Open Knowledge
Open Knowledge GmbH is a German IT consulting and custom software firm (founded 2000, Oldenburg) serving DACH Mittelstand and enterprise clients with bespoke software development, AI/ML integration, cloud-native architecture, the proprietary A12 Low-Code platform, and structured methodology workshops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersOldenburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Open Knowledge does
Open Knowledge GmbH is a privately held German IT consulting and custom software development firm founded in 2000 in Oldenburg, operating from two offices (Oldenburg headquarters and Essen). The company serves mid-market Mittelstand and enterprise clients across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with cross-functional teams of 90+ specialists focused on Domain-Driven Design (DDD), agile delivery, cloud-native architecture, AI/ML integration, and legacy modernization. Its service portfolio spans IT strategy consulting, bespoke software development, DevOps, UX/UI design, and a structured suite of methodology workshops (AI Ideation, Machine Learning Kickstarter, API Strategie, Event Storming, Software Migration Strategie, Cloud Strategie) that function as both standalone offerings and entry points to larger engagements.
The company's proprietary asset is the A12 Enterprise Low-Code Platform — a form-driven, model-driven development environment that separates business logic (Fachlichkeit) from technical implementation, enabling business departments to build and modify applications without developer dependency and supporting rapid prototyping that scales directly to production. Complementing A12, Open Knowledge has codified the "Legacy Value Process" — a modular, no-code-freeze migration methodology for legacy modernization — and a structured five-step API strategy framework. These intellectual assets are reinforced by an active thought-leadership program, including a technical blog, an Enterprise Tales column on entwickler.de, and regular conference speaking at Software Architecture Summit, W-JAX, AI Engineering Summit, and OOP.
Revenue is generated primarily through professional services (custom software development, strategy and innovation consulting, workshops) and supplemented by A12 platform licensing and consulting. Go-to-market is sales-led and expert-driven: prospective clients initiate contact through service-area-specific website forms that route inquiries to Managing Directors, Heads of Development, the Head of Low Code, or Lead Architects. Pricing is custom and project-based; contracts tend to be multi-year, and workshops are customized and priced per engagement. The company is founder-owned with no disclosed external investment, and is led by Managing Director/CIO Lars Röwekamp and Managing Director/CTO Jens Schumann.
Open Knowledge firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Knowledge
- Legal name
- OPEN KNOWLEDGE GmbH
- Website
- https://openknowledge.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Open Knowledge GmbH is a German IT consulting and custom software firm (founded 2000, Oldenburg) serving DACH Mittelstand and enterprise clients with bespoke software development, AI/ML integration, cloud-native architecture, the proprietary A12 Low-Code platform, and structured methodology workshops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open Knowledge industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Software Development and IT Consulting
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Software Publishers (513210), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ERP, CRM & Enterprise Applications Consulting (BPAHAEAI), Integration, API & Middleware Consulting (BPAHAEAJ), Industry-Specific Low-Code Platforms (Vertical App Platforms) (HDAEAKAL)
Keywords
Where Open Knowledge is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oldenburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Open Knowledge business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Custom Software Development: Bespoke software solutions for Mittelstand and enterprise clients. Teams analyze existing IT structures, advise on technology selection, design sustainable software architectures, and develop digital solutions using agile methodology. Clients are engaged through direct sales with expert consultants and project teams.
- Strategy & Innovation Consulting: IT strategy, business innovation, and digital transformation advisory services. Includes IT strategy consulting, cloud strategy, software migration strategy, and business innovation workshops. Revenue generated through consulting engagements and workshop delivery.
- A12 Low-Code Platform Deployment: Deployment and consulting around the A12 Low-Code platform for form-driven applications, enabling departments to build and modify applications independently without developer dependency. Combined with professional services for platform setup, customization, and scaling.
- Workshops and Training: Fee-based workshops including Machine Learning Kickstarter, AI Ideation, API Strategie, Event Storming, Software Migration Strategie, and Cloud Strategie. Customized to individual client needs (Customer Centric Concept) and delivered by ML specialists and architects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Open Knowledge product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Knowledge GmbH delivers bespoke custom software development, legacy system modernization, and digital transformation consulting for mid-market (Mittelstand) and enterprise clients in the DACH region. Its primary commercial offerings are individual software development services built on agile, cloud-native, and Domain-Driven Design principles, complemented by the proprietary A12 Enterprise Low-Code Platform for form-driven application development. The company also sells structured methodology workshops (AI Ideation, ML Kickstarter, API Strategie, Event Storming, Software Migration Strategie, Cloud Strategie) as standalone paid engagements that serve as entry points to larger consulting projects.
Product overview
Open Knowledge is a custom software development company offering a portfolio of professional services for mid-market and enterprise clients. The core offering includes individual software development, AI & ML services, Cloud solutions, DevOps, UX/UI Design, and Agile consulting. Their proprietary product is the A12 Enterprise Low Code Platform, a form-driven low-code platform that accelerates time-to-market by enabling rapid prototyping and allowing business departments to create applications without developer intervention. Complementing their development services, they offer a suite of methodology workshops including Machine Learning Kickstarter, AI Ideation, API Strategie, Event Storming, Software Migration Strategie, and Cloud Strategie workshops, which help clients plan and execute digital transformation initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Individual Software Development End-to-end bespoke software development services for mid-market and enterprise clients, covering analysis of existing IT structures, technology selection advisory, sustainable software architecture design, and agile delivery of digital solutions across cloud, DevOps, AI/ML, UX/UI, and Low-Code.
- Strategy and Innovation Consulting IT strategy consulting, cloud strategy, software migration strategy, and business innovation advisory for corporations and mid-market companies seeking clear IT roadmaps tied to core business operations.
- A12 Enterprise Low-Code Platform Form-driven enterprise Low-Code platform that uses a model-driven development approach to separate business logic (Fachlichkeit) from technical implementation. Enables business departments to build and modify form-driven applications independently without developer dependency, with rapid prototyping that scales directly to production and automated REST API, database, and CRUD generation.
- Machine Learning Kickstarter Workshop Paid hands-on workshop that walks clients through the full AI/ML development process, from idea generation and model training to production deployment and ongoing monitoring (MLOps), delivered by ML specialists.
- AI Ideation Workshop Structured methodology workshop that helps companies identify, evaluate, and develop AI/ML use cases from concrete problem areas to sustainable, risk-assessed applications.
- API Strategie Workshop Consulting workshop covering a 5-step API strategy framework: goal definition, current-state (IST) analysis, target-state (SOLL) description, roadmap creation, and documentation with KPI definition and monitoring.
- Event Storming Workshop
Quantifiable outcome
- Prototypes created with A12 can be directly scaled to production without discard — eliminating the prototype-to-production gap
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Knowledge
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Open Knowledge technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature4 records
Open Knowledge partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- mgm technology partnersminormgm technology partners is referenced as a partner company in Public Sector (KONSENS) projects. Janos Standt, Bereichsleiter Public Sector at mgm technology partners, provided a testimonial praising open knowledge's A12 experience and enterprise consulting competence: 'Open knowledge verbindet tiefgehende A12-Erfahrung mit echter Enterprise-Kompetenz. Besonders in KONSENS-Projekten hat open knowledge technische Expertise und Beratungskompetenz bewiesen.'
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Open Knowledge competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thoughtworks: Global software consultancy with deep DDD, agile, and software architecture heritage. Similar methodology positioning but operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies.
- Capgemini: Global IT services giant with substantial DACH delivery capability and enterprise application/cloud practices. Competes for the same large-enterprise modernization and digital transformation engagements, albeit at a vastly different scale.
- T-Systems: Deutsche Telekom subsidiary and one of the largest German IT services providers. Competes for enterprise digital transformation, cloud migration, and custom application development in the same DACH enterprise market.
Direct peers
- INNOQ: Germany-based IT consultancy with deep Domain-Driven Design, software architecture, and digital transformation expertise. Highly comparable in methodology focus (DDD, Event Storming), boutique scale, and Mittelstand/enterprise client base.
- mgm technology partners: Named Open Knowledge partner on public-sector KONSENS projects and references its A12 expertise. Same DACH focus, similar enterprise Java/application modernization offerings, and overlapping customer profile in regulated industries.
- codecentric AG: German software consultancy specializing in Java, cloud-native development, and DevOps for enterprise clients. Directly comparable in custom software development services and DACH mid-market/enterprise focus.
- iteratec GmbH: Munich-headquartered software architecture and digital transformation consultancy with strong emphasis on scalable, cloud-native systems. Comparable in technical depth, methodology focus, and enterprise client base.
- Senacor Technologies: German IT consultancy providing custom software development and digital transformation for banks, insurers, and enterprises. Similar services portfolio, DACH focus, and project-based professional services model.
- adesso SE: Larger publicly listed German IT services firm with a comparable core offering in custom software development, enterprise consulting, and industry-specific solutions, particularly for insurance and Mittelstand clients.
- Avenga: International IT consulting and software engineering firm with strong presence in Germany. Overlapping custom development, cloud, and AI/ML services for enterprise customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Open Knowledge social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Knowledge financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Knowledge leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Open Knowledge funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Knowledge 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 Open Knowledge
What does Open Knowledge do?
Open Knowledge GmbH delivers bespoke custom software development, legacy system modernization, and digital transformation consulting for mid-market (Mittelstand) and enterprise clients in the DACH region. Its primary commercial offerings are individual software development services built on agile, cloud-native, and Domain-Driven Design principles, complemented by the proprietary A12 Enterprise Low-Code Platform for form-driven application development. The company also sells structured methodology workshops (AI Ideation, ML Kickstarter, API Strategie, Event Storming, Software Migration Strategie, Cloud Strategie) as standalone paid engagements that serve as entry points to larger consulting projects.
Is Open Knowledge a public or private company?
Open Knowledge is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Open Knowledge founded?
Open Knowledge was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Open Knowledge based?
Open Knowledge is headquartered in Oldenburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Open Knowledge make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Software Development is the primary driver. The others are strategy & Innovation Consulting, A12 Low-Code Platform Deployment and workshops and Training.
Who are Open Knowledge's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thoughtworks, Capgemini and T-Systems. Direct peers are INNOQ, mgm technology partners, codecentric AG, iteratec GmbH, Senacor Technologies, adesso SE and Avenga.
Does Open Knowledge have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Knowledge.
What industry is Open Knowledge in?
Open Knowledge's product category is Custom Software Development and IT Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAF, Data, Analytics & AI Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAEAI, ERP, CRM & Enterprise Applications Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7371.