What SIZ does

SIZ GmbH is a Bonn-based, privately held IT services company (GmbH) founded in 1990 that operates as the central service provider and Methodengeber for information security, compliance, data protection, payments, and internal audit across the German Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. It is owned by the Sparkassen organisations themselves — regional Sparkassenverbände, Landesbanken, DekaBank, and individual Sparkassen — and holds a wholly owned subsidiary, SIZ Service GmbH, which markets telecommunications and card-damage services to the group. SIZ's portfolio spans seven thematic areas: Information Security (Sicherer IT-Betrieb ISO 27001 certification, Sichere IT-Plattform audits, BCM/IT-Notfall planning), S-CERT cybersecurity operations (including PPZV phishing prevention and SAFE Operations), Payments (the TRAVIC EBICS-based family — TRAVIC-EBICS-API, TRAVIC-Corporate, TRAVIC-Interbank, TRAVIC-Link, TRAVIC-Port, TRAVIC-Retail — plus SWIFT Assessments and ISO 20022 / FinTS / EBICS standards work), IT Steering (IDV-Suite, IKS-Miner), Data Protection (Sicherer Datenschutz, RiMaGo content support), Compliance (SIZ Compliance-Suite for AML and WpHG-MaRisk), and Revision services.

Underlying technology includes S/MIME encrypted email infrastructure, EBICS and ISO 20022-based payment processing, ISO 27001-aligned ISMS methodology, automated threat monitoring via S-CERT, and proprietary workflow and risk tools. SIZ monetises through consulting and advisory mandates, certification audits, recurring S-CERT subscriptions, and paid training events; pricing is predominantly quote-based for services, with publicly disclosed fees for the annual SIZ Forums and Online-Fachtagungen. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales via six regional offices (Bonn, Mainz, Halle, Kiel, Munich, Wuppertal) plus a central customer manager, complemented by the SIZ Support Portal and industry forums that drive thought leadership and regulatory updates within the Sparkassen ecosystem.

The company reports approximately €45 million in revenue for 2023 (Zahlen und Fakten page), 400-450+ employees as of 2025, and has been led since 2014 by Managing Director Jens Bartelt, joined in January 2025 by Ingo Kühling as a second Managing Director, with Roman Frank (Sparkassenverband Rheinland-Pfalz) chairing the Aufsichtsrat. SIZ also participates in the German National CERT-Verbund (co-founded 2002) and serves as SPOC between BSI and the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.

Name

SIZ

Legal name

SIZ GmbH

Website

https://siz.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SIZ GmbH is a Bonn-based IT services company founded in 1990 that delivers information security, compliance, data protection, payments (EBICS/ISO 20022), and internal-audit services as the central Methodengeber for the German Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe's 350+ savings banks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Banking IT Compliance Services

NAICS

Other Computer Related Services (541519), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

IT Governance, Risk & Compliance (IT GRC) Platforms (HDAEALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

ESG, Sustainability Reporting & Compliance (BPAEAPAM), SIEM Platforms & Log Management (HDADAGAA)

Keywords

• Information security services
• Regulatory compliance consulting
• Payment processing solutions
• Cybersecurity incident response
• Data protection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: Professional consulting services for information security, compliance, data protection, anti-money laundering, and fraud prevention. Includes outsourcing of beauftragten functions (compliance officers, data protection officers, money laundering officers).
2. Certification Services: ISMS certification services based on the 'Sicherer IT-Betrieb' standard, audits, and compliance assessments.
3. S-CERT Security Services: Security monitoring, vulnerability assessments, incident response coordination, and phishing prevention services including SAFE Operations.
4. Training and Events: Online Fachstagungen, Forums (Datenschutz360°, Informationssicherheit360°, Banking/Karte/Payment), webinars, and workshops on compliance and security topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SIZ GmbH provides information security, data protection, compliance, cybersecurity (S-CERT), and payment processing services and software tools to the German Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe (savings banks financial group). The company delivers outsourced compliance officer functions, ISO 27001-based ISMS certification, EBICS-based electronic banking solutions (TRAVIC family), anti-money laundering and fraud prevention support, and business continuity management consulting.

Product overview

SIZ GmbH operates as a multi-product, service-oriented company serving the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe with a portfolio of interrelated products and services. The core offerings span seven thematic areas: Information Security (with Sicherer IT-Betrieb certification, Sichere IT-Plattform audits, and BCM/IT-Notfall planning), IT Steering (IDV-Suite, IKS-Miner), S-CERT cybersecurity services (including PPZV phishing prevention and SAFE Operations), Payments (the TRAVIC product family with multiple variants: TRAVIC-EBICS-API, TRAVIC-Corporate, TRAVIC-Interbank, TRAVIC-Link, TRAVIC-Port, TRAVIC-Retail), Data Protection (Sicherer Datenschutz with RiMaGo DSM module), Compliance (SIZ Compliance-Suite for AML/WpHG compliance), and Revision services. The TRAVIC family serves different market segments (corporate, retail, interbank), while the PPZV/SAFE Operations form a layered fraud prevention module. The SIZ Compliance-Suite digitizes and professionalizes the commissionairewesen, integrating with the broader compliance and anti-money laundering service portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• S-CERT: Sparkassen Computer Emergency Response Team - cybersecurity unit providing incident response, security advisories, and threat intelligence for Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe
• Sicherer IT-Betrieb
• Sichere IT-Plattform
• Sicherer Datenschutz
• SIZ Compliance-Suite
• IDV-Suite
• TRAVIC-Produktfamilie
• PPZV
• RiMaGo
• IKS-Miner

Products and services

• Sicherer IT-Betrieb (Secure IT Operations) Certification service for secure IT operations based on ISO 27001 standards, providing comprehensive information security management system (ISMS) audits and certification for Sparkassen and financial institutions.
• Sichere IT-Plattform (Secure IT Platform) Technology consulting service that conducts on-site audits to assess and improve IT security infrastructure and platform security for financial institution customers.
• Sicherer Datenschutz (Secure Data Protection) Comprehensive data protection services including outsourcing of Data Protection Officer functions, consulting, audits, and document management for GDPR compliance in financial institutions.
• SIZ Compliance-Suite Tool supporting compliance officers with qualitative upgrades in commissionaire services, digitization advancement, and specialized support for AML (anti-money laundering) and WpHG (Securities Trading Act) compliance officers.
• IDV-Suite Solution for managing risks in all risk areas in handling IDV (Individual Data Processing / Individualverarbeitung) applications, optimizing software documentation efforts through structured procedures.
• IKS-Miner Tool for identifying and analyzing internal control system (IKS) components, supporting internal audit and risk management functions.
• TRAVIC-EBICS-API API product within the TRAVIC family enabling EBICS-based electronic banking communication for developers and corporate customers in the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe.
• TRAVIC-Corporate Corporate banking EBICS solution for corporate customers within the TRAVIC product family.
• TRAVIC-Interbank Interbank payment solution within the TRAVIC product family for interbank settlement.
• TRAVIC-Port Portal solution within the TRAVIC product family for centralized payment management.
• TRAVIC-Retail Retail payment solution within the TRAVIC product family for retail banking customers.
• PPZV (Phishing-Prävention im Zahlungsverkehr) Phishing prevention module for payment transactions, including SAFE Operations support for fraud case legal proceedings.
• S-CERT Services Computer Emergency Response Team services for the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe including security vulnerability assessments, automated situation monitoring, malware analysis, and coordination of phishing incident handling.
• BCM und IT-Notfall (Business Continuity Management) Business Continuity Management and IT emergency planning services including emergency exercise support and business impact analysis for financial institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80,000 successful L+R (Lage- und Reaktionsmechanismus) activations since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe (SFG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Core customer base and ecosystem partner. SIZ serves as Methodengeber (method provider) for information security within the SFG. The partnership encompasses all major stakeholders including DSGV, 12 regional associations, 350+ Sparkassen, and Landesbanken. SIZ develops standards and provides services that are widely adopted across the entire Sparkassen network.
• Finanz Informatik GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary technology partner for core banking systems and IT infrastructure. Collaborates on DORA implementation projects and coordinates on PPS (Prüfungsnachweis-System) processes and tools.
• PPI AGflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organizer of Payments 360° conference. PPI AG is a leading payment specialist that co-hosts the annual payments forum with SIZ, bringing together experts from the German banking sector.
• Tricept AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for RiMaGo compliance tool. SIZ transferred its shares in the RiMaGo application to Tricept AG in December 2024. Tricept handles technical aspects while SIZ provides compliance methodology.
• bit InformatikcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for bit-Compliance tool, referenced for DORA implementation. SIZ coordinates with bit Informatik for technical implementation of compliance requirements.
• BSI (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS-CERT serves as SPOC (Single Point of Contact) between BSI and Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. Active collaboration in national CERT network since S-CERT co-founded the CERT-Verbund in 2002.
• Nationaler CERT-Verbund (German CERT Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerS-CERT co-founded the national CERT network in 2002, which now includes 40+ members including BSI, Deutsche Telekom, Bosch, Siemens, VW, and Bundeswehr. Network enables cross-organizational threat intelligence sharing.
• SIZ Service GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner100% subsidiary of SIZ GmbH that markets telecommunications solutions and provides central services for Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, such as card damage claim processing.
• DSGV (Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary governance body of Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. SIZ receives strategic direction and coordinates on major projects including DORA implementation, EBICS standards development, and S-CERT operations.
• Sparkassenverbände (12 Regional Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner12 regional Sparkassen associations (including Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, Niedersachsen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Westfalen-Lippe, etc.) serve as shareholders and governance partners.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GFT Technologies: German-headquartered IT services firm focused on digital transformation for banks and insurance companies, particularly compliance, payments, and core banking modernization. Directly comparable as a specialized IT partner for regulated financial institutions in Germany.
• msg systems: German IT consulting and software firm with a strong financial-services practice serving banks and insurance companies. Comparable to SIZ in delivering IT solutions, compliance tools, and consulting services to regulated German financial institutions.
• PPI AG: German payment specialist and SIZ's joint organizer of the Payments 360° conference. Highly comparable in EBICS, ISO 20022, and payment processing expertise serving the Sparkassen ecosystem and broader German banking market.
• Finanz Informatik: Core IT service provider for the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and SIZ's primary technology partner. Both firms deliver IT services to the same Sparkassen customers, with Finanz Informatik owning core banking platforms and SIZ owning compliance/security/payments specialization.
• adesso SE: German IT services company with a dedicated banking practice providing software development, consulting, and compliance solutions to banks and insurance carriers. Comparable in serving German financial-services customers with technology and compliance expertise.

Emerging players

• AKQUINET: German IT services firm with a banking practice providing compliance, security, and software development services. Comparable as a mid-sized German IT services competitor pursuing similar banking-sector compliance and digitalization mandates.

Regional players

• DATEV: German cooperative IT services provider for tax advisors, auditors, and small/medium enterprises. Comparable as a centralized, member-owned IT service organization with deep regulatory and compliance expertise, though serving a different customer segment than SIZ's banking focus.
• Fiducia & GAD (Fiducia): Central IT service provider for the cooperative banking sector (Volksbanken/Raiffeisenbanken), analogous to Finanz Informatik for Sparkassen. Plays a similar central-provider role for a parallel German banking ecosystem, with comparable compliance and security mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Sopra Steria: Large European IT services group with a German banking practice providing consulting, software development, and managed services to financial institutions. Overlaps with SIZ on GRC, digital transformation, and regulatory compliance mandates for German banks.

Others

• Tricept AG: Technology partner that acquired SIZ's RiMaGo data-protection application in December 2024. Adjacent player delivering compliance and document-management tooling that integrates with SIZ's compliance methodology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/siz-gmbh-bonn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 SIZ