4, APFS, ZFS), Intel Optane hybrid drives, and ransomware-affected systems. Services are sold primarily on a risk-free engagement model with flat-rate quotes and pay-on-success terms.

Product overview

Gillware Data Recovery is a data recovery service provider operating since 2004, offering a comprehensive suite of recovery services for various storage devices and file systems. The core offering centers on emergency and standard data recovery services for hard drives, SSDs, flash media, servers, RAID arrays, and NAS devices. The company maintains an ISO 5 Class-100 certified cleanroom lab with proprietary in-house developed recovery hardware and software. Specialized services include file system-specific recovery for APFS (Mac), Btrfs (Synology/SUSE), Ext4 (Linux), and ZFS (including QNAP QuTS hero), as well as Intel Optane hybrid drive recovery and ransomware-affected systems. The company serves both consumers and businesses, with referral relationships from major partners including Dell, VMware, and Micro Center. Pricing follows a risk-free model for single-drive cases (free evaluation, flat-rate quote, payment only on success) with more complex multi-drive cases potentially carrying engineering charges regardless of outcome.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Data Recovery

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 successful data recoveries from storage devices since 2004
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• VMWarecoreTechnology or IntegrationVMWare recommends Gillware to their customers for data recovery needs in virtual enterprise environments. Gillware is VMFS experts and recommended directly by VMWare for VMware/ESXi data recovery situations.
• DellcoreTechnology or IntegrationGillware is the only data recovery company listed on Dell's website. Works with Dell support agents to provide both software recovery and in-lab recovery for Dell customers.
• Micro CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGillware and Micro Center have partnered together to provide world-class data recovery services throughout the United States at every Micro Center location.
• Over 2,000 Managed Service Providers and Computer Repair FacilitiesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 2,000 managed service providers and computer repair facilities refer their clients to Gillware when they need data recovered. These partners trust Gillware for best value and competitive pricing with the best chance to recover data.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DriveSavers: DriveSavers is a long-established US data recovery lab offering recovery for hard drives, SSDs, RAID, NAS, and mobile devices with a comparable cleanroom-based service model. It is the most direct comparable to Gillware in target customers, pricing structure, and enterprise referral positioning.
• Ontrack (Kroll): Ontrack provides data recovery, erasure, and forensic services globally, with deep enterprise and RAID/NAS capabilities. It is a direct peer in advanced multi-drive and virtualized environment recovery, competing for the same enterprise customers.
• Secure Data Recovery Services: Secure Data Recovery operates a certified cleanroom lab offering HDD, SSD, RAID, NAS, and server recovery. It competes head-to-head with Gillware for SMB and enterprise recovery cases in the US market.
• ACE Data Recovery: ACE Data Recovery is a US-based data recovery services provider covering hard drives, SSDs, RAID, and mobile devices with Class-10 cleanroom facilities. Comparable in service breadth, customer segments, and pricing model.
• Stellar Data Recovery: Stellar offers both software (DIY) and professional data recovery services for drives, RAID, and virtual environments. It overlaps with Gillware's consumer and SMB recovery cases while also extending into software-led recovery.
• SalvageData: SalvageData is a US data recovery company providing RAID, NAS, SSD, and ransomware recovery services. It is a direct competitor for SMB and enterprise recovery work, with similar risk-free or no-recovery-no-fee offerings.
• Datarecovery.com: Datarecovery.com (and its affiliated 365 Data Recovery brand) provides cleanroom-based HDD, SSD, RAID, and smartphone recovery. It is a direct US peer competing for consumer and SMB recovery demand.

Emerging players

• Proven Data: Proven Data specializes in ransomware and server recovery with a strong enterprise and incident-response positioning. It overlaps with Gillware's ransomware and VMware recovery services while focusing more narrowly on incident-driven cases.

Broad incumbents

• IBM Data Recovery Services: IBM and other large storage OEMs offer enterprise-grade data recovery and DR services as part of broader infrastructure portfolios. They compete for high-end enterprise cases while offering a much wider service catalog than Gillware.
• Datto (Kaseya): Datto provides backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity for SMBs and MSPs, including ransomware-resilient backup. It competes indirectly by reducing the need for third-party recovery through better backup postures for the same SMB customer base.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gwdatarecovery
• Facebookfacebook.com/gillwaredatarecovery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gillware-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gillware Data Recovery