What Prime21 does

Prime21 AG is a privately held Swiss recruitment and executive search firm headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, founded in 2011. The company operates as a sales-led staffing agency specializing in Active Sourcing, Direct Search, and Executive Search for three primary verticals: IT/SAP, Finance, and Treuhand (trust and accounting). It differentiates from traditional job-posting-driven agencies by maintaining a curated talent pool of over 60,000 hand-selected specialists and executives, and by using proactive outreach through LinkedIn and professional networks rather than inbound applications. The firm claims to have placed candidates for more than 300 Swiss companies.

The company has built a multi-brand portfolio that extends beyond the core recruitment offering. Wholly owned subsidiary GetTemp GmbH provides project-based and temporary IT and SAP staffing, while sister brands Care21 (healthcare), Construction21 (construction and real estate), HR21 (HR consulting and coaching), and Payflow (payroll services) target adjacent verticals. Service models include the PrimeExcellence flexible-fee model, PrimeTalent Services (subscription-based RPO-style engagement), and PrimeSelect (urgent-position placements). Core technology is centered on CRM systems for candidate and client database management, with AI referenced only in job postings for administrative automation. There is no evidence of proprietary software platforms, APIs, or significant in-house technology productization.

Revenue is generated through contingency and retainer-based recruitment fees for permanent placements, supplemented by professional services revenue from GetTemp's temporary and project-based IT staffing. The go-to-market is direct: an in-house consultant force conducts the full recruitment lifecycle from requirements analysis through candidate placement, operating from the Zug headquarters with additional offices in Zürich and Bern. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is described as contact-based, with success-based and multi-year subscription options available.

Name

Prime21

Legal name

Prime21 AG

Website

https://prime21.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prime21 AG is a Swiss Active Sourcing and Executive Search firm based in Zug, placing IT, Finance, and Treuhand professionals via a 60,000+ curated talent pool, with subsidiary brands serving healthcare, construction, HR consulting, and temporary IT staffing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Staffing & Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive & Leadership Direct Hire (BPACAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA), Sourcing / Talent Research & Pipeline RPO (Sourcer-as-a-Service) (BPACABAM), General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

Keywords

• IT recruitment services
• Executive search
• Active sourcing
• Finance recruiting
• Permanent placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Zug

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Active Sourcing & Executive Search: Contingency and retainer-based recruitment fees for placing IT, Finance, and Treuhand professionals in permanent positions with Swiss companies.
2. Project-based IT Staffing (GetTemp): Temporary and project-based placement of IT specialists for short-term needs, staffing gaps, or peak workload coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Prime21 AG delivers Active Sourcing and Executive Search recruitment services for Swiss companies, placing IT, Finance, and Treuhand specialists and executives in permanent positions. Through its PrimeExcellence model, Prime Talent Services (subscription RPO), and PrimeSelect offerings, the firm provides flexible, success-based, and ongoing recruiting solutions supported by a curated talent pool of 60,000+ professionals.

Product overview

Prime21 AG operates a single unified service offering centered on Active Sourcing and Executive Search recruitment services, with a portfolio of specialized sub-brands targeting specific industries. The core service connects companies with IT, Finance, and Treuhand professionals through direct candidate outreach and talent pool access. The product portfolio includes the main Prime21 recruitment service, PrimeExcellence-Modell (flexible fee model), PrimeTalent Services (subscription RPO), PrimeSelect (urgent positions), and PrimeTraining/hr21 (HR coaching). Specialty verticals are served through dedicated sub-brands: Care21 for healthcare, Construction21 for construction/real estate, and gettemp for project-based IT staffing. Payflow provides payroll services. The various brands and models represent different recruitment approaches and industry focuses rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Care21: Specialized recruitment brand for the Swiss healthcare sector.
• Construction21
• HR21
• GetTemp
• Payflow

Products and services

• Active Sourcing & Executive Search (Prime21 AG core) Market-leading Active Sourcing and Executive Search service for Swiss companies, specializing in permanent placement of IT, Finance, and Treuhand professionals, supported by a curated talent pool of over 60,000 specialists and executives.
• PrimeExcellence-Modell
• Prime Talent Services Strategic recruitment solution offered on an Abo (subscription) basis, providing optimized, ongoing talent acquisition support for companies with continuous hiring needs.
• PrimeSelect Recruitment solution focused on time-critical key positions, designed for rapid placement of urgent roles.
• Prime Training (HR21) HR coaching and personnel development services offered through the HR21 sub-brand to coach employees in human resources functions.
• GetTemp (GetTemp GmbH) Specialist platform operated by GetTemp GmbH (a Prime21 AG subsidiary) for project-based and temporary IT and SAP professionals in German-speaking Switzerland, providing short-term staffing support, temporary replacements, and coverage for time-limited high workloads.
• Care21 Specialized recruitment brand within the Prime21 family focused on placing specialists in Swiss healthcare institutions and medical facilities.
• Construction21 Specialized recruitment brand within the Prime21 family focused on placing specialists in the Swiss construction and real estate sector.
• Payflow Payroll services brand under the Prime21 family of companies, offering payroll solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Within short time, suitable candidates were presented and two positions successfully filled

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Care21coreOthersSpecialized brand focused on Swiss healthcare recruitment. Part of the Prime21 family of recruitment brands serving different industry verticals.
• Construction21coreOthersSpecialized brand focused on Swiss construction and real estate recruitment. Part of the Prime21 family of recruitment brands serving different industry verticals.
• HR21coreOthersHR services brand within the Prime21 family. Focuses on HR consulting and coaching services for personnel departments.
• GetTemp GmbHcoreOthersSubsidiary of Prime21 AG specializing in project-based IT specialists. One of the largest and most structured networks of specialized IT professionals in German-speaking Switzerland. Provides short-term support, temporary staff replacements, and coverage for time-limited high workloads.
• PayflowminorOthersPayment services brand visible in Prime21's brand portfolio, suggesting potential payment/payroll related services integration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ManpowerGroup: ManpowerGroup is one of the largest global staffing firms with operations in Switzerland spanning IT, finance, and professional recruitment. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping services to Prime21.
• Adecco: Adecco is a Swiss-headquartered global staffing leader offering broad workforce solutions across all skill levels and industries. While not a niche IT/exec search firm, it competes for the same enterprise clients and overlaps in IT/finance staffing in Switzerland.
• Randstad: Randstad is a global staffing leader with significant Swiss operations across professional and IT staffing. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with Prime21 in IT and finance recruitment.

Direct peers

• Robert Walters: Robert Walters is a global specialist recruiter focused on professional services and IT/tech placements, with a Swiss presence. It directly competes with Prime21 in mid-to-senior IT and finance permanent placements.
• Brunel: Brunel is a Dutch-based global specialist in engineering, IT, and project-based staffing, with operations in Switzerland. Its project-based IT staffing focus overlaps closely with Prime21's GetTemp subsidiary.
• Robert Half: Robert Half is a global staffing firm specializing in finance, accounting, technology, and administrative placements with a Swiss office. Its focus on IT and finance specialists closely mirrors Prime21's core IT, Finance, and Treuhand verticals.
• Michael Page: Michael Page (part of PageGroup) is a global recruitment firm with strong Swiss operations placing professionals in IT, finance, and specialist roles. It competes directly with Prime21 in executive search and permanent placement.
• Personalunion: Personalunion is a Swiss-based specialist recruiter focusing on IT, SAP, and finance professionals. It is a direct local competitor to Prime21's core Active Sourcing and SAP recruitment business.
• Hays: Hays is a global specialist recruitment firm with deep presence in Switzerland, placing IT, finance, and engineering professionals via direct hire and contract staffing. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Prime21 in the Swiss IT/Finance executive search market.

Emerging players

• Hudson Global: Hudson Global is a specialist recruitment firm focused on professional talent placement including IT and finance, with selective European presence. It overlaps with Prime21 in mid-market specialist recruitment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/prime21life
• Facebookfacebook.com/100043486879346
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prime21-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Prime21