What Fonlos does

Fonlos (legal entity: fonlos services GmbH & Co. KG) is a Berlin-based B2B "Tech as a Service" provider founded in 2013/2014 that rents and leases mobile and IT hardware — smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, VR/AR, conference technology and accessories — to German Mittelstand companies. It operates manufacturer-independently (Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Microsoft, Google) and bundles hardware with a full lifecycle-management service layer: MDM setup (via Relution), device staging and enrollment (Apple DEP, Android Zero-Touch, Windows Autopilot), IT support, insurance with 48-hour swap, certified data deletion to DIN 66399, and end-of-life take-back/recommerce. The company serves roughly 1,900 business customers across a broad vertical set including healthcare, education, construction, logistics, retail, events, and public administration, with named references such as Sky, BBDO, Eventbrite, Zeiss, Deutsche Bahn, and Drees & Sommer.

The core technology is the "fonlos neo" digital administration platform — a customer portal for managing rentals, devices, users, contracts, asset tracking, ticketing and returns, including password- and asset-manager modules. The product portfolio spans long-term rental (fonlos neo, 12–48 months), short-term/project rental (3 days–6 months), IT-lifecycle management, MDM, digital consulting (Zoho One CRM implementation, AI advisory), and a recommerce sub-brand (kavar) selling refurbished smartphone accessories.

The business model is recurring: monthly per-device rental fees that embed service, insurance and take-back, supplemented by one-time lifecycle setup fees and device buyback/recommerce revenue. Pricing is quote-based (from roughly €13/device/month for leasing, minimum 15 devices short-term / 5 devices long-term), with financing and billing administered by Grenke. Go-to-market is direct/sales-led with dedicated account managers and enterprise field sales, a self-service platform (fonlos neo) for long-term rentals, and a growing B2B2X partner/reseller channel (PwC Solutions, 4medien, Port Zero, Vaira, Samsung Neues Lernen, ALSO Apple DPP). The company is privately held, structured as a German limited partnership led by co-founders Pierre Lässig (Managing Director/CEO) and Ludmila Braun, with 1–10 employees and no evidenced external institutional funding.

Name

Fonlos

Legal name

fonlos services GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://fonlos.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fonlos is a Berlin-based B2B "Tech as a Service" provider renting IT and mobile hardware to German Mittelstand companies, bundling device rental with MDM, staging, insurance, support, certified data deletion and end-of-life take-back across a full lifecycle-management model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Rental (Tech as a Service): Monthly rental fees for B2B hardware including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, accessories, and specialized devices. Short-term rentals from 3 days to 6 months; long-term rentals from 12-48 months. Revenue is recurring per device per month, with pricing based on device category, quantity, and contract length. Includes service, insurance, and end-of-life take-back in the monthly rate.
2. Lifecycle Services: Add-on services including MDM setup and management, onboarding and rollout logistics, IT support, device staging, certified data deletion, asset management, and insurance. Typically one-time setup fees plus recurring service fees.
3. Recommerce / Device Buyback: Purchase of used end-of-life devices from customers as part of lifecycle management. Devices are refurbished and resold through kavar brand or other channels.
4. Recommerce (kavar Brand): Online store for refurbished smartphone accessories and potentially devices, operated under the kavar brand (launched July 2019). Revenue from accessory sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fonlos operates a Tech-as-a-Service (TaaS) model that rents, leases, and manages mobile devices and IT hardware for German businesses. It bundles long-term and short-term hardware rental with lifecycle services such as Mobile Device Management (MDM), data deletion, logistics, insurance, and financing into a single digital platform (fonlos neo). Customers receive a fully managed device fleet on a monthly recurring basis instead of purchasing hardware outright.

Product overview

Fonlos is a B2B Tech-as-a-Service provider offering equipment rental with comprehensive lifecycle management. The portfolio consists of three main sub-brands: fonlos neo (service-oriented long-term rental for 12-48 months with bundled support, MDM, insurance, and asset management), Kurzzeitmiete/Individual rental (project-based short-term rental from 3 days to 6 months), and kavar (consumer smartphone accessories). Supporting services include IT-Lifecycle-Management covering procurement, onboarding, support, data deletion, and device buyback; Mobile Device Management (MDM) with device enrollment; Digitalberatung (CRM consulting with Zoho One, AI consulting); IT-Service on Demand; KI Komplettpaket (AI services for Mittelstand); plus tools including TCO-Rechner, Digital Check, and Restwertschätzung. The Kundenportal provides a digital platform for managing devices, returns, and support tickets. All services are delivered through technology partners including Apple, Samsung, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Microsoft, and Relution MDM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• fonlos neo: Service-oriented technology rental for businesses with fixed terms from 12 months. All-in-one B2B IT procurement solution.
• kavar

Products and services

• fonlos neo (Langzeitmiete / Long-term Rental) Subscription-based long-term rental of mobile devices, notebooks, and IT hardware for business customers, administered through the fonlos neo platform with monthly billing, full lifecycle support, and optional add-ons.
• Kurzzeitmiete (Short-term Rental) Short-term device rental for events, project rollouts, peak demand, or temporary staff in businesses, with flexible rental durations.
• IT-Lifecycle-Management Full lifecycle management covering device procurement, provisioning, deployment, maintenance, and end-of-life handling for business device fleets.
• Mobile Device Management (MDM) Managed MDM service using Relution, including zero-touch enrollment via Apple DEP, Android Zero-Touch, and Windows Autopilot, plus configuration, security policies, and remote support.
• Digitalberatung (Digital Consulting) Consulting service advising businesses on digital strategy, device selection, process optimization, and digital workplace transformation.
• KI Komplettpaket (AI Complete Package) Bundle of AI-capable hardware, software, and configuration services aimed at helping businesses adopt AI tools in a ready-to-use package.
• IT-Service & Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 devices deployed across 8 locations in 48 hours rollout-ready
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PwC Solutions GmbH, DeutschlandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2026B2B2X partnership where PwC Solutions integrates fonlos rental solutions into its consulting and digital transformation offerings for clients. Part of the expanding B2B2X partner ecosystem targeting enterprise customers with bundled hardware and service solutions.
• 4medien GmbH & Co. KGminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2026B2B2X partner integrating fonlos Tech-as-a-Service into its media and technology solutions for clients.
• Port Zero GmbHminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2026B2B2X partner, possibly in the sustainability or environmental technology space, leveraging fonlos rental for circular economy solutions.
• Samsung Neues LernencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2024Cooperation to simplify and sustainably advance digitalization in German schools. Schools can rent Samsung technology through fonlos, and parents can use parent-financing to spread costs. The cooperation offers good feedback and was extended beyond the initial 6-month pilot. Addresses DigitalPakt Schule funding and hybrid learning needs.
• RelutioncoreTechnology or Integration · 3 November 2021Datenschutzkonformes (GDPR-compliant) and plattformunabhängiges (platform-independent) Mobile Device Management. Leading German MDM provider. Available as add-on to all rental contracts, providing enterprise-grade device management for iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
• Samsung Neues Lernen (Education Bundle)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Education bundle combining Samsung hardware rental with lifecycle services, targeted at schools and educational institutions. Includes parent financing option. Extended beyond initial pilot period.
• ALSO Deutschland GmbH (Apple DPP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 September 2021Distribution Partner Program (DPP) for Apple products. fonlos handles inquiry processing, order management, and logistics for Apple demo devices. Exclusive offer for qualified ALSO customers, enabling short-term rental (up to 3 months) of Apple demo devices.
• FinCompareminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 September 2021Innovative financing platform for SMEs. Combines independent consulting approach with modern technology to help businesses find optimal financing for IT hardware procurement. Complements fonlos rental and leasing offerings.
• Apple für Unternehmen (Apple for Business)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Apple for Business cooperation. Enables businesses to access Apple hardware and services through fonlos with deployment and enrollment support. Supports Apple DEP (Device Enrollment Program) for pre-configured device delivery.
• GO! Express & ConsultantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpress and courier service provider used since early 2020 for tracked, scheduled, and personal handover deliveries. Known for individualized and complex transport solutions. Supports Germany-wide delivery of rental devices.
• VairaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerB2B2X partner. Vaira's digital toolbox for construction sites uses fonlos for hardware provisioning as part of its digital construction solution.
• ShareMagazinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to offer digital magazine/lending kiosk solution combined with tablet rental. Enables 'digitaler Lesezirkel' (digital magazine circulating library) as an add-on to device rental.
• Dr. Stephanie Kleta-Bohmann / adiuvantisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent school consultant and author of the 'Checkliste Hybrides Lernen' (Hybrid Learning Checklist) in collaboration with fonlos. Part of fonlos's educational content and school digitalization offerings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ratiodata: German IT leasing and managed services provider specializing in hardware rental, leasing, and lifecycle services for SMEs and enterprise customers, with comparable offerings in the German Mittelstand segment.
• Grover (Grover Business): Originally a consumer tech subscription company, Grover has expanded into B2B (Grover Business) offering smartphones, laptops, and tablets on a monthly subscription with flexible returns, directly comparable to fonlos neo for German B2B customers.
• Everphone: Germany-based B2B smartphone-as-a-service provider offering managed mobile device rental with MDM and lifecycle services to enterprises and SMEs, directly competing with Fonlos in the same German market and target segment.
• valuePEAK (Ratiodata IT-/TK-Lösungen): Germany-based B2B IT rental and lifecycle services provider focused on short- and long-term device rental, MDM, and IT support for SMEs, directly comparable to Fonlos's core offering.

Broad incumbents

• Computacenter: Large European IT infrastructure provider that has expanded into Device-as-a-Service and managed workplace offerings for enterprise customers, competing with Fonlos in larger enterprise rollouts.
• Bechtle: Major German IT systems integrator and reseller with a leasing and managed services arm. Provides end-to-end IT procurement and lifecycle services to German Mittelstand and enterprise customers, overlapping with Fonlos's full-service positioning.
• CHG-MERIDIAN: One of Europe's largest IT and industrial asset financiers/leasers, offering technology leasing, rental and lifecycle services to enterprises. Operates at a much larger scale than Fonlos and competes for the same enterprise DaaS opportunities.
• CANCOM: German IT services and solutions provider offering managed workplace, cloud, and increasingly device-as-a-service and financing options to enterprise and public sector clients, competing for larger German managed device contracts.

Regional players

• Get-IT-Leased: Netherlands-based B2B IT rental and leasing provider with similar managed device lifecycle services. Comparable in business model and Mittelstand/SME focus, but operates in a different (Benelux) geography than Fonlos.

Emerging players

• Teqcycle (part of Foxway): European recommerce and circular IT lifecycle specialist handling device buyback, refurbishment, and resale. Comparable to Fonlos's recommerce / kavar and certified data-deletion activities as a device lifecycle counterpart.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fonlos
• Facebookfacebook.com/fonlos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fonlos
• Instagraminstagram.com/kavarstore

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Fonlos