What Strongstep does

Strongstep is a Porto-based consulting and training firm founded in 2009 that helps organisations implement, certify, and improve management systems across information security, quality, and regulatory compliance. The company's core technology is its consulting methodology and proprietary assessment frameworks built around internationally recognised standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 13485, CMMI, ITmark, NIS2, DORA, GDPR, TISAX, and NP 4552. Notable proprietary assets include the Digital Maturity Seal (a four-dimension, three-tier certification covering Cybersecurity, Privacy, Digital Services, and Digital Identity), four free online preliminary risk analysis tools, and the PROMESSA AI project management assistant developed through a €556K EU-funded R&D consortium with University of Porto, Fraunhofer Portugal, and INESC TEC. The company is also a CMMI Institute-authorised implementation partner.

The business model is professional services revenue across three streams: consulting engagements (project-based, scoped per client), training courses (per-participant pricing across 20+ courses delivered on-site, remote, or hybrid), and certification support services. All pricing is non-public and quote-based. Go-to-market is direct B2B sales led and event-driven, with a content marketing engine (10+ gated ebooks, StepTalks podcast, blog, free assessment tools) generating inbound leads, plus a bilingual PT/EN digital platform supporting international outreach. Distribution is exclusively direct, with no reseller or marketplace channels.

The company serves 200+ active clients across four primary verticals: IT companies and software developers (CMMI, ITmark, SAFe, ISO 27001), financial services and FinTech (DORA, NIS2, ISO 27001, GDPR), telecommunications (NIS2, ISO 27001), and public administration (ISO 9001, ISO 27001, NP 4552, Digital Maturity Seal), with secondary exposure to healthcare (ISO 13485) and automotive (TISAX). Named enterprise customers include Primavera, ebankIT, Frotcom, InnoWave, and Deloitte Delivery Center. The firm holds several "first-in-Portugal" certifications, including the first CMMI for Services implementation and the first CMMI Dev Level 3 certification for Deloitte Delivery Center.

Name

Strongstep

Legal name

STRONGSTEP – Innovation in Software Quality Lda.

Website

https://strongstep.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strongstep is a Porto-based consulting firm founded in 2009 that helps organisations implement process improvement, information security, and quality management standards (ISO, CMMI, NIS2, DORA, GDPR), serving 200+ clients across IT, financial services, telecommunications, and public sector primarily in Portugal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Porto

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Strongstep provides advisory and implementation services for organisations seeking certification or compliance with international standards (ISO 9001, ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA, GDPR, CMMI, ITMark, TISAX, NP 4552, SAFe, COSO, COBIT, ISO 42001, and others). These are project-based professional services typically scoped by the client's needs and industry.
2. Training Courses: Strongstep offers a portfolio of training courses on quality management, information security, process improvement, and related standards. Courses include ISO 9001 (8h), ISO 9001 Lead Auditor (12h), ISO 27001 Introduction (8h), ISO 27001 Foundation (16h), ISO 27001 Lead Auditor (16h), CMMI v2.0 Development (24h), CMMI v2.0 Services (24h), DPO (4h), Service Management/ISO 20000, Software Project Management, Risk Management, GDPR, NP 4552, SAFe, and Agile Testing. Courses are delivered in-person, remote, or hybrid formats.
3. Certification Support Services: Strongstep supports organisations through the full certification journey, from gap analysis and implementation through to the final audit and certificate issuance. Certification covers standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 27001, CMMI, ITMark, and others.
4. Free Preliminary Analysis (Lead Generation): Free preliminary risk analysis assessments across four categories (Information Security, Process Improvement, Software Development, Service Management) serve as a lead generation tool, converting prospects into paying consultancy clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Strongstep is a Portuguese consulting firm that helps organisations implement, audit, and certify management systems and compliance frameworks, including ISO 9001/27001/20000/22301/27701/42001/13485, GDPR/RGPD, NIS2, DORA, CMMI, ITmark, TISAX, SAFe, and the Digital Maturity Seal. The company delivers project-based advisory services, professional training courses (delivered on-site, remote, or hybrid), certification support, and outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO) services. Strongstep also operates free online preliminary risk-assessment tools across Information Security, Process Improvement, Software Development, and Service Management used to convert prospects into consulting engagements.

Product overview

Strongstep is a process improvement and quality management consulting company offering a comprehensive portfolio of consulting services, training courses, and assessment tools. The core offering consists of ISO standard implementation consulting (ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 20000, ISO 22301, ISO 27701, ISO 13485, ISO 42001, ISO 45001, ISO 31000), EU regulatory compliance services (GDPR/RGPD, NIS2, DORA), maturity model certifications (CMMI, ITmark), and sector-specific services (TISAX for automotive, Digital Maturity/Cybersecurity Seal). The company also provides professional training courses, a free Preliminary Analysis assessment service, and R&D projects like PROMESSA (AI-powered project management assistant). The portfolio is structured around three pillars: People (human resources and work-life balance NP 4552), Processes (management system implementation and improvement), and Technology (information security, AI systems via ISO 42001).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISO Management Systems Consulting End-to-end implementation, gap analysis, and certification support for a portfolio of ISO standards (ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 27001 information security, ISO 20000 IT service management, ISO 22301 business continuity, ISO 27701 privacy, ISO 42001 AI management, ISO 13485 medical devices, ISO 45001 occupational H&S, ISO 31000 risk, ISO 14001 environment, ISO 27035 incident management, AS 9100 aerospace) for organisations seeking formal certification.
• ISO 27001 Information Security Consulting Dedicated consulting service for implementing and certifying an Information Security Management System (ISMS) aligned to ISO 27001, including transition support for clients moving from ISO 27001:2013 to ISO 27001:2022 by 25 October 2025.
• NIS2 Compliance Consulting Advisory and implementation services for EU Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2) compliance, targeting Essential and Important Entities across 18 sectors with deadlines and penalties up to EUR 10M or 2% of turnover.
• DORA Compliance Consulting Digital Operational Resilience Act compliance consulting for financial sector organisations (banks, financial market infrastructure, insurance, FinTech, IT providers to financial sector) with requirements for technology and information security management; deadline 17 January 2025.
• RGPD/GDPR Compliance Services General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD in Portugal / GDPR in EU) compliance consulting to help organisations protect personal data, meet consent and treatment requirements, and achieve GDPR compliance certification.
• CMMI Consulting Capability Maturity Model Integration consulting for CMMI v2.0 Development and CMMI v2.0 Services, delivered as authorised CMMI Institute partner; Strongstep led the first CMMI for Services implementation in Portugal and the first Deloitte Delivery Center CMMI Dev Level 3 certification in Portugal.
• ITmark Certification Support Consulting and certification support for the ITmark scheme targeting SMEs developing, maintaining, and operating software products, applications, and systems; offered across ITmark for Development, ITmark for Services, and ITmark RGPD Compliance variants.
• TISAX Consulting Information security assessment and exchange service (TISAX) consulting for automotive sector suppliers and manufacturers, based on VDA-ISA requirements adapted from ISO 27001, covering prototype protection and data privacy.
• SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) Consulting Advisory and implementation services for the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), supporting faster time-to-market, productivity gains, and employee engagement for organisations adopting enterprise agile practices.
• Digital Maturity Seal Certification Proprietary digital maturity certification comprising four seals (Cybersecurity, Privacy, Digital Services, Digital Identity) that together grant the Complete Digital Maturity Seal, with progressive maturity levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
• Cybersecurity Seal Certification Three-tiered cybersecurity certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold) designed to help organisations demonstrate cybersecurity maturity and align with NIS2 and GDPR requirements.
• Data Protection Officer (DPO) Services Outsourced Data Protection Officer services to help organisations implement GDPR-mandated privacy and data protection policies and procedures.
• NP 4552 Work-Life Balance Consulting Consulting and certification support for the Portuguese NP 4552 Work-Life, Family, and Personal Life Reconciliation Management System, addressing employee well-being and work-life balance practices.
• Professional Training Courses Structured training catalogue covering ISO 9001, ISO 27001 (Introduction, Foundation, Lead Auditor, Internal Auditor), CMMI v2.0 Development and Services, DPO, GDPR, NIS2, DORA, SAFe, Agile Testing, Functional Analysis, Risk Management, Service Management (ITIL 4 / ISO 20000), Software Project Management, and NP 4552, delivered on-site, remote, or hybrid by certified instructors.
• Free Preliminary Risk Analysis Free self-assessment tools covering Information Security, Process Improvement, Software Development, and Service Management, after which Strongstep consultants prepare a custom risk report with improvement suggestions, used as lead generation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped more than 600 companies grow (self-reported)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidade do PortocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Strongstep serves as the lead co-promoter (copromotor líder) in the EU-funded PROMESSA R&D project (NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-039887), with Universidade do Porto as a consortium partner. The project ran from August 2019 to July 2022 and aimed to develop an AI-powered project management assistant integrating with Project Control, SCRIM, and JIRA. Total eligible cost: EUR 556,820.32; EU FEDER funding: EUR 404,205.58.
• Associação Fraunhofer Portugal ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Fraunhofer Portugal is a consortium partner in the PROMESSA R&D project alongside Strongstep, University of Porto, and INESC TEC. Fraunhofer contributes research expertise in information security and technology transfer. Project funding: EUR 556,820.32 total eligible cost, EUR 404,205.58 EU FEDER grant.
• INESC TEC (Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores, Tecnologia e Ciência)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019INESC TEC, a research institute in engineering and computer science, is a consortium partner in the PROMESSA AI project. INESC TEC contributes to the development of intelligent systems for project management, collaborating with Strongstep (lead), University of Porto, and Fraunhofer Portugal.
• Microsoft AdvertisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrongstep uses Microsoft Advertising as part of its digital marketing strategy, alongside Microsoft Clarity, to determine the popularity of products/services and online activity, optimise site performance, detect fraud/security issues, and support advertising campaigns.
• CMMI InstitutecoreOthersStrongstep holds a partnership with the CMMI Institute, being one of the companies authorised to help organisations implement CMMI for Development 2.0 and CMMI for Services. Strongstep's trainers include CMMI Institute-certified instructors. Strongstep also achieved the first successful CMMI for Services implementation in Portugal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BSI Group: The British Standards Institution is the world's largest national standards body and a global certification and consulting player. It sells ISO 27001, ISO 9001, NIS2 readiness and cybersecurity advisory services that directly overlap with Strongstep's core portfolio, but at much larger scale and with a global delivery footprint.
• SGS SA: Swiss-based SGS is one of the world's leading testing, inspection and certification companies, offering ISO management system certification, cybersecurity and process improvement services. It competes head-to-head with Strongstep in Portugal for ISO 27001 / 9001 / 13485 / 42001 audits and related advisory work, but across a vastly broader industry portfolio.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is a leading German-based certification body offering ISO management system audits, cybersecurity and functional safety services. It serves multinational manufacturers and tech firms in Portugal with a portfolio that directly competes with Strongstep's ISO and information security consulting practice.
• DNV: DNV is a Norway-based certification and assurance company with a strong digital trust and information security practice. Its ISO 27001, NIS2 readiness and management system certification services overlap with Strongstep's core, particularly for energy, maritime and digital infrastructure clients in Iberia.
• KPMG Portugal: KPMG's Portuguese practice has a large cyber, risk and regulatory compliance advisory team that delivers ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA and GDPR engagements. It competes with Strongstep for mid-market and large enterprise compliance mandates in Portugal, with significantly greater scale and brand recognition.
• Deloitte Portugal: Deloitte's Portuguese Risk Advisory practice delivers ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA, GDPR and CMMI-related consulting, and is itself a Strongstep client (Deloitte Delivery Center achieved CMMI Dev Level 3 with Strongstep). It is a relevant Big 4 peer for compliance and process improvement work in the same accounts.
• NCC Group: NCC Group is a UK-listed cybersecurity and information assurance specialist that provides ISO 27001 certification support, NIS2 readiness and cyber risk advisory. It is comparable to Strongstep's information security practice but at much larger scale and with a more global delivery footprint.

Others

• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) company with a strong presence in Iberia. Its portfolio of ISO certification, cybersecurity and digital trust services overlaps directly with Strongstep's offerings, particularly for industrial and public-sector clients in Portugal.

Regional players

• APCER: APCER is Portugal's leading certification body and a direct domestic competitor for ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 27001 audits, training and management system consulting. As a local player with similar vertical reach to Strongstep in the Portuguese market, it is the closest regional peer.

Direct peers

• Software Improvement Group (SIG): SIG is a Netherlands-based consultancy that combines software quality measurement, ISO 25010 / 5055 assessments, and process improvement advisory for software-driven organisations. It is comparable to Strongstep's software process improvement and CMMI practice, with a similar focus on evidence-based, standards-driven engineering quality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCT9HPnsg2IZNTLcmGxzRfwg
• Facebookfacebook.com/strongstep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strongstep---innovation-in-software-quality/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/strongstep_consulting?igsh=YXRrdTZrNjhwdXl2&utm_source=qr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Strongstep