OAK Academy

What OAK Academy does

OAK Academy GmbH is a German for-profit education technology company headquartered in Essen, founded in 2017, that specializes in cybersecurity training for career changers and aspiring IT security professionals. The company delivers a full-time Cybersecurity Engineering Weiterbildung bootcamp and a Hybrid Evening course, supplemented by a 5,000+ hour on-demand video library, live instructor-led sessions, one-on-one mentoring, career coaching, gamified learning, and hands-on labs via an integrated TryHackMe premium membership. Curriculum covers SOC analysis, threat analysis, penetration testing, SIEM, EDR, IAM, cloud security, and GRC, with embedded preparation for the CompTIA Security+ certification; the company is a CompTIA Authorized Partner. Documented alumni placements include Siemens, Deutsche Bank, Capgemini, Infosys, DB Cargo, and others.

The platform is built on a WordPress-based LMS (career.oakacademy.uk) hosted on Hetzner Cloud infrastructure in Germany with Cloudflare CDN, supporting both self-serve registration and consultation-assisted enrollment via phone, email, contact forms, and WhatsApp Business. The technology stack is conventional — no proprietary AI/ML, no exposed APIs or SDKs, and no mobile apps — with the core differentiation concentrated in content assets, regulatory accreditation, and partner integrations rather than software. The website and content are available in German, English, and Turkish.

Revenue is generated primarily through paid course tuition in cybersecurity engineering programs, augmented by accessibility via the German public employment agency system: OAK Academy's AZAV certification makes its courses eligible for funding through Agentur für Arbeit and Jobcenter Bildungsgutschein education vouchers, materially widening the addressable paying base. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; enrollment is handled through course coordinators. Marketing is multi-channel, combining paid acquisition (Google Ads, Meta, TikTok) with organic social, YouTube-hosted webinars, SEO-driven blog content, and Trustpilot social proof. The company is privately held, founder-led (Managing Director Mehmet Ilikkan; Founder Muharrem Aydin), with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

OAK Academy

Legal name

OAK Academy Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH)

Website

https://oakacademy.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OAK Academy is a German AZAV-certified online education company that trains career changers in cybersecurity engineering through bootcamps, hybrid courses, and a 5,000+ hour video library, with eligibility for Agentur für Arbeit / Jobcenter funding in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Professional Training

NAICS

Computer Training (61142), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity (Digital Safety, Ethical Hacking Basics) (EDAMACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs (EDAAABAH), Cybersecurity Training & Awareness Programs (BPAEANAF)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity training
• Online education platform
• Professional bootcamp
• IT career training
• Cybersecurity certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition / Professional Training Services: OAK Academy generates revenue through paid enrollment in its cybersecurity engineering courses. The platform offers flexible and affordable payment options, suggesting installment or financing plans. As an AZAV-certified training provider, courses are eligible for funding through German public employment agencies (Agentur für Arbeit, Jobcenter), widening the addressable paying customer base. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

OAK Academy is an AZAV-certified online education platform that delivers cybersecurity engineering training programs to individuals. The company offers full-time and hybrid evening bootcamp-style courses covering SOC analysis, penetration testing, SIEM, EDR, IAM, cloud security, and GRC, combined with a 5,000+ hour video library, live instructor sessions, TryHackMe premium labs, one-on-one mentoring, career coaching, and CompTIA Security+ certification preparation.

Product overview

OAK Academy is an AZAV-certified online training and career transformation platform specializing in the IT sector, particularly cybersecurity. The platform operates as a unified educational service offering multiple course delivery formats (full-time bootcamp, hybrid evening, and live daytime programs) centered around cybersecurity engineering. Key products include the Cybersecurity Engineering Weiterbildung (full-time bootcamp) and the Hybrider Abendkurs Cybersicherheitsingenieurwesen (hybrid evening course), both offering hands-on labs, certification preparation (CompTIA Security+), and TryHackMe premium membership. Supporting infrastructure includes a 5,000+ hour video training library and an LMS platform for course delivery and student management. The platform also provides individual mentor support, career coaching, and gamification-based learning as part of its service portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TryHackMe Premium Membership: Premium membership partnership providing access to TryHackMe platform for hands-on cybersecurity training

Products and services

• Cybersecurity Engineering Weiterbildung (Full-Time Bootcamp)
• Hybrider Abendkurs Cybersicherheitsingenieurwesen (Hybrid Evening Course)

Quantifiable outcome

• Students report achieving knowledge equivalent to a freshly graduated computer engineer upon program completion.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CompTIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAK Academy is a CompTIA Authorized Partner, enabling it to offer CompTIA Security+ certification preparation as part of its curriculum. This partnership provides students with access to official CompTIA exam preparation materials and validates the training against industry-recognized cybersecurity standards.
• Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAs an AZAV-certified training provider, OAK Academy is authorized to deliver courses that qualify for funding under German public employment programs administered by the Agentur für Arbeit. This partnership enables unemployed and career-changing individuals to access OAK Academy training at reduced or no cost through education vouchers (Bildungsgutschein).
• Jobcenter (German Local Employment Centers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOAK Academy is recognized by German local Jobcenters as an approved training provider, enabling individuals receiving unemployment benefits (Bürgergeld) to use government-issued education vouchers toward cybersecurity courses at OAK Academy.
• AZAV (Träger-zertifizierung)coreOthersOAK Academy holds AZAV certification (Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung), a German quality accreditation for training providers. This certification is a prerequisite for cooperating with Agentur für Arbeit and Jobcenter funding programs. The AZAV certification is a regulatory accreditation rather than a traditional partner relationship but is critical to the company's distribution strategy.
• TryHackMecoreTechnology or IntegrationOAK Academy provides all enrolled students with a premium TryHackMe membership, integrating hands-on cybersecurity labs and capture-the-flag environments directly into the learning curriculum. TryHackMe provides the practical, sandboxed lab environment that complements OAK Academy's theoretical and live instruction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TryHackMe: Cybersecurity learning platform centered on hands-on labs and capture-the-flag exercises. Directly comparable as both a curriculum/lab provider and as a partner embedded in OAK Academy's offering; increasingly competes for the same entry-level learner.
• Springboard: Online bootcamp provider with cybersecurity, data, and software engineering tracks, including 1:1 mentorship and career coaching. Directly comparable in mentor-driven bootcamp model and career-changer target segment.
• Clarusway: IT and cybersecurity bootcamp provider with live instructor-led cohorts, career services, and CompTIA-aligned curriculum. Directly comparable in bootcamp structure, mentor support, and career-changer positioning.
• StationX: Online cybersecurity training provider offering bootcamps, courses, and certification prep (CompTIA Security+, CISSP). Directly comparable to OAK Academy in target learner (career changers), delivery model (online self-paced + live), and curriculum focus.

Regional players

• Gisma University of Applied Sciences: Germany-based higher education institution offering accredited technology and cybersecurity programs. Comparable as a German-market tech education provider competing for similar career-changer and reskilling learners, with formal degree accreditation.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Large-scale online learning marketplace offering Google, IBM, and university cybersecurity specializations. Comparable in online delivery and breadth, but operates at much larger scale and competes for the same career-changer audience.
• Udemy: Global online learning marketplace with thousands of cybersecurity courses at low price points. Comparable on breadth and self-paced video content model; differs in lacking AZAV-equivalent accreditation and structured bootcamp cohorts.
• SANS Institute: Global leader in cybersecurity training and professional certifications (GIAC, GSEC). Comparable to OAK Academy on the cybersecurity curriculum axis but operates at significantly larger scale, with deeper enterprise/government traction and far higher price points.
• Code Academy: Large-scale interactive coding and cybersecurity training platform. Comparable in online self-paced delivery and career-changer audience, with broader catalog reach but less focus on German market accreditation.

Emerging players

• DataCamp: Online learning platform focused on data, AI, and adjacent technology skills with hands-on labs and career tracks. Comparable on subscription/self-paced tech training model; competes for the same professional upskilling audience in adjacent verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oakacademyde
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@oakacademyde
• Facebookfacebook.com/oakacademyde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oakacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/oakacademyde

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 OAK Academy