What diffferent does

diffferent GmbH is a German strategy consultancy founded in 1999 and headquartered in Berlin, with a second operational office in Munich. The firm operates at the intersection of three practice areas - brand strategy, organizational transformation, and portfolio strategy - and explicitly frames its offering as a response to AI-driven disruption, positioning itself as the 'strategy consultancy for new growth.' It serves enterprise clients ranging from German Mittelstand firms to DAX-listed corporates across six verticals: Automotive/Mobility/Logistics, Energy/Utilities, Financial/Insurance, Telecommunications/Media, Retail/E-Commerce, and FMCG. Named engagements include EnBW, Siemens, NIO, Techniker Krankenkasse, Consorsbank, Universal Music Deutschland, Solarwatt, and Dr. Hauschka, alongside public-sector clients such as WDR and DB Fahrwegdienste.

The firm's core deliverables are professional services sold on a project-contract basis, with remuneration calculated against hourly or daily rates plus expense reimbursement; travel costs, €0.50/km private-car allowance, and 19% VAT are billed at cost. There is no self-serve or marketplace channel - all engagements are won through direct enterprise sales, with new business handled by a dedicated contact (Melanie Beck) and supported by content marketing, LinkedIn presence, conference participation, and earned media in outlets such as horizont.net and absatzwirtschaft. diffferent holds TISAX Level 3 certification (automotive information security), EcoVadis Bronze, and is a Diversity Charter signatory, with sustainability reporting aligned to ESRS integrated into the SYZYGY Group structure.

Underlying intellectual property is light on proprietary software and concentrated in consulting methodologies, principally the four-phase Brand Impact Navigator (Performance Report, Driver Map, Goal System, Steering Cockpit) for quantifying brand economic contribution, alongside Strategic Foresight scenario-planning frameworks. AI/ML is treated as an advisory theme rather than a built product - the firm lacks proprietary models, patents, or disclosed training pipelines and uses standard marketing technology (HubSpot, Google Analytics, Vimeo/YouTube) for go-to-market. diffferent has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the SYZYGY Group since at least 2021 and is operated by Managing Directors Erwin Greiner and Paul End, with a decentralized leadership model introduced under a 16-person Team Lead Circle.

Name

diffferent

Legal name

diffferent GmbH

Website

https://diffferent.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

diffferent GmbH is a Berlin- and Munich-based strategy consultancy helping enterprise clients (DAX corporates and German Mittelstand) achieve new growth through integrated brand, organization, and portfolio strategy in the AI era. It operates as a subsidiary of SYZYGY Group with 40+ interdisciplinary experts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Strategy Consulting Services: diffferent provides brand strategy consulting services on a project contract basis. Remuneration is calculated based on hourly or daily rates before contract conclusion. The company may demand partial payments or advance payments at project beginning or during specific phases. Travel expenses are reimbursed separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

diffferent is a Berlin-based strategy consultancy that helps enterprises achieve new growth by working at the intersection of brand strategy, organizational transformation, and portfolio strategy. It delivers project-based consulting engagements for DAX-listed companies and German Mittelstand across automotive, energy, finance, media, retail, and FMCG verticals, supported by proprietary frameworks such as the Brand Impact Navigator.

Product overview

diffferent is a strategy consultancy focused on 'New Growth' that operates at the intersection of brand, organization, and portfolio strategy. The company offers integrated consulting services organized around three core pillars: Brand Strategy Consulting (positioning brands to shape markets), Organizational Transformation Consulting (setting up future-ready organizations), and Portfolio Strategy Consulting (developing portfolios that create real value). Supporting service offerings include the Brand Impact Navigator methodology for quantifying brand ROI, Customer Experience Management (CX), AI Strategy Consulting, Sustainability Strategy aligned with ESRS standards, and Strategic Foresight services. The consultancy serves clients across six industry verticals: Automotive/Mobility/Logistics, Energy/Utilities, Finance/Insurance, Telecommunications/Media, Retail/E-Commerce, and FMCG. With 40+ experts and 400+ clients across 15 countries, diffferent operates from Berlin and Munich offices as part of the SYZYGY Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy Consulting Strategic positioning and development of brands to shape markets, focused on brand resilience, brand impact measurement, and long-term relevance in AI-disrupted markets. For enterprise clients and DAX-listed corporations.
• Organizational Transformation Consulting Designing future-ready organizational structures and leading transformation initiatives to help companies adapt to AI-driven changes and achieve sustainable growth.
• Portfolio Strategy Consulting Developing and optimizing product and service portfolios to create real value and capture new target groups in evolving markets.
• Brand Impact Navigator A proprietary four-phase framework (Performance Report, Driver Map, Goal System, Steering Cockpit) that quantifies brand contribution to business success and enables data-driven brand management. Sold as part of brand strategy engagements.
• Customer Experience Management (CX) End-to-end CX consulting including customer journey mapping, persona development, experience design, and implementation of CX processes and tools for enterprise clients.
• AI Strategy Consulting Advisory services helping companies effectively integrate and leverage AI in brand management, marketing operations, and organizational decision-making.
• Sustainability Strategy Developing sustainability strategies aligned with ESRS standards, including materiality analysis, target setting, and implementation roadmaps for enterprise clients.
• Strategic Foresight Future-oriented scenario planning and market analysis using proprietary foresight methodologies to help companies prepare for uncertainties and identify growth opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• One client achieved 1 CX target, 5 Experience Principles, 4 Personas, 15 strategic action fields, 27 identified use cases, 10 validated prototypes, 2 rolled-out experience measures

Named customers13 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SYZYGY GroupcoreOthersdiffferent is a subsidiary of SYZYGY Group. Sustainability management is integrated company-wide within the SYZYGY Group structure. The company reports together with all operating units of the SYZYGY Group at group level for transparency.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SinnerSchrader: Hamburg-based digital agency and a sibling company within the SYZYGY Group, focused on digital experience, CX, and e-commerce. Closely comparable through shared parent and adjacent capability set in experience and digital transformation.
• KMS Team: Munich-based brand consultancy with a long-standing reputation for corporate brand strategy, employer branding, and transformation work with German enterprises. Highly comparable in client base, geography, and service mix to diffferent.
• Scholz & Volkmer: Wiesbaden-based brand and digital consultancy (now part of Accenture Song) serving DAX-level clients with brand strategy and digital experience work. Comparable in German enterprise focus and brand-strategy/portfolio scope.
• FutureBrand: Global brand consultancy under McCann Worldgroup that delivers brand strategy, experience design, and brand transformation for large enterprises. Closely comparable offering to diffferent's brand strategy and CX practices.
• Interbrand: Global brand strategy consultancy operating a Best Global Brands franchise and brand valuation practice. Competes directly with diffferent on brand positioning, architecture, and brand-impact-measurement engagements for multinational clients.
• Strichpunkt: Stuttgart-based brand and design consultancy working with German corporates on brand identity, visual systems, and strategic storytelling. Comparable as a German mid-sized brand strategy boutique competing for similar enterprise briefs.
• Siegel+Gale: Global brand strategy and design consultancy under Omnicom known for simplicity-focused brand positioning and brand-impact measurement frameworks. Direct competitor on the brand-strategy/brand-economics side of diffferent's portfolio.
• Landor & Fitch: Global brand strategy and design consultancy under WPP, covering brand positioning, identity systems, and brand-led transformation. Direct competitor for enterprise brand strategy mandates of the kind diffferent wins with DAX clients.
• MetaDesign: Berlin-based brand strategy consultancy with a comparable focus on brand identity, transformation, and design strategy for large enterprises. Directly competes with diffferent for German and European brand strategy mandates and shares similar DAX-client DNA.

Broad incumbents

• Roland Berger: European-headquartered top-tier strategy consultancy competing for enterprise transformation mandates at DAX-level clients. While much larger and broader in scope, Roland Berger overlaps with diffferent at the strategy/portfolio/organization intersection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diffferent-strategieberatung
• Xx.com/diffferent

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 diffferent