What Key Values does

Key Values is a Hamburg-headquartered German innovation consultancy founded in 2004 by Rolf Buchholz. The firm operates an asset-light "network of experts" model — a small core team of named managing directors (Rolf Buchholz, Christian Staudter, Clemens von Hugo) and a management assistant (Sabine Strasberg), supplemented by a curated network of specialized partners (liCili, Semp Consulting, PW-Akademie, pegalion, REFA, DGQ, Localino, Prozessschmiede, fLUMINA, LVIT) — and explicitly positions its consultants as experienced industry practitioners rather than junior staff. Service delivery spans three pillars: Innovation (white-spot analysis, ideation, business model development, product/service development, technology scouting, innovation process optimization), Transformation (performance management, efficiency programs, change management, culture development, digital transformation, operational excellence, shopfloor management), and Learning (workshops, coachings, Open Classes, and digital learning).

The firm's intellectual property is built around proprietary, trademarked methodologies — Business Innovation Scan (innovation audit), Innovation Cockpit (innovation management framework), and Business Innovation Hub (open innovation ecosystem) — combined with established consulting frameworks such as Lean & Design for Six Sigma, Agile Scrum, Design Thinking, and Process Mining. A digital Learning Platform (kv-learning.key-values.com), refreshed in 2024, delivers online training, workshops, and micro-learnings, complemented by in-person Open Classes for cross-company learning. Training programs span OKR, New Leadership, Agile Scrum, Design Thinking, Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt), Change Management, Corporate Sustainability, Customer Experience Design, and Innovation Methods, with DGQ- and REFA-certified credentials.

Revenue is generated entirely through professional services on a time-and-materials or fixed-fee basis: bespoke innovation and transformation consulting projects for enterprise clients, plus standardized training programs priced publicly (e.g., EUR 1,480-1,850 per person for OKR individual training, EUR 6,200 flat for in-house OKR team training up to 10 participants, EUR 6,900 flat for Agile Scrum team training up to 12, EUR 890-3,500 for Corporate Sustainability formats). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales plus event-driven lead generation (Open Classes, workshops, "After Work Inspiration" formats, industry networks), targeting a customer base from Mittelstand mid-market companies to Dax corporations across transportation, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, retail, logistics, optics, aerospace, and utilities — including Deutsche Bahn, Merck, Bayer, BASF, Deutsche Telekom, Lidl, Unilever, IKEA, Zeiss, Lufthansa, Leica, Collins Aerospace, DHL, and others.

Name

Key Values

Legal name

KEY VALUES GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://key-values.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Key Values is a Hamburg-based German innovation consultancy, founded in 2004, that delivers innovation, transformation, and learning services to enterprise clients — from Mittelstand firms to Dax corporations — through a network of senior experts, proprietary methodologies, and certified training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategic Partnerships, Alliances & JVs Advisory (BPAHADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Secure Browser, Device Lockdown & Exam Security Tools (EDAFADAI)

Keywords

• Innovation consulting
• Business transformation services
• Lean Six Sigma training
• Corporate learning programs
• Agile methodology training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Innovation Consulting: Strategic consulting services for innovation development including white-spot analysis, ideation, business model development, product & service development, technology scouting, and innovation process optimization. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with hourly or fixed-fee arrangements.
2. Transformation Consulting: Advisory services for organizational transformation including performance management, efficiency programs, change management, culture development, and digital transformation. Delivered through project engagements and ongoing consulting partnerships.
3. Training Programs: Fee-based training and certification programs including OKR Master training (1,850-6,200 EUR), Agile Scrum workshops (6,900 EUR for teams), New Leadership, Lean Six Sigma, and other methodology trainings. Both public/open enrollment and in-house team training formats available.
4. Learning Services: Learning and development services including workshops, coachings, Open Classes, and micro-learnings delivered through the Learning Platform. Revenue from participation fees for these learning offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KEY VALUES is a German innovation consultancy that delivers consulting, training, and learning services across three pillars: Innovation (systematic innovation development, business model creation, technology scouting), Transformation (organizational change, performance management, Lean Six Sigma, digital transformation), and Learning (methodology training, coaching, workshops, and digital learning). Services are delivered by experienced consultants and a curated network of experts to enterprise clients ranging from German Mittelstand companies to DAX-listed corporations.

Product overview

KEY VALUES is a German innovation consultancy offering a portfolio of consulting services, training programs, and digital learning solutions across three main service pillars: Innovation (new value creation), Transformation (sustainable future viability), and Learning (personnel and organizational development). The core offerings include the Learning Platform for digital training delivery and Open Classes for cross-company learning. The training portfolio covers methodology programs such as OKR Training, New Leadership, Agile Scrum, Design Thinking, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Corporate Sustainability, Customer Experience Design, and Innovation Methods training. Consulting services include Performance Management, Efficiency Programmes, Agile Process Optimisation, Business Innovation Hub®, Culture Development, and Shopfloor Management. The Business Innovation Hub® serves as an interdisciplinary expert network for open innovation, while the Learning Platform and Open Class offerings provide the digital and public training infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KEY VALUES Learning Platform Digital learning platform for delivering online training programs, workshops, coachings, and Open Classes for enterprise clients and individual professionals pursuing methodology certification.
• Open Class Public, cross-company training sessions on innovation, transformation, and leadership topics available for individual enrollment or team participation.
• OKR Training (Objectives and Key Results) Training and certification program for implementing the OKR goal-setting framework, including OKR-Master certification through DGQ, covering holistic target management, systemic company-wide target consistency, and measurable goal achievement.
• New Leadership Training Leadership development program focused on paradigm shift in corporate management, value-oriented leadership, team empowerment, and creating conditions for performance; includes DGQ-stamped certification.
• Agile Scrum Training Workshop on agile development and collaboration using the Scrum framework, covering empirical work, rapid iterative learning loops, sprint-based teamwork, and optional Professional Scrum Master I certification through scrum.org.
• Design Thinking Training Customer-centered problem-solving and solution development training using approximately 100 different tools, covering problem understanding, prototyping, and explorative methodology for innovation, marketing, R&D, and corporate development.
• Lean Six Sigma Training Comprehensive training programs covering Lean Six Sigma methodology, Design for Six Sigma, and Agile for Lean Six Sigma, including Green Belt and Black Belt certifications.
• Change Management Training Training for designing and implementing complex change processes, managing organizational transformation, and building change capability within organizations.
• Corporate Sustainability Training Foundation training for corporate sustainability covering ESG, CSRD requirements, CO2 reduction, decarbonization, corporate carbon footprint, and sustainability roadmap development.
• Customer Experience Design Training Training on understanding and leveraging customer behavior through tools such as Customer Journey Mapping, Empathy Maps, Personas, and GEMBA Studies to create memorable brand experiences.
• Business Innovation Hub Interdisciplinary expert network and infrastructure platform for effective innovation development using Open Innovation methodology, bringing together internal stakeholders with external experts such as patent attorneys, data analysts, digital experts, and researchers.
• Performance Management Consulting Implementation of cross-company and systematic target systems to promote continuous improvement, goal transparency, and organizational alignment.
• Efficiency Programmes Data-based efficiency improvement programs covering the entire value chain from cross-company data collection to measurable efficiency increases and effort minimization using Lean management principles.
• Agile Process Optimisation Streamlining, digitalisation, and automation to increase process performance based on Lean Six Sigma methodology.
• Innovation Management Consulting Systematic innovation development including white-spot analysis, ideation, business model development, product and service development, technology scouting, and innovation process optimization.
• Training on Innovation Methods Systematic innovation skills development covering Design Thinking, Requirement Engineering, Customer Experience Design, Rapid Prototyping, and Technology Screening and Scouting, with certified individual and team training formats.
• Shopfloor Management Consulting Systematic approach to production and operations control and optimization using visual management, standardized work, daily meetings, Gemba walks, and continuous improvement (Kaizen).
• Culture Development Organizational culture development through targeted culture and future programs to create conditions for long-term competitiveness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizations implementing performance management achieve measurable improvements in goal setting and organizational alignment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Semp ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSemp Consulting provides high-quality, scientifically grounded and practice-oriented consultancy services in the fields of systems engineering and project management. Part of KEY VALUES expert network for relevant projects.
• PW-AkademieminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWith qualified industry experts on staff, the PW Academy is unrivalled as a training centre when it comes to delivering practical training content. Partner for training delivery within KEY VALUES network.
• REFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for Work Design, Company Organisation and Corporate Development. KEY VALUES has been certified by REFA and also conducts training and projects for the organization. Deep partnership for work design and operational excellence methodologies.
• DGQ (German Society for Quality)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Society for Quality - competent partner for quality, business excellence and quality management in Germany. KEY VALUES is an approved trainer of DGQ, providing DGQ-certified training programs including OKR-Master certifications. Deep partnership for quality management methodologies.
• ProzessschmiedeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides support for efficiency projects in make-to-order production, especially in the project business of mechanical and plant engineering as well as variant and series production. Network partner for operational excellence projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bain & Company: Global strategy and transformation consultancy with strong performance-management and change practices. Competes for enterprise transformation and innovation mandates across the same DACH client base.
• McKinsey & Company: Global management consulting leader with deep transformation, innovation, and organizational practices. Competes with KEY VALUES for Dax-level transformation mandates but at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Regional players

• zeb consulting: European strategy and management consultancy focused on financial services. Comparable as a German-rooted boutique consultancy with similar Mittelstand-to-Dax client base and transformation focus, though focused on banking/insurance verticals.

Direct peers

• Haufe Group: German provider of corporate training, learning content, and HR/management software and services. Directly comparable in the L&D, certification, and corporate training segment where KEY VALUES competes via its Learning Platform and OKR/Six Sigma programs.
• Porsche Consulting: Subsidiary of Porsche AG providing strategy, innovation, and operational excellence consulting to global manufacturers and service companies. Overlaps directly with KEY VALUES on innovation management, Lean transformation, and corporate training.
• Kienbaum Consultants International: German HR, leadership, and management consultancy with a strong executive-search and organizational development practice. Comparable on leadership development, change management, and HR-L&D transformation offerings.
• Capability Centre (formerly Lean Institute): Specialist lean and operational excellence training and consultancy. Directly comparable in Lean Six Sigma training, certification delivery, and operational transformation methodology used in DACH industrial clients.
• ROI-EFESO International: Management consultancy specializing in operational excellence, Lean transformation, and supply-chain improvement for industrial enterprises. Direct competitor in efficiency programs, OKR/performance management, and transformation engagements.
• Staufen AG: German operational excellence and Lean transformation consultancy serving DACH Mittelstand and Dax clients. Direct competitor in Lean Six Sigma, Shopfloor Management, and operational efficiency — the same service lines and customer profile as KEY VALUES.

Others

• Bitkom Servicegesellschaft: German digital industry association providing training, certification, and consulting on digital transformation topics. Thematically comparable on digital transformation training and ESG/CSRD capability building for Dax and Mittelstand clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/key-values-gmbh
• Xx.com/key_values

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Key Values