Bestbrains
Bestbrains is a Copenhagen-based partnership of six senior agile specialists delivering embedded software development, coaching, and agile transformation services to Danish public agencies, corporates, and select international clients via a proprietary "playing coach" model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bestbrains does
Bestbrains is a Copenhagen-based partnership of agile software development specialists operating as a Partnerselskab (Danish partnership) with no CEO and 1-10 employees. Founded in 2001 by Lars Thorup in the wake of the Agile Manifesto meeting at Snowbird, Utah, the firm delivers three core service lines: embedded agile software development via its signature "playing coach" (spillende træner) model, coaching for product owners, project managers, team leads, Scrum Masters, developers, DevOps, and testers, and training delivered through a separate spin-off entity, Bestbrains Academy, which became independent around 2023.
The firm's six partners (Lars Thorup, Jens Pontoppidan, Michael Zedeler, Morten Ulrik Sørensen, Robin Peters, Sonny Korte) each carry 15-20+ years of experience in XP, Kanban, Scrum, test automation, and continuous delivery, with a technology stack spanning Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, C#, Java, Python, JavaScript, and major relational databases. The "playing coach" model is the firm's defining delivery mechanism: partners embed as active team members inside client organizations rather than advising from the outside, with the explicit goal of making themselves redundant over time so the client can operate independently. Bestbrains Academy, originally the training division, now operates as a separate company at bestbrainsacademy.com.
Bestbrains serves a mixed client base including Danish public agencies, C20 corporates, tech startups, and foreign pharmaceutical companies, with sector exposure across telephony, finance, shipping, energy, and education. The go-to-market is sales-led but without a formal sales function; new work arrives primarily through word-of-mouth referrals and personal networks, supplemented by a blog covering agile methods, leadership, and development topics. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Coaching is offered in structured packages (single 90-minute sessions, 3x120-minute programs, and 10-session clip cards) while software development services are priced on custom engagement terms negotiated directly with individual partners.
Bestbrains firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bestbrains
- Legal name
- Bestbrains PS (Partnerselskab)
- Website
- https://bestbrains.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bestbrains is a Copenhagen-based partnership of six senior agile specialists delivering embedded software development, coaching, and agile transformation services to Danish public agencies, corporates, and select international clients via a proprietary "playing coach" model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bestbrains industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agile IT Consulting
- NAICS
- Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IT Support & End-User Computing (Helpdesk, Desktop, M365/Google Workspace) (EDABAFAN)
Keywords
Where Bestbrains is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bestbrains business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Software Development Services: Agile software development services delivered through embedded 'playing coach' model where consultants work as active team members with clients.
- Coaching Services: Coaching for product owners, project managers, team leads, Scrum Masters, developers, DevOps, and testers. Offered in packages: single 90-minute sessions, three-session programs of 120 minutes each, or clip cards of 10 sessions.
- Training Services: Training services delivered through Bestbrains Academy, a separate entity that spun off from Bestbrains.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Single coaching session - 90 minutes of general sparring |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Three-step session - 3 x 120 minutes with follow-up sparring |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Clip card - 10 sessions of 90 minutes with follow-up sparring |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Bestbrains product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bestbrains is a Danish agile consultancy that provides embedded software development, coaching, and training services through a "playing coach" (spillende træner) model, where senior specialists integrate as active members of client teams to deliver solutions while building client capabilities in agile methods such as XP, Kanban, Scrum, test automation, and continuous delivery. The firm sells three core service lines: Coaching Services for product owners, project managers, and developers; Software Development Services delivered as embedded team members; and Training Services covering agile values, principles, and methods.
Product overview
Bestbrains is a consulting services company organized as a partnership (Partnerselskab) without a CEO, providing coaching, software development, and training services centered on agile methodologies. The company operates three core service offerings: Coaching Services (for various roles in IT development and management), Software Development Services (delivered as embedded 'playing coaches'), and Training Services (on agile principles and methods). A separate sub-brand, Bestbrains Academy (bestbrainsacademy.com), provides structured courses and events on agile methodologies. The portfolio is service-based rather than product-based, with no standalone software products or platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Coaching Services Coaching services grounded in agile system development that focus on removing organizational blockers and providing guidance for product owners, project managers, team leads, Scrum Masters, developers, DevOps professionals, and testers. Offered in three packages: a single 90-minute session, a three-session 120-minute program, and a 10-session clip card.
- Software Development Services (Playing Coach Model) Agile software development services delivered as embedded "playing coaches" (spillende trænere), integrating with client teams to develop solutions while building client capability in XP, Kanban, Scrum, test automation, and continuous delivery.
- Training Services Training services covering agile values, principles, and methods for teams and organizations. Originally part of Bestbrains and now largely delivered through the spun-off Bestbrains Academy.
- Bestbrains Academy A separate course division offering agile courses and events on agile values, principles, and methods. Originated as the course/training division of Bestbrains and became an independent entity around 2023, operating as Bestbrains Academy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients should be able to complete development tasks independently without needing consultants
Companies that use Bestbrains
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bestbrains technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Bestbrains partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Bestbrains AcademyminorA separate entity that originated as the course/training division of Bestbrains. Bestbrains partners have always been passionate about helping others get started with agile. The academy has grown large and independent, now existing as a separate company offering courses and events on agile values, principles, and methods.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Bestbrains competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Accenture: Global IT and management consultancy with a large agile transformation practice. Competes for the same enterprise agile coaching engagements as Bestbrains but offers a vastly broader portfolio and geographic reach.
- ThoughtWorks: Global consultancy widely credited with popularizing agile and XP practices. Overlaps directly in agile coaching and embedded software development, but operates at significantly larger scale with a much broader technology portfolio.
Direct peers
- Crisp: Swedish agile and product development consultancy with a specialist partnership model similar to Bestbrains. Offers coaching and embedded development to Nordic enterprises and public sector, making it a near-direct comparable on size and culture.
- Xebia: European-headquartered consultancy specializing in agile, DevOps, cloud, and data engineering with a partnership-style expert culture. Comparable in offering embedded agile coaching and software development, but at a much larger scale across multiple European countries.
- Odd-e: Asia-based agile coaching and software craftsmanship consultancy founded by people directly involved with the Agile Manifesto. Highly comparable service offering (agile coaching, training, embedded development) and similar 'senior specialist partnership' model, albeit operating in a different geography.
- Praqma: Danish-headquartered agile, DevOps and continuous delivery consultancy offering embedded coaching and transformation services across the Nordics. Closest geographic and service-line peer to Bestbrains, with a similar specialist partnership culture.
Emerging players
- Sauce Labs: Although primarily a test-automation SaaS vendor, Sauce Labs also offers coaching and best-practice services around continuous testing — adjacent to Bestbrains' test-automation expertise area and competes for similar coaching budgets.
Regional players
- Netlight: Nordic-based management and IT consultancy with a partnership culture and strong focus on personal development of consultants. Comparable in the partnership model and regional focus, though broader in scope than pure agile coaching.
- Kongsberg Digital: Norwegian-headquartered digital services firm with agile software development and consulting offerings to Nordic enterprises. Geographic and vertical (energy/shipping) overlap with Bestbrains' customer base.
- Trifork: Danish IT consultancy focused on software development, agile, and digital innovation with strong public-sector and enterprise presence. Overlaps with Bestbrains in Danish market and agile delivery but offers broader product and conference businesses.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Bestbrains social profiles
Digital presenceBestbrains financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bestbrains leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Bestbrains subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Bestbrains funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bestbrains M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bestbrains
What does Bestbrains do?
Bestbrains is a Danish agile consultancy that provides embedded software development, coaching, and training services through a "playing coach" (spillende træner) model, where senior specialists integrate as active members of client teams to deliver solutions while building client capabilities in agile methods such as XP, Kanban, Scrum, test automation, and continuous delivery. The firm sells three core service lines: Coaching Services for product owners, project managers, and developers; Software Development Services delivered as embedded team members; and Training Services covering agile values, principles, and methods.
Is Bestbrains a public or private company?
Bestbrains is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Bestbrains founded?
Bestbrains was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bestbrains based?
Bestbrains is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Bestbrains make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Development Services are the primary driver. The others are coaching Services and training Services.
Who are Bestbrains's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Accenture and ThoughtWorks. Direct peers are Crisp, Xebia, Odd-e and Praqma. Sauce Labs is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Netlight, Kongsberg Digital and Trifork.
Does Bestbrains have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bestbrains.
What industry is Bestbrains in?
Bestbrains's product category is Agile IT Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAFAN, IT Support & End-User Computing (Helpdesk, Desktop, M365/Google Workspace). Its NAICS code is 541618 and its SIC code is 8742.