What Sourcebook does

Sourcebook GmbH is a Berlin-based B2B online networking and matchmaking platform serving the textile and fashion industry. The platform connects designers, agencies, craftspeople, manufacturers, suppliers, and specialized service providers across the full textile value chain — from initial concept through serial production — with a member base of over 2,000 companies generating more than 100 new inquiries and orders per month. Core product functionality includes member search and filtering by expertise and geography, profile and portfolio management, project posting and order management, a Handshake reference system, technical package document templates, and a notification center for events and opportunities. The platform is available in German and English, with a Polish version developed in cooperation with the International Designzentrum Berlin (IDZ) in 2016.

The company operates a freemium subscription model with four tiers: Basic (free), Standard (€60/year), Premium (€190/year), and Partner (€490/year), supplemented by paid workshops on FashionTech and sustainability, consulting and mediation services, curated exhibition formats (Next Tex at Munich Fabric Start), collaborative hackathons and Thinkathons (operated on behalf of Messe Frankfurt), the RIFT Summit think tank, Fashion Hack Day hackathons, and international sourcing trips. Sourcebook maintains an active presence at major industry trade fairs and runs a multi-channel community-led go-to-market combining content marketing, events, partnerships with industry associations, and self-service online registration. The company was originally developed in 2013 within the EU-funded NEMONA project, incorporated as Sourcebook GmbH in March 2015, and remains privately held with founders Marte Hentschel and Olof Werngren as shareholders and no disclosed external institutional investors.

Name

Sourcebook

Legal name

Sourcebook GmbH

Website

https://sourcebook.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sourcebook GmbH is a Berlin-based B2B matchmaking platform that connects designers, manufacturers, and service providers across the European textile and fashion value chain, serving over 2,000 member companies through a freemium subscription model and curated industry events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Three-tier membership model with Basic (free), Standard (€60/year), Premium (€190/year), and Partner (€490/year) tiers. The platform uses a freemium approach where Basic is permanently free with limited functionality, and paid tiers unlock additional features like advanced search, commenting, top listing positions, and partner-specific benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sourcebook is a B2B online network platform that connects trade businesses across the textile and fashion industry value chain. Members use the platform to search for service providers and suppliers, post orders and requests, build portfolios via a Handshake reference system, and manage projects collaboratively. The platform is complemented by consulting, mediation, workshops, and event-based services such as the Next Tex innovation showcase and Thinkathon workshops.

Product overview

Sourcebook is a B2B network platform for fashion makers, textile craftspeople, producers, and service providers in the fashion industry. The core Sourcebook Platform enables members to network with designers, craftspeople, and partners from the industry and realize textile projects together. The platform is complemented by event-based offerings including the Next Tex innovation showcase at Munich Fabric Start, the Thinkathon collaborative workshop series, Fashion Hack Day hackathons, and the RIFT Summit. The company also offers membership tiers (Basic, Standard, Premium, Partner), professional workshops on FashionTech and sustainability topics, and international sourcing trips. All services are coordinated with the company's professional consulting and matchmaking services along the textile value chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sourcebook Platform B2B online network platform that connects trade businesses from the textile industry, providing matchmaking services for designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers in the fashion and textile sector. The platform enables member search, networking, project collaboration, posting and viewing requests/orders, news sharing, and portfolio management.
• Next Tex Innovation Showcase Curated trade fair exhibition series within Munich Fabric Start's Keyhouse innovations zone, presenting groundbreaking textile and fashion products, prototypes, and services under selected themes across approximately 250 square meters of showcase space.
• Thinkathon Workshop Two-day collaborative ideas laboratory and pop-up think tank organized by Sourcebook on behalf of Messe Frankfurt, convening international multidisciplinary expert teams to develop sustainable solutions to fashion and textile industry challenges.
• Fashion Hack Day Hackathon Three-day interdisciplinary hackathon where technology teams and fashion design teams collaborate to develop innovative concepts for wearable technologies and smart clothing.
• RIFT Summit Expert forum and think tank promoted as Responsible Innovators for Fashion & Textiles, initiated by Sourcebook with Future Fashion Forward to advance responsible innovation by connecting artisanal traditions with new sustainable strategies in the textile and fashion industry.
• Professional Workshop Formats Professional development workshops covering FashionTech, sustainability, and textile industry topics, led by experienced industry professionals. Each participant receives course script, interactive toolkit, course materials, and a certificate.
• Sourcing Trips International company and delegation tours through factories and specialized ateliers, organized and timed with major textile trade fairs to connect manufacturers with potential partners and production capacity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ member companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Messe FrankfurtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Sourcebook organizes Thinkathon events on behalf of Messe Frankfurt as part of the Fashionsustain/Neonyt conference during Techtextil and Texprocess. This is a flagship partnership for innovation events in sustainable fashion.
• NemonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2015Nemona was the EU-funded project (NEMONA placement) that originally developed Sourcebook in cooperation with Inpolis in 2013. Since March 2015, Sourcebook GmbH has continued development of the platform independently.
• Future Fashion ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the RIFT Summit (Responsible Innovators for Fashion & Textiles), an expert forum and think tank promoting responsible innovation. Also partners for Textile Stammtisch monthly discussions.
• Munich Fabric StartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSourcebook curates the Next Tex innovation showcase within the Keyhouse innovations zone at Munich Fabric Start, one of the leading bi-annual textile trade fairs. The event showcases textile innovations across 250 sqm.
• International Designzentrum Berlin (IDZ)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSourcebook works with IDZ on international cooperation. In 2016, they developed a Polish version of the platform together. IDZ also promotes Sourcebook events and activities.
• Fashion Council GermanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization promoting German fashion industry. Listed as partner on Sourcebook website.
• Texpertise Network (Messe Frankfurt)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMesse Frankfurt's textile expertise network partnership for industry connections and promotion.
• LebenskleidungminorOthersSustainable fashion company listed as partner on Sourcebook website.
• StatexminorOthersTextile industry partner listed on Sourcebook website.
• CRCLRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Textile Stammtisch monthly round table discussions supporting local fashion and textile community.
• AgoraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Textile Stammtisch events with CRCLR and Future Fashion Forward.
• LectraminorOthersTechnology partner for fashion and textile software solutions, listed on Sourcebook website.
• TCBL (Textile and Clothing Business Labs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project for textile and clothing business innovation. TCBL participated in Techtextil & Texprocess 2017 and has collaborated with Sourcebook on events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maker's Row: B2B online marketplace that connects fashion brands with US-based manufacturers and suppliers. Directly comparable to Sourcebook as a vertical matchmaking platform for the fashion/textile production chain, though geographically focused on the US.
• Sewport: B2B platform connecting fashion brands, designers, and manufacturers globally for apparel production. Comparable to Sourcebook in serving the matchmaking and project-posting use case for textile and fashion production.
• FashionUnited: Global B2B fashion industry news, jobs, and business directory platform. Comparable to Sourcebook in serving the fashion-industry professional community with directory and information services, though with more editorial/news emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• Lectra: Established global provider of technology solutions (CAD, PLM, ERP) for fashion, apparel, and textile companies. Comparable to Sourcebook's deep textile-industry specialization and value-chain coverage, though focused on industrial software rather than networking/matchmaking. Listed as a Sourcebook technology partner.
• LinkedIn: Dominant global professional networking platform increasingly used for B2B matchmaking across industries including textiles. Comparable to Sourcebook's professional networking and search use case, but without Sourcebook's textile specialization.
• Alibaba (B2B): Largest global B2B sourcing marketplace spanning virtually every product category including textiles. Comparable to Sourcebook as a horizontal/vertical B2B matchmaking platform, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Fashinza: B2B fashion supply-chain platform enabling brands to source from manufacturers, with workflow and order management tooling. Comparable to Sourcebook's project posting and order management features, but with a more technology-led, global approach.
• Material Exchange: B2B digital marketplace for material sourcing in the fashion and footwear industry. Comparable to Sourcebook's material and supplier matchmaking use case, with deeper functionality around material specifications.
• Common Objective: B2B platform for the fashion industry focused on sustainable sourcing, supplier discovery, and professional development. Comparable to Sourcebook's sustainability positioning (RIFT Summit, sustainable material sourcing use cases) and supplier matchmaking.

Regional players

• Textile Exchange: Global non-profit organization focused on sustainable textile materials and supply chain standards, with member companies across the textile value chain. Comparable to Sourcebook's RIFT Summit sustainability positioning and member-network model in the textile sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fsourcebook
• Facebookfacebook.com/fashionsourcebook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fashion-sourcebook

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Sourcebook