AEC3

What AEC3 does

AEC3 Deutschland GmbH is a Munich-headquartered BIM (Building Information Modeling) consultancy founded in 1996, with a secondary office in Dresden. The firm operates as a software-independent specialist in openBIM standards, providing professional services across BIM strategy and advisory, BIM management and coordination, BIM overall coordination, and IFC development and implementation. Its proprietary asset is the BIMQ platform — a web-based BIM information management system that centralizes AIA/LOIN definitions, performs rule-based and IDS-based model quality assurance, and integrates with Solibri, BIMCollab, Revit, Archicad, Allplan, Catenda, PowerBI, and iTWO. BIMQ was relaunched as BIMQ neo in November 2025 with a redesigned UI and structured Libraries/Catalogs/Projects architecture.

AEC3 is co-led by Managing Directors Dr. Thomas Liebich (a long-serving IFC standard lead and ISO/TC 59/SC 13/JWG 12 Convenor) and Kerstin Hausknecht (co-author of the first German BIM guideline). The company derives revenue from two streams: project-based BIM consulting and management services for enterprise and government clients, and subscription licensing for the BIMQ/BIMQ neo platform (offered with a 30-day free trial). Customer logos span BMW, Munich Airport, Stuttgart Airport, Swiss Federal Railways, Infineon, TÜV SÜD, HOWOGE, BayernHeim, BImA, Landtag NRW, multiple universities, and Sugar Valley — Germany's first LEED Platinum quarter development.

AEC3 is privately held with no external investors, subsidiaries, or M&A history. Its distribution relies on direct enterprise consulting engagements from Munich and Dresden, supplemented by thought leadership through buildingSMART International (with which it has held leadership responsibility since 1996), annual presence at BIM World Munich, a content marketing blog, and the self-serve BIMQ product site. Marketing is positioned around deep openBIM expertise rather than volume SaaS metrics, and there are no disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, or public-company comparables.

Name

AEC3

Legal name

AEC3 Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://aec3.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AEC3 is a Munich-based German consultancy founded in 1996 that provides BIM strategy, management, and IFC implementation services to enterprise and public-sector construction clients, complemented by its proprietary BIMQ/BIMQ neo information-management software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

BIM Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes) (EDAGAGAH)

Keywords

• BIM consulting services
• OpenBIM implementation
• BIM management coordination
• IFC standard development
• Construction digitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. BIM Consulting and Management Services: Core consulting services including BIM strategy and advisory, BIM management and coordination, BIM overall coordination, and IFC development and implementation for construction projects across all phases.
2. BIMQ Software Platform: Proprietary web-based BIM information management platform offered with subscription model. Includes 30-day free trial with full functionality, access to templates from library, and interfaces to BIM software systems and checking tools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AEC3 provides Building Information Modeling (BIM) consulting services, including BIM strategy, BIM management and coordination, BIM overall coordination, and IFC/openBIM implementation for construction projects. It complements these services with BIMQ, its proprietary web-based platform for centralized BIM information management, LOIN/AIA/BAP definition, IDS-based model validation, and quality assurance. The company serves building owners, planning offices, building operators, product manufacturers, and software firms primarily in Germany and Europe.

Product overview

AEC3 offers a portfolio of BIM (Building Information Modeling) professional services and software products. The core software product is BIMQ (and its next-generation version BIMQ neo), a web-based platform for centralized BIM information management that enables project teams to define information requirements (LOIN), perform model quality checks using IDS standards, and manage collaboration through BCF. AEC3 complements its software with professional services including BIM strategy consulting, BIM management and coordination, IFC development and implementation, research and development, and BIM training. The company is software-independent and focuses on openBIM standards including IFC, BCF, and IDS. Services span building, infrastructure, and specialized sectors such as hospital construction and public administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BIMQ Web-based platform for managing BIM information requirements across projects, enabling centralized project information management, standardized LOIN/AIA/BAP definitions, model quality checking, and IDS-based validation across project teams and partner tools.
• BIMQ neo Next-generation version of the BIMQ platform featuring a modern intuitive interface, structured data architecture (Libraries, Catalogs, Projects), multi-view representation, and advanced IFC knowledge and IDS rule capabilities for precise quality assurance.
• BIM Strategy and Consulting (BIM-Strategie und -Beratung) BIM strategy consulting service aligning people, processes, technologies, standards and guidelines using a methodological approach to introduce and implement BIM in client organizations and projects.
• BIM Management and Coordination (BIM-Management und -Steuerung) BIM management and steering service implementing BIM methodology in construction projects across all project phases, including quality assurance and interdisciplinary coordination.
• BIM Overall Coordination (BIM-Gesamtkoordination) BIM overall coordination service supporting planning offices in applying BIM methodology, including model coordination and interdisciplinary clash detection.
• IFC Development and Implementation (IFC-Entwicklung und -Implementierung) Development and implementation of openBIM system landscapes using the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standard to enable interoperability between BIM software platforms.
• Research and Development (Forschung und Entwicklung) Research and development services contributing to BIM standardization, IFC development, and innovation in digital construction methodologies through national and European research projects.
• BIM Training (BIM-Schulungen) Professional BIM training programs covering BIM methodology, applications, and software tools, conducted for organizations such as the Bayerische Architektenkammer and academic institutions including the European Institute for Postgraduate Education and Technical University Augsburg.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 elements created across five models meeting AIA requirements in a single project phase
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CRTI-BminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Partner for joint session at BIMLux event on applying BIMQ for Luxembourgish BIMids directive, along with BIMconsult.
• BIMconsultminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Partner for joint session at BIMLux event on applying BIMQ for Luxembourgish BIMids directive.
• buildingSMART InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996AEC3 has been actively involved with buildingSMART since company founding in 1996, holding leadership responsibility for IFC standard development (ISO 16739). The company contributes to international research projects and standards development, positioning AEC3 at the center of openBIM standardization efforts worldwide.
• CORE Digital EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for BIM project support in federal construction projects.
• planen-bauen 4.0minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for BIM project support in federal construction projects.
• HOCHTIEF ViConcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration partner on major BIM management projects including Munich Clinic Großhadern. HOCHTIEF ViCon provides digital construction management expertise complementing AEC3's BIM management services.
• Köster GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction company partner for BIM implementation in residential projects with BayernHeim.
• PSB Wasner GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject management partner for construction projects including Netze ODR regional center.
• Ehret+Klein GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReal estate development partner for BIM management projects in Munich and Cologne inner city.
• DMSW ArchitektenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm partner for HOWOGE new quarter development in Berlin.
• Technical University AugsburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership where BIMQ is used in teaching for the Digital Builder program. Prof. Dr. Tobias Maile leads modules using BIMQ for interdisciplinary building modeling education.
• Alpha IC GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability consulting partner for Sugar Valley project. Alpha IC provides sustainability certification expertise (LEED Platinum) while AEC3 delivers BIM management for the first LEED Platinum quarter development in Germany.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HOCHTIEF ViCon: HOCHTIEF ViCon is one of Germany's largest BIM management consultancies, offering digital construction management, BIM coordination, and 4D/5D BIM services. Directly comparable to AEC3's BIM management practice and a named AEC3 collaboration partner on the Munich Clinic Großhadern project.
• planen-bauen 4.0: German government-backed initiative and consultancy driving BIM adoption in federal construction. Listed as an AEC3 collaboration partner for federal BIM projects; directly competes in BIM strategy consulting, BIM management, and federal project delivery in the German market.
• CORE Digital Engineering: German BIM consultancy offering BIM coordination, model checking, and IFC/openBIM services to public and private clients. Named as an AEC3 collaboration partner for BIM projects and operates in the same niche of openBIM-focused consulting.

Broad incumbents

• Nemetschek Group: European AEC software giant whose brands (Graphisoft Archicad, Allplan, Solibri, Bluebeam) span BIM authoring, model checking, and project collaboration. Competes with AEC3's BIMQ at the platform layer while also being an integration partner for AEC3 services.
• Autodesk Construction Cloud: Autodesk's construction division (BIM 360, ACC, Revit) provides BIM coordination, model checking, and CDE capabilities to enterprise construction clients. A broad incumbent whose integrated suite overlaps with AEC3's BIM management and BIMQ offerings, particularly in the German market.
• Bentley Systems: Provider of Open Buildings, OpenRail, OpenRoads, and iTwin for infrastructure BIM. Competes with AEC3 in the infrastructure/transportation BIM management space where AEC3 has named clients like Stuttgart Airport and SBB.

Emerging players

• Solibri (Nemetschek): Specialist BIM model checking and quality assurance tool, tightly integrated with AEC3's BIMQ platform (BIMQ exports rules to Solibri). Partially overlapping in IDS-based model validation, making it both an integration partner and a downstream alternative.
• BIMcollab: BCF-based issue management platform for BIM coordination. AEC3 integrates BIMQ with BIMcollab for structured issue tracking, but BIMcollab also competes as an alternative workflow for the issue management portion of AEC3's BIM coordination services.
• Catenda (Bimsync): Norwegian openBIM collaboration platform (Bimsync) for BCF issue management and model coordination. AEC3 integrates with Catenda for issue tracking; Catenda competes for the same openBIM CDE/coordination use cases as AEC3's BIMQ-enabled services.

Others

• buildingSMART International: Global not-for-profit defining openBIM standards (IFC, BCF, IDS) in which AEC3 holds leadership roles. Not a competitor but a critical ecosystem partner; included as a peer because AEC3's competitive position is anchored in its institutional role within buildingSMART.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aec3
• Xx.com/aec3deutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 AEC3