dataplan
dataplan is a Hamburg-based German software and consulting firm that develops four specialized SaaS suites — ContentSuite, JournalSuite, ShipOperatingSuite, and SDIS Suite — serving 130+ enterprise customers across publishing, shipping, retail, and content management in 25 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What dataplan does
dataplan Beratungsgesellschaft mbH is a Hamburg-based German private limited company (GmbH) founded in 1984 that develops specialized SaaS software tools and delivers consulting services to enterprise customers across multiple industries. Its product portfolio comprises four core offerings: ContentSuite (omni-channel content planning for newsrooms), JournalSuite (publication creation combining editorial and commercial content), ShipOperatingSuite (container volume planning for BCOs and NVOCCs), and SDIS Suite (point-of-sale data collection and forecasting for the German retail market). The technology stack is web-based and cloud-native, built on Java (EE, Spring) backend, TypeScript/React/Angular frontend, AWS cloud infrastructure, and OpenID Connect authentication, with documented integrations into WoodWing Studio, K4, and InDesign publishing systems.
The company operates a sales-led B2B go-to-market, reaching enterprise clients through direct sales, webinars, and a global partner network of more than 25 integration partners spanning Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Revenue is generated through two streams: subscription-based and on-premise software licensing for the four product suites, and professional consulting services covering initial situation analysis, transformation support, implementation, and training. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via direct contact with [email protected].
dataplan serves more than 130 customers across 25 countries with a team of 11-50 employees under CEO Dr. Wolfgang Zetsche. The customer base spans four verticals — publishing/media, shipping/logistics (BCOs/NVOs), German retail, and enterprise content management — with partner-led distribution providing local-language implementation, training, and support worldwide. The company maintains active social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Xing, runs regular webinars in German and English, and invests in content marketing through its website.
dataplan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- dataplan
- Legal name
- dataplan Beratungsgesellschaft mbH
- Website
- https://dataplan.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- dataplan is a Hamburg-based German software and consulting firm that develops four specialized SaaS suites — ContentSuite, JournalSuite, ShipOperatingSuite, and SDIS Suite — serving 130+ enterprise customers across publishing, shipping, retail, and content management in 25 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
dataplan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vertical Enterprise Software (Publishing, Shipping Logistics, Retail Analytics)
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (51321), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Data App Builders (Forms, Portals & Internal Tools) (HDAEAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Data Strategy & Governance Services (BPAEAHAA)
Keywords
Where dataplan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
dataplan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Software Tools (SaaS/On-Premise): dataplan provides intelligent digital tools available as SaaS or On-Premise solutions. Tools include JournalSuite, ShipOperatingSuite, SDIS Suite, and ContentSuite for different industry needs. Revenue is generated through software licensing with subscription-based and one-time license models.
- Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including analysis of initial situation, transformation process assistance, modernization of processes, and implementation support. The company provides training around the world and builds enduring capability along the implementation way.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
dataplan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
dataplan develops and distributes a proprietary suite of web-based enterprise software tools—ContentSuite for omni-channel content planning, JournalSuite for editorial/advertising publication compilation, ShipOperatingSuite for BCO/NVO container volume planning, and SDIS Suite for German retail point-of-sale data collection and forecasting—available as SaaS or on-premise deployments. The company complements its software with consulting, data analysis, planning, and global training services to help enterprise customers across publishing, shipping, and retail industries reach their strategic goals.
Product overview
dataplan offers a suite of specialized business intelligence and content management tools designed for different industry needs. The product portfolio includes ContentSuite (omni-channel content planning for newsrooms), JournalSuite (publication creation combining editorial and commercial content), ShipOperatingSuite (container shipping planning for BCOs/NVOs), and SDIS Suite (retail sales data collection and forecasting for the German market). These tools are available as SaaS solutions and are complemented by data analysis, consulting, planning, and training services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JournalSuite: Creates publications by compiling editorial and commercials content. Integration across departments like editorial, advertising and production.
- ShipOperatingSuite
- SDIS Suite
- ContentSuite
Products and services
- ContentSuite An omni-channel content planning and management tool that collects and plans content in a central system across different channels (websites, magazines, social media) for enterprises with content-first or digital-first strategies. Features include idea management, component management for articles/videos/images, channel management, task management, dashboard, and an editor with InDesign template integration, with integrations to WoodWing Studio and K4 platforms.
- JournalSuite Software that creates publications by compiling editorial and commercial content with integration across editorial, advertising, and production departments, aimed at media companies and publishing houses needing multi-channel publication orchestration.
- ShipOperatingSuite A web application for Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs) and Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs) to plan and steer their global container volumes to reach strategic goals and achieve sustainable success.
- SDIS Suite Software that collects daily sales data from points of sale (PoS) across Germany, analyzes trends, and forecasts short and medium-term developments, targeted at German retail businesses with multiple PoS locations.
- dataplan Consulting & Training Services Professional consulting services including analysis of the initial situation, transformation process assistance, modernization of processes, implementation support, and web-based and in-house training delivered globally to enterprises across all of dataplan's served verticals.
Companies that use dataplan
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
dataplan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
dataplan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered standard and core.
- a&f systemsstandardSwiss integration partner providing advice, analysis, implementation, integration, training and support services.
- GMDEstandardItalian integration partner providing local support for dataplan products.
- ProPublishstandardGerman integration partner providing publishing industry expertise and support.
- WoodWingcoreStrategic integration partner for WoodWing Studio and K4 systems, enabling seamless data flows between ContentSuite and WoodWing publishing platforms.
- SNAP InnovationstandardGerman integration partner providing implementation and support services.
- MedianglestandardFrench integration partner providing local support in France.
- Nuova TeseastandardItalian integration partner providing implementation and support services.
- SmartiumstandardSwiss integration partner providing consulting and integration services.
- System BagesstandardSpanish integration partner providing local support.
- ParadigmstandardNorwegian integration partner serving the Nordic market.
- PronetstandardPolish integration partner providing local support.
- NBZ ComputersstandardRussian integration partner serving the Eastern European market.
- Automated Publishing ServicesstandardHungarian integration partner providing publishing automation services.
- CODESCOstandardBelgian integration partner providing local support.
- Energy NetstandardGerman integration partner providing energy sector expertise.
- aaroonstandardGerman integration partner providing local consulting services.
- TiMestandardGerman integration partner (time-agentur) providing marketing and integration services.
- SWELstandardCzech integration partner serving the Central European market.
- Line upstandardGerman integration partner (line up) providing publishing workflow solutions.
- dalaistandardIntegration partner serving the Americas region.
- TEC 440standardIntegration partner serving the Americas market.
- CadgrafstandardIndian integration partner serving the Asia-Pacific market.
- Creative Folks ITstandardAustralian integration partner providing local support.
- goofstandardIntegration partner serving the Asia-Pacific region.
- Medium Rate ContentstandardIntegration partner serving the Asia-Pacific content market.
- ComposestandardHong Kong-based integration partner serving the Greater China region.
- Content & WorkflowstandardAustralian integration partner specializing in content workflow solutions.
- NexusstandardAustralian integration partner serving the Oceania market.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
dataplan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- E2open: E2open is a large supply-chain and logistics platform serving shippers and logistics providers. Its container shipping planning and tracking modules place it in the same competitive orbit as ShipOperatingSuite.
- Descartes Systems Group: Descartes provides logistics technology including routing, scheduling, and container visibility. It offers broader logistics suites that overlap with ShipOperatingSuite's container-volume planning use cases.
- CargoWise (WiseTech Global): WiseTech's CargoWise is the dominant global logistics execution platform with container shipping planning capabilities. It competes with ShipOperatingSuite at the enterprise tier and defines the incumbent benchmark for BCOs/NVOs.
Direct peers
- Quark Software: Quark provides content automation and publishing solutions (Quark Publishing Platform, QuarkXPress), competing with JournalSuite in structured editorial and layout-driven publication production.
- WoodWing Studio (Xtento): WoodWing's Xtento/InDesign-based editorial system is directly integrated with dataplan's ContentSuite. The overlap in newsroom planning, layout automation, and channel coordination makes it a near-functional peer.
- WoodWing: WoodWing is a core strategic integration partner of dataplan and a leading multi-channel publishing platform (Studio, K4). The two products are deeply intertwined for newsroom and magazine workflows, making WoodWing the most directly comparable publishing-software peer.
- vjoon: vjoon provides cross-media publishing and content workflow solutions for editorial teams, competing head-to-head with JournalSuite and ContentSuite in the newspaper and magazine segment across the DACH region.
- censhare: censhare offers enterprise content management and content orchestration platforms used by publishers, brands, and agencies. It overlaps with ContentSuite in omni-channel content planning and editorial workflow.
Emerging players
- Stibo Systems: Stibo Systems offers master data and content management platforms used in publishing-adjacent industries. It competes for enterprise content orchestration budgets that ContentSuite also targets.
Regional players
- Inform GmbH (PROGNOSE): Inform provides optimization and planning software including for shipping/logistics and retail forecasting, overlapping with ShipOperatingSuite's container planning and SDIS Suite's PoS forecasting capabilities in the DACH market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
dataplan social profiles
Digital presencedataplan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
dataplan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
dataplan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
dataplan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about dataplan
What does dataplan do?
dataplan develops and distributes a proprietary suite of web-based enterprise software tools—ContentSuite for omni-channel content planning, JournalSuite for editorial/advertising publication compilation, ShipOperatingSuite for BCO/NVO container volume planning, and SDIS Suite for German retail point-of-sale data collection and forecasting—available as SaaS or on-premise deployments. The company complements its software with consulting, data analysis, planning, and global training services to help enterprise customers across publishing, shipping, and retail industries reach their strategic goals.
Is dataplan a public or private company?
dataplan is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was dataplan founded?
dataplan was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is dataplan based?
dataplan is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does dataplan make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Software Tools (SaaS/On-Premise) is the primary driver. The others are consulting Services.
Who are dataplan's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are E2open, Descartes Systems Group and CargoWise (WiseTech Global). Direct peers are Quark Software, WoodWing Studio (Xtento), WoodWing, vjoon and censhare. Stibo Systems is listed as an emerging player. Inform GmbH (PROGNOSE) is listed as a regional player.
Does dataplan have an API?
No public API is recorded for dataplan.
What industry is dataplan in?
dataplan's product category is Vertical Enterprise Software (Publishing, Shipping Logistics, Retail Analytics). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAKAK, Data App Builders (Forms, Portals & Internal Tools), with a secondary code of BPAEAHAA, Data Strategy & Governance Services. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.