DIGITAL8.AI

What DIGITAL8.AI does

Digital8.AI operates a curated Digital Native network and a leadership-boutique services platform headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 2019 by Paul von Preußen and Jonas Sowa as a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH), the company structures executive reverse-mentoring engagements that pair senior leaders with a vetted pool of more than 300 young talents across expertise domains including Leadership, Impact, AI, Marketing, and Start-Up. Core service lines include Reverse Mentoring, Generation Dialogue workshops, Gen-Z Shadow Boards, Digital Native Co-creation projects, and a SocialCEO subscription offering that delivers 4-6 posts per month plus community management for executive personal-brand building; ancillary products include the Digital Native Test quiz and proprietary research studies on DAX executives and bank boards.

The technology stack centers on a custom matching engine that pairs executives with digital natives based on interest, competency, diversity factors, and personal chemistry, alongside a content management and community platform. No public APIs, SDKs, or proprietary AI/ML models are disclosed, and integrations and AI-modality data are absent from the source material. The "matching tool" is positioned as a configurational differentiator rather than a learned system, and the ".AI" branding is not backed by disclosed model, data, or research assets.

The business model is predominantly professional services: custom multi-month reverse-mentoring programs, generation-dialogue workshops, shadow-board staffing, and co-creation projects delivered to large enterprises and DAX companies in the DACH region. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contract cadence, and SocialCEO introduces a recurring subscription/retail component. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales with personalized consultation, supported by strong earned media in German business press (FAZ, Handelsblatt, Spiegel, ZEIT, Manager Magazin), LinkedIn-led content marketing, and proprietary thought-leadership studies. Named enterprise customers include ERGO Group AG, Volkswagen AG, Zeiss Group, Henkel, Bistum Aachen, Sparkasse, BBBank, Karl Mayer, hailo, Westermann Gruppe, and the broader Commerzbank network via an advisory-board relationship.

Name

DIGITAL8.AI

Legal name

Digital8 GmbH

Website

https://digital8.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Digital8.AI is a Frankfurt-based leadership boutique that pairs DACH enterprise executives with a curated network of 300+ vetted Digital Natives for reverse mentoring, Generation Dialogue workshops, Gen-Z Shadow Boards, co-creation projects, and executive social-media enablement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital & Technology Transformation Consulting (BPAHACAH), Digital Skills & Tech Upskilling (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAE)

Keywords

• Reverse mentoring programs
• Executive coaching services
• Leadership development consulting
• Intergenerational dialogue facilitation
• Digital native network

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Reverse Mentoring Programs: Custom reverse mentoring programs for enterprises - typically structured as multi-month engagements pairing executives with digital natives. Programs include kickoff workshops, ongoing moderation, learning nuggets, and wrap-up sessions.
2. Generation Dialogue Workshops: Co-creation formats and workshops helping organizations understand Gen-Z perspectives for HR strategy, social media, and digital transformation.
3. Keynote Speaking: Paul von Preußen and team members offer keynote speeches on generation bridging, digital culture, and leadership transformation.
4. SocialCEO Program: Comprehensive social media positioning service for executives including content creation, community management, and profile optimization (4-6 posts/month plus community management).
5. Shadow Board Services: Setup and staffing of Gen-Z advisory/participation bodies for organizations seeking formal youth input in decision-making.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Digital8 delivers custom Reverse Mentoring programs that pair senior executives with vetted digital native mentors (founders, coders, influencers, sustainability pioneers), enabling leaders to learn digital culture, social media, and technology trends directly from Gen-Z perspectives. Offerings include structured Reverse Mentoring engagements, Generation Dialogue workshops, Gen-Z Shadow Boards for governance participation, Digital Native Co-creation projects, and The Social CEO executive social-media positioning service, all backed by a curated network of 300+ digital native talents and a proprietary matching algorithm.

Product overview

Digital8 operates as a leadership boutique platform offering a unified portfolio of Reverse Mentoring and intergenerational exchange services, not a modular software platform. The core offering centers on the Reverse Mentoring program, which pairs senior executives with curated Digital Natives through a structured 4-step process (Say Hello, Matching, Kickoff, Implementation). This is complemented by Gen-Z Shadow Boards for youth participation in governance, Digital Native Co-creation for hands-on project delivery, and The Social CEO for executive social media positioning. A curated network of over 300 vetted Digital Natives (filtered by Leadership, Impact, AI, Marketing, Start Up expertise) serves as the shared talent foundation across all programs. Additional offerings include a Digital Native self-assessment test and proprietary research studies on leadership and social media trends. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Frankfurt with team members across Germany and Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reverse Mentoring: Core program that pairs senior executives and leaders with exceptional Digital Native talents for mentorship and perspective exchange.
• Gen-Z Shadow Boards
• Digital Native Co-creation
• SocialCEO
• Generationendialog
• Digital Native Co-Creation

Products and services

• Reverse Mentoring One-on-one Reverse Mentoring matching senior executives and leaders with exceptional Gen-Z digital natives (founders, coders, TikTokers, student representatives) so leaders learn digital culture, social media, and technology trends directly from digital natives. Program is delivered via a structured 4-step process (Say Hello, Matching, Kickoff, Implementation) over multi-month engagements.
• Generation Dialogue (Generationendialog) Intergenerational dialogue programs and workshops designed to help organizations maximize team potential and address skilled-labor shortages through age-inclusive workplace practices, bridging Gen-Y/Gen-Z perspectives with senior leadership.
• Gen-Z Shadow Boards Programs supporting organizations in establishing and staffing youth participation/advisory bodies with outstanding Digital Natives, enabling formal integration of the future generation into governance structures and decision-making.
• Digital Native Co-creation Collaborative implementation projects where Digital8 works alongside client leadership or teams on practical deliverables including social media strategies, coding workshops, employer branding, and recruiting initiatives.
• The Social CEO Recurring executive social-media enablement service that positions C-suite leaders as thought leaders through profile optimization, content creation (4-6 posts per month), community management, and lead generation on professional networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs can be implemented in 8 weeks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mentoring (DGM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital8 is a member of the German Association for Mentoring (DGM), indicating commitment to mentoring standards and professional community. This membership provides credibility and industry recognition.
• Paul von Preußen (Individual)minorOthersPaul von Preußen, co-founder and direct descendant of the last German Kaiser, serves as a keynote speaker. His unique background and media presence contribute to company visibility.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• PushFar: Mentoring and career progression platform with reverse mentoring use cases. Comparable category overlap but smaller scale and primarily B2C/SMB-oriented, not DAX enterprise.
• Chronus: Mentoring software platform serving enterprises, universities, and associations. Comparable on the technology-enabled mentoring layer, with less services overlay than Digital8's model.
• Potential Project: Leadership development and culture change consultancy serving global enterprises. Adjacent peer in the executive development and intergenerational/cultural change space Digital8 addresses.

Broad incumbents

• Capgemini Invent: Digital transformation and innovation consulting arm of Capgemini with significant DACH enterprise footprint. Overlaps with Digital8's digital transformation advisory work, though via traditional consulting rather than reverse mentoring.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a dedicated leadership development practice. Overlaps with Digital8 in serving DAX-style enterprise clients on executive development, but at vastly greater scale and a broader portfolio.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Large leadership and talent development provider for global enterprises. Comparable in serving HR/L&D buyers on executive development programs, though not focused on reverse mentoring or digital-native mentorship.
• BetterUp: Global enterprise coaching and mental wellness platform with broad leadership development offerings. Comparable in target buyer (enterprise HR/L&D) and category (digital coaching), though much larger and not specialized in reverse mentoring.
• Sopra Steria Consulting: European digital transformation consulting firm with strong DACH presence. Adjacent overlap in advising large enterprises on digital culture and transformation, though delivered via traditional consulting rather than mentoring.

Direct peers

• Mentorloop: Mentoring software platform for enterprises focused on program design, matching, and reporting. Comparable on the platform/matching component of the offering, though primarily software-led rather than services-led.
• CoachHub: European-headquartered enterprise digital coaching and mentoring platform serving large corporates. Closest direct peer given overlap in executive coaching/mentoring delivery, enterprise sales motion, and DACH footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/digital8ai
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digital8ai
• Instagraminstagram.com/digital8.ai
• Facebookfacebook.com/digital8ai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 DIGITAL8.AI