CBTL

What CBTL does

CBTL Computer Based Training and Learning GmbH is a Munich-based German software company that develops the EVOLUTION³ authoring platform, a web-based e-learning content creation suite used by 231 organizations to produce 83,750 courses serving approximately 627,500 learners. The platform bundles three editor tools — EVOLUTION for expert didactic authors, FAST-TRAIN for subject matter experts, and FIRST-TRAIN for first-time contributors — alongside a customizable FRAMEWORK module, collaborative real-time authoring, role-based access control, integrated review workflows, multilingual localization, Single Source Publishing, project versioning, and an optional on-premises deployment model. Differentiated security posture is central: the platform holds TISAX certification at the highest category and is DSGVO/GDPR-compliant, with servers in certified German data centers.

Revenue is generated primarily through subscription licensing of the platform and its modules to enterprise and government customers under quote-based annual contracts, supplemented by professional content production services. The customer base is concentrated in large enterprises and German public-sector/defense buyers, with the Bundeswehr tender win (March 2025) and an official supplier relationship with BWI (the Bundeswehr's central IT provider) anchoring the defense vertical. Named commercial customers include CLAAS, alongside multilateral industry presence at AFCEA, BWI Industry Days, and the Bundeswehr training congress. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supported by website-driven demo booking, inquiry forms, and thought-leadership content, with no disclosed reseller or marketplace channel.

Name

CBTL

Legal name

CBTL Computer Based Training and Learning GmbH

Website

https://cbtl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

CBTL (Computer Based Training and Learning GmbH) is a German e-learning software company developing the EVOLUTION³ authoring platform for secure, multilingual interactive training content. The Munich-based firm primarily serves defense, manufacturing, and large enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-learning Authoring Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Rapid eLearning Authoring Tools (EDAFAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interactive Video & Video-Based Learning Authoring (EDAFAHAC), Simulation & Scenario-Based Learning Authoring (EDAFAHAD)

Keywords

• E-learning authoring software
• Corporate training platform
• Multilingual learning content
• Secure authoring tools
• Interactive course development

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: CBTL generates revenue primarily through licensing its EVOLUTION³ authoring platform and its component tools (EVOLUTION, FAST-TRAIN, FIRST-TRAIN). Customers purchase licenses for authors within their organizations. The company also offers custom FRAMEWORK solutions for enterprise customers with specific extension needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CBTL develops and licenses the EVOLUTION³ web-based authoring platform, a SaaS e-learning content creation suite that combines three editor tools (EVOLUTION for experts, FAST-TRAIN for subject matter experts, FIRST-TRAIN for beginners). The platform enables real-time collaborative authoring, multilingual content management, AI-assisted translation and voiceover, and Single Source Publishing to multiple formats. CBTL also offers professional content production services for interactive digital learning materials.

Product overview

CBTL offers the EVOLUTION³ authoring platform, a modular e-learning authoring suite combining three distinct editor tools: EVOLUTION (expert-level for complex interactive courses), FAST-TRAIN (for subject matter experts creating slide-based content), and FIRST-TRAIN (beginner-friendly with drag-and-drop interface). The platform is supplemented by a customizable FRAMEWORK add-on and professional content production services. Key capabilities include real-time team collaboration, multilingual content management with automatic translation, text-to-speech integration, project versioning, review workflows, and publishing to all devices and learning management systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EVOLUTION³: The award-winning authoring platform combining EVOLUTION, FAST-TRAIN, and FIRST-TRAIN tools for creating interactive e-learning content
• EVOLUTION
• FAST-TRAIN
• FIRST-TRAIN

Products and services

• EVOLUTION³ Authoring Platform Web-based SaaS authoring platform that combines the EVOLUTION, FAST-TRAIN and FIRST-TRAIN editor tools with integrated review, translation, voiceover, project management and versioning functions. Designed for enterprise and government teams that need to collaboratively create, manage and publish interactive multilingual e-learning content from a single source.
• EVOLUTION Editor Expert authoring tool for didactic professionals, offering a comprehensive function and template library for creating, managing and updating complex, interactive e-learning courses with extensive customization options.
• FAST-TRAIN Editor Easy-to-use authoring tool for subject matter experts and occasional authors to quickly create, maintain and update slide-based learning content with minimal training.
• FIRST-TRAIN Editor

Quantifiable outcome

• 627,500 learners served across 231 organizations and 83,750 courses

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• movingimagecoreTechnology or Integration · 27 April 2026CBTL has integrated one of the leading enterprise video server solutions into EVOLUTION³, enabling professional video functionality within interactive learning formats. The integration is straightforward and enables more efficient production, adaptive streaming quality, and interactive learning experiences for course participants.
• ReadSpeakercoreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2025CBTL has integrated ReadSpeaker's speechServer into the EVOLUTION³ platform, enabling secure, natural text-to-speech output directly within the protected system without external processing. This allows organizations in industry and defense to efficiently create multilingual, accessible audio content while maintaining data sovereignty. The integration supports brand-compliant voiceovers and automatic synchronization across all language versions.
• AFCEA Bonn e.V.strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025CBTL is an active member of the AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association) Bonn e.V. community, a network that has promoted innovation and dialogue in the defense sector for over 40 years. Through this partnership, CBTL participates in AFCEA trade shows and events, contributing its strengths in data sovereignty and digital training to the defense and security community.
• BWIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBWI is the central IT service provider for the Bundeswehr. CBTL serves as an official BWI supplier, providing its EVOLUTION³ authoring platform as part of BWI's digital training infrastructure for the German armed forces. CBTL participates in BWI Industry Days as part of this partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SAP Litmos: SAP Litmos is a cloud LMS with built-in course authoring targeting enterprise compliance and sales training, often competing with EVOLUTION³ deployments inside large organizations.
• Adobe Captivate: Adobe Captivate is a flagship interactive e-learning authoring product within Adobe's broader digital experience portfolio. It competes with CBTL in advanced interactive course creation, offering stronger brand and marketing reach but less specialization in EU data-sovereignty requirements.
• Docebo: Docebo is an enterprise learning platform combining LMS, AI-driven content creation, and learning delivery. While broader than CBTL, it competes for the same enterprise L&D budget and increasingly bundles authoring capabilities that overlap with EVOLUTION³.
• Workday Learning: Workday Learning embeds learning and content capabilities within the Workday HCM suite, competing with CBTL for enterprise training budget at the largest corporations and governments using Workday HR infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Elucidat: Elucidat is a cloud-based e-learning authoring platform focused on collaborative course creation for enterprise L&D teams. It competes directly with EVOLUTION³ on multi-user authoring, scalable content production, and LMS-compatible publishing.
• Articulate: Articulate is the most widely adopted e-learning authoring tool provider (Storyline and Rise), selling to enterprise L&D teams globally. CBTL competes directly with Articulate in interactive course authoring for corporate training, with CBTL differentiating via TISAX/GDPR and multi-editor architecture.
• iSpring Solutions: iSpring offers PowerPoint-based and cloud e-learning authoring tools (iSpring Suite, iSpring Space, iSpring Learn) for corporate training. It is the closest international analogue to CBTL's EVOLUTION/FAST-TRAIN/FIRST-TRAIN multi-editor approach, serving a similar L&D enterprise segment.
• Trivantis / Lectora (Condensys): Lectora is an established e-learning authoring suite used by enterprises for interactive course development, comparable in functionality to CBTL's EVOLUTION editor for complex, customizable e-learning content.
• dominKnow: dominKnow provides a web-based e-learning authoring environment (Claro, Flow, Mosaic) for collaborative content development and knowledge sharing, closely comparable to CBTL's browser-based collaborative authoring model.

Emerging players

• Sana Labs: Sana is an AI-native enterprise learning platform with generative-AI authoring that intersects with CBTL's AI-assisted translation, localization, and content generation capabilities, indicating a future category overlap for AI-augmented e-learning authoring.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbtl-gmbh
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBTLGMBH

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CBTL