Big

What Big does

Big (legally b.i.g. gruppe management gmbh, marketed as big. bechtold-gruppe) is a family-owned German building services group founded in 1981 and headquartered in Karlsruhe. The company delivers integrated services across four operating divisions—big. engineering services (project management, technical building equipment, photovoltaic planning, conveyor and logistics planning, consulting engineering, safety technology), big. facility services (facility management consulting, technical and infrastructural building management, cleaning, commercial management, space management), big. security services (security concepts, security technology, guard services, value logistics, event and trade show services), and big. smart services (planning, lifecycle engineering, construction logistics, public-private partnerships, branch service, integrated cash management, process innovation)—delivered through wholly-owned subsidiaries including b.i.g. bechtold ingenieurgesellschaft mbh, b.i.g. gebaude service gmbh, b.i.g. sicherheit gmbh, and b.i.g. netzwerk management gmbh.

The group's core technology stack combines a VdS-certified 24/7 alarm and service control center (NSL) with a proprietary mobile video surveillance product, the big. smart video tower, which uses AI-based computer vision to distinguish humans, animals, and vehicles at up to 150 meters, is solar/fuel cell powered, vandal-resistant, and integrated with on-site intervention services. Internally, the group deploys the big. app (built with technology partner Flip) and the big. brain knowledge database to connect employees across the group and standardize processes. Proprietary assets are limited to the video tower and internal apps; the broader service delivery model is professional services rather than software- or product-led.

Big generates revenue through quote-based, contract-negotiated B2B engagements with enterprise and institutional customers, distributed across 36+ German cities and two Swiss locations (Lausanne, Zurich). The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales organized by service division, supplemented by job fair participation and a multi-channel employer brand presence. Reference customers include dm-drogerie markt, Allianz Arena München, DZ BANK AG, MiRO Mineraloelraffinerie, and ZKM Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, spanning retail, sports/events, banking, industrial, and cultural verticals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; disclosed employee wage data (security staff up to €16.71/h, supervisor €18.40/h) implies a labor-intensive cost structure. The company is privately held by the Bechtold family, with no external institutional or PE ownership.

Name

Big

Legal name

b.i.g. gruppe management gmbh

Website

https://big-gruppe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Big (big. bechtold-gruppe) is a family-owned, Karlsruhe-based German building services group founded in 1981, delivering integrated engineering, facility management, security, and smart services to enterprise and institutional clients across 36+ German cities and Switzerland, with a proprietary AI-enabled mobile video surveillance product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Integrated Building Services

NAICS

Security Systems Services (56162), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Automation Systems (BAS/BMS) Integration & Controls (BPABAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Low-Voltage & Security Systems Contracting (Access Control, CCTV, Intrusion) (IMAFALAF), Engineering design services (line design, substation design, civil/structural) (EUADAKAG), Performance Contracting & Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) for Buildings (BPABAGAN)

Keywords

• Building services
• Facility management
• Security services
• Engineering consulting
• Property management

Headquarters

HQ city

Karlsruhe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Project management, technical building equipment (TGA), photovoltaic systems, conveyor technology and logistics planning, consulting engineering services, safety technology and planning. Provided through b.i.g. bechtold INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT MBH.
2. Facility Services: Facility management consulting, technical building management, infrastructural building management, building cleaning, commercial building management, space management. Provided through b.i.g. gebaude service gmbh.
3. Security Services: Security concepts, security technology, security services, value logistics, trade show and event services, chauffeur, post and courier services. Provided through b.i.g. sicherheit gmbh. Includes mobile video surveillance (big. smart video tower).
4. Smart Services: Integrated project management, lifecycle engineering, construction site logistics, public-private partnerships, branch service, integrated cash management, process innovation.
5. Big. Akademie: Training and continuing education services for employees and external companies, certified under ISO 9001.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

big. bechtold-gruppe delivers integrated building services spanning four divisions: engineering services (project management, TGA, photovoltaic, conveyor and logistics planning, consulting engineering, safety technology), facility services (technical, infrastructural and commercial building management, cleaning, space management), security services (security concepts, technology, guards, value logistics, trade-show and event services, chauffeur/post/courier), and smart services (planning, lifecycle engineering, construction logistics, public-private partnerships, branch service, integrated cash management, process innovation). The proprietary big. smart video tower and VdS-certified 24/7 NSL add mobile AI surveillance and alarm response to the service portfolio.

Product overview

Big (big. bechtold-gruppe) is a family-owned building services company offering intelligent, synergistically networked service solutions under the 'big. family of services' concept. The portfolio comprises four main service divisions: (1) big. engineering services covering project management, technical building equipment (TGA), photovoltaic systems, logistics planning, consulting engineering, and safety technology; (2) big. facility services including facility management consulting, technical/infrastructural/commercial building management, cleaning, and space management; (3) big. security services offering security concepts, technology, guard services, value logistics, and event services; and (4) big. smart services combining planning, project control, lifecycle engineering, construction logistics, public-private partnerships, branch services, integrated cash management, and process innovation. Key named products include the big. smart video tower (AI-powered mobile video surveillance), big. app (employee communication platform with integrated knowledge base big. brain), big. integriertes cash management, and big. akademie (ISO 9001 certified training academy).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• big. engineering services: Engineering services including project management, technical building equipment, photovoltaic systems, conveyor and logistics planning, consulting engineering, and security technology
• big. facility services
• big. security services
• big. smart services
• big. akademie
• big. brain
• big. smart video tower
• netzwerk mensch

Products and services

• big. engineering services Engineering and technical planning services including project management, technical building equipment (TGA), photovoltaic systems, conveyor and logistics planning, consulting engineering, and safety technology planning; delivered through b.i.g. bechtold INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT MBH to enterprise and mid-market clients.
• big. facility services Comprehensive facility management services including consulting, technical building management, infrastructural services, building cleaning, commercial property management, and space management; delivered through b.i.g. gebäude service gmbh.
• big. security services Security services including security concepts, security technology, security guards, value logistics, trade show and event services, and chauffeur/post/courier services; delivered through b.i.g. sicherheit gmbh.
• big. smart services Integrated smart service solutions combining planning, project management, lifecycle engineering, construction site logistics, public-private partnerships, branch services, integrated cash management, and process innovation for enterprise customers.
• big. smart video tower Mobile video surveillance tower for construction sites, event venues, charging infrastructure, parking lots, and outdoor areas, featuring AI-based object detection and 24/7 alarm response via the VdS-certified NSL.
• big. integriertes cash management Integrated cash management solution for efficient payment processing and cash flow management across customer operations, part of the smart services portfolio.
• big. akademie ISO 9001-certified training and continuing education academy offering professional development, training, and coaching for employees and external companies.
• big. filialservice Branch and store service solution for retail and chain-store customers as a standalone sub-service within the smart services portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49 minutes from alarm to perpetrator apprehension (Halle/Saale construction site case)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FlipcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the big. app employee application platform. The Flip employee app platform was implemented group-wide to connect all employees through a central platform with corporate news, channels, chat, and integrated knowledge management (big. brain). The partnership enabled rapid deployment of the app within weeks, presented at a leadership event in Karlsruhe.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wisag: Germany's largest family-owned facility services group offering technical building management, security, cleaning and industrial services across hundreds of sites — a direct national competitor to big.'s facility and security divisions with materially greater scale.
• Dussmann Group: German integrated facility management, security, cleaning and technical services provider serving enterprise and public-sector clients. Closely overlaps big.'s four-division bundled service model with a much larger footprint.
• STRABAG Property and Facility Services: Subsidiary of STRABAG SE providing technical facility management, security and infrastructure services for commercial properties across Germany. Competes with big.'s facility services division, particularly for real estate clients.
• Securitas Germany: German arm of the global security services leader, providing guarding, mobile video surveillance and security technology. Direct competitor to big.'s security services and a reference point for the smart video tower product category.
• Hochtief Facility Management: Facility management arm of German construction major Hochtief, providing integrated building, property and energy management services. Competes for large enterprise and public-sector FM contracts that big. also targets.
• Compass Group (Germany): Global contract services group with German operations across food services and facility services. Adjacent competitor for integrated facility services contracts, particularly in corporate, healthcare and education segments.
• Sodexo Germany: French-headquartered integrated facility services and food services group with significant German operations. Competes with big. for multi-service corporate and institutional FM contracts.

Direct peers

• Kötter Services: German family-owned security and facility services group combining guarding, security technology and cleaning. Directly comparable in family-owned identity, integrated security-plus-FM positioning, and DACH regional focus.
• Gegenbauer: Berlin-based integrated facility management provider offering cleaning, security, technical and commercial building management for commercial real estate. Comparable in multi-service bundling and German national coverage.
• Securiton Deutschland: German security technology specialist offering alarm systems, video surveillance and integrated security solutions. Direct comparable for big.'s security technology division, including AI-based video detection and VdS-certified monitoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuHoXrlJDh8jmNtJe2cBKjA
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigbechtoldgruppe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-bechtold-gruppe
• Instagraminstagram.com/big.bechtold_gruppe

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

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 Big