What Certa Intelligence and Security does

Certa Intelligence and Security is a privately held intelligence and security advisory firm headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, founded in 2014 by former Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) Director General Jakob Scharf alongside businessmen Jakob Dreyer and Lennart Lajboschitz. The firm operates as a "one-stop-shop" full-service security advisor to large Danish and international companies and organisations, delivering three integrated service lines: Risk Management and Compliance (threat and risk assessments, background checks, due diligence, sanctions investigations, academic background checks), Investigations (corporate investigations, incident response, litigation support, tracing of individuals and assets), and Security (security assessments, cyber security checks, CSO/security organisation support, incident response and crisis management, business continuity planning).

Underlying capability rests on tradecraft, working methods, and procedures transferred from national intelligence services, applied across Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), Human Intelligence (HUMINT), IT forensics, technical surveillance, and large-scale data processing of complex corporate networks and ownership structures. The firm employs more than 30 researchers, analysts, and advisors from multiple nationalities — including Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic language coverage — and supports global delivery through a local partner network spanning Scandinavia, the Nordics, the North Atlantic, and (since 2024) Asia via a Tokyo-based wholly-owned subsidiary, CERTA Intelligence and Security Asia, LLC.

The business operates as a private, engagement-based professional services firm. Revenue is generated through quote-based advisory mandates to enterprise clients, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales combined with referral-driven business development through professional and industry networks, supported by a multilingual corporate website (English, Danish, Japanese) and inbound contact forms. Customers are concentrated among large private companies and organisations, with research-intensive institutions and regulated industries (CER and NIS/NIS2 exposure) representing targeted sub-segments. No external institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A transactions are disclosed.

Name

Certa Intelligence and Security

Legal name

CERTA Intelligence & Security A/S

Website

https://certaintelligence.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Certa Intelligence and Security is a Copenhagen-based private intelligence and security advisory firm serving large Danish and international enterprises with risk management, investigations, and security consulting built on tradecraft transferred from national intelligence services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Security and Intelligence Consulting

NAICS

Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive/Board Security Advisory & Risk Briefings (BPAKADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Protection Intelligence & Threat Management (Protective Intelligence) (BPAKABAI)

Keywords

• Security consulting services
• Corporate investigations
• Threat risk assessments
• Due diligence checks
• Crisis management advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Intelligence and Security Consulting Services: CERTA provides intelligence support and security consulting to private companies and organisations worldwide. Services span Risk Management & Compliance (threat assessments, background checks, due diligence, sanctions investigations, academic background checks), Investigations (corporate investigations, incident response, litigation support, tracing of individuals and assets), and Security (security assessments, cyber security checks, security organisation/CSO services, incident response and crisis management). Revenue is generated through professional services engagements with enterprise clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CERTA Intelligence & Security is a private intelligence and security company that assists organisations in identifying, preventing, and countering security-related threats and risks affecting their business, activities, assets, employees, and reputation. It delivers professional services across three categories: Risk Management & Compliance (threat and risk assessments, background checks, due diligence, sanctions lists investigations, academic background checks); Investigations (corporate investigations, incident response, litigation support, tracing of individuals and assets); and Security (security assessments, cyber security checks, security organisation/CSO services, incident response and crisis management). Services are provided directly and through a global network of local partners to large Danish and international companies and organisations.

Product overview

Certa Intelligence and Security is a private intelligence and security company offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional services organised into three main categories: Risk Management & Compliance (threat assessments, background checks, due diligence, sanctions investigations), Investigations (corporate investigations, incident response, litigation support, asset tracing), and Security (security assessments, cyber security, security organisation, crisis management). The company operates as a full-service security advisor providing intelligence support and consulting to private companies and organisations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Threat and Risk Assessments Produces threat and risk assessments to support strategic decision-making regarding new markets, infrastructure development, and business agreements with customers, partners, and suppliers; also offered as tailored Corporate and Executive Threat and Risk Assessments.
• Background Checks Performs background checks as part of employment procedures or prior to appointments involving positions of trust, to uncover issues affecting integrity, reliability, and loyalty.
• Due Diligence Checks Integrity checks of companies and individuals across the globe, typically conducted in connection with mergers and acquisitions, investments, partnerships and strategic alliances, and large contracts.
• Sanctions Lists Investigations Screening in relation to sanctions lists with in-depth research into relevant company information, ownership details, and company structures to establish whether a corporation is directly or indirectly exposed to entities subject to sanctions.
• Academic Background Check Structured background analyses of academic researchers for research institutions and research-intensive companies working with scientists and PhD holders within sensitive strategic or technological sectors.
• Corporate Investigations Investigation into irregularities, disciplinary and criminal matters including bribery, corruption, money laundering, fraud and other financial crimes.
• Incident Response Team Deploys investigation expertise to assist companies in managing criminal activity incidents, conducting necessary inquiries and gathering documentation for police investigations.
• Litigation Support Provides support to law firms and clients in civil litigation through investigations to collect and document information and evidence for legal proceedings, including forensic voice or handwriting comparisons, IT forensics, surveillance, and witness protection.
• Tracing of Individuals and Assets Assistance with tracing and locating assets and individuals across the globe, relevant in bankruptcy proceedings and cases requiring establishment of whereabouts or asset identification.
• Security Assessments Conducts review, analysis, and evaluation of a company's security level and measures, encompassing physical, personal, travel, information security, and preparedness.
• Cyber Security Check Goal-oriented and focused evaluation based on a quick and simple process, typically conducted within a few weeks, that assesses vulnerability in the event of a security incident, adequacy of security level, effectiveness of controls, efficient use of resources, and need for additional measures, including an optional Compromise Assessment.
• Security Organisation (CSO Services) Provides tailored solutions acting as a permanent external security advisor or integrated part of a company's security organisation, with strategic advisory, policy development, and training.
• Incident Response and Crisis Management Supports organisations in developing, implementing, and maintaining preparedness systems and crisis management frameworks, including Business Continuity Planning, crisis communication, decision-making processes, resource management, and recovery across the full crisis lifecycle from prevention and preparedness to immediate response and recovery.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local partners worldwide (Scandinavia, Nordic, North Atlantic countries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERTA provides services and operates with local partners worldwide, including in particular in Scandinavia and the other Nordic and North Atlantic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and Faroe Islands). These partners support service delivery across local markets with expertise in security matters.
• Danish and international experts and partners with special capabilities in securitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERTA has established close collaboration with Danish and international experts and partners that possess special capabilities and competencies in the security field. These partnerships enhance CERTA's ability to deliver comprehensive solutions across different geographic and subject matter areas.
• Foreign collaboration partners for investigationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERTA has experienced investigators who can conduct additional investigations at relevant locations across the world, either on their own or in collaboration with foreign partners abroad. This network supports cross-border investigation capabilities for complex international cases.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guidepost Solutions: Investigations, security and compliance consulting firm covering corporate investigations, background checks, due diligence and security assessments – directly competes with CERTA in the mid-market enterprise advisory segment.
• Control Risks: Global leader in corporate intelligence, political risk and security advisory serving large enterprises on due diligence, threat assessments and crisis management – the closest direct comparable to CERTA's full-service advisory model, although operating at significantly larger scale.
• Kroll: Provides business intelligence, investigations, due diligence, cyber and security consulting to enterprises and law firms. Direct competitor across the same advisory and investigations pillars, with comparable IT forensics and litigation support capabilities.
• S-RM: Intelligence-led security and cyber consultancy serving corporates on due diligence, crisis response and security advisory, with comparable investigator backgrounds and a similar focus on cross-border corporate investigations.
• GPW (formerly Global Praxis): Investigations and intelligence consultancy delivering cross-border due diligence, asset tracing and corporate investigations, with comparable boutique scale and a focus on complex, multi-jurisdictional cases.
• Hakluyt: Boutique corporate intelligence firm built on ex-intelligence-service talent that supplies strategic intelligence and investigations to senior corporate leadership – a strong analogue for CERTA's founder- and operator-led value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Pinkerton (Securitas): Global investigations and corporate security provider offering due diligence, background screening and embedded security advisory as part of a broader physical-security platform – a wider-scale competitor in adjacent service lines.
• BDO (Forensic & Investigation services): Global professional services network with a dedicated forensic, investigation and due diligence practice that competes for many of the same corporate investigations and compliance engagements as CERTA.
• FTI Consulting (Forensic & Litigation Consulting): Large global professional services firm with dedicated forensic investigations, litigation support and cybersecurity practices that compete with CERTA on complex cross-border investigations, while also serving broader consulting mandates.
• KPMG Forensic: Big-4 forensic and investigations practice providing integrity due diligence, fraud investigations and sanctions compliance services to multinational clients – a scaled alternative for the same enterprise buyer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/certa_intnsec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Certa Intelligence and Security