What Studio ZX does

Studio ZX GmbH is the wholly-owned creative agency of ZEIT Verlagsgruppe, headquartered in Hamburg with additional offices in Berlin and Frankfurt. Founded in 1998 and operating for over 25 years, the agency employs 51–100 people and produces content across five service pillars: podcasts, digital magazines, print magazines, events, and campaigns. Its client base is concentrated among large German and German-speaking enterprises, foundations, public institutions, and publishers — including AOK, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Stiftung Mercator, KPMG, Fraport, Hapag-Lloyd, Wien Energie, Schweiz Tourismus, and co-productions with Handelsblatt, Tagesspiegel, and WirtschaftsWoche.

The agency's core technology is editorial and creative production capability, not software: it combines journalistic depth with design and event production across audio, print, digital, and live formats. Notable operational platforms include the Deutsches Schulportal (130,000+ monthly page views, ~40,000 registered users, 28,000+ newsletter recipients with 30%+ open rate) and recurring conferences such as the Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum (800+ decision-makers, 18 years running) and EUROPE 20XX. The agency explicitly leverages AI-supported innovation under Managing Director Iliane Weiß, though no proprietary AI products are disclosed.

Studio ZX generates revenue through professional services fees for content and event production. Sales are conducted via direct enterprise engagement with corporate marketing, communications, and CSR teams; pricing is not publicly disclosed. All work is delivered under the credibility umbrella of the ZEIT/DIE ZEIT brand, which functions as both a quality signal to clients and a distribution channel via the parent's print, digital, newsletter, and event properties. The legal entity is a German private limited company (GmbH) with no outside investors and no subsidiaries.

Name

Studio ZX

Legal name

Studio ZX GmbH

Website

https://studiozx.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Studio ZX is the wholly-owned creative agency of ZEIT Verlagsgruppe, producing podcasts, magazines, campaigns, and events for German enterprises, foundations, and public institutions. It operates from Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt with 51–100 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative & Content Agency Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Content marketing campaigns
• Corporate publishing services
• Event management services
• Podcast production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Studio ZX generates revenue by developing and producing content for clients including magazines, podcasts, campaigns, and events. Services include strategic consulting, creative concept development, editorial production, design, and event management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Studio ZX is the in-house creative agency of ZEIT Verlagsgruppe that develops and produces brand content for enterprise clients, foundations, government institutions, and publishers. Its service portfolio spans five pillars: podcasts, digital magazines, print magazines, events, and campaigns. The agency combines journalistic editorial expertise with creative design and full-service production capabilities to deliver purpose-driven storytelling across audio, print, digital, and live formats.

Product overview

Studio ZX is a creative agency (Kreativagentur) of the ZEIT Verlagsgruppe offering a portfolio of content production and event services. The core service offerings include Podcasts (audio content production), Digitalmagazines (online publication development), Printmagazines (print production), Events (event conception and organization), and Kampagnen (content marketing campaigns). These five pillars support a range of named products created for clients: educational platforms (Deutsches Schulportal, SchuB Magazin), health publications (AOK Gesundheitsmagazin), tourism podcasts (Überm Berg), economic forums (Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum, World Trade Dialogue), corporate podcasts (ENERGIEVOLL, Marken des Jahrhunderts), cultural magazines (aufbau, AufRuhr), engagement platforms (WAS TUN!), political conferences (Europe 20XX, ZEIT für Bildung), and society campaigns (#Zusammenland, ZEIT Markenkampagne). The portfolio integrates cross-media storytelling across audio, print, digital, and event formats, all grounded in journalistic quality from the ZEIT Verlagsgruppe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studio ZX: The primary brand identity of the creative agency, part of ZEIT Verlagsgruppe, specializing in magazines, podcasts, campaigns, and events with journalistic storytelling approach.

Products and services

• Podcasts Audio content production and podcast format development for brands, including immersive reportages, feature podcasts, and interview series with professional sound design, delivered to enterprise clients and institutional customers.
• Digitalmagazines Digital magazine development and publishing, creating online publication platforms that build brand profiles, trust, and sustained audience engagement for corporate and institutional clients.
• Printmagazines Print magazine production combining editorial expertise with design and manufacturing, covering the full process from concept to printed publication for clients seeking premium physical magazine products.
• Events Event conception and organization, including thought leadership forums, networking events, conferences, and exclusive gatherings for decision-makers from business, politics, and society.
• Kampagnen (Campaigns) Strategic content marketing campaigns precisely tailored to target audiences, combining strategic consulting, creative concept development, and focused tonality for enterprise and institutional brand communications.
• Deutsches Schulportal Leading digital platform for educational excellence in Germany, operated for the Robert Bosch Stiftung, providing resources for teachers and educational professionals with over 130,000 monthly page views and nearly 40,000 registered users.
• Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum Annual summit bringing together over 800 decision-makers from business and politics in Frankfurt's Paulskirche for economic discourse and exchange.
• Europe 20XX Konferenz Leading conference on Europe's future, jointly organized by DIE ZEIT, Handelsblatt, Tagesspiegel, and WirtschaftsWoche since 2021, with the 6th edition held in 2025.
• ZEIT Reception Davos Exclusive ZEIT reception in Davos in cooperation with KPMG, providing a confidential forum for leading figures from business and politics following Chatham House Rule.
• AOK Gesundheitsmagazin Evidence-based health magazine for AOK insured members, produced in partnership with Ressourcenmangel, providing medically grounded, understandable, and practical health information.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ decision-makers brought together annually at Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.

• KPMGflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerKPMG cooperates with Studio ZX on the ZEIT Reception Davos, an exclusive gathering during the World Economic Forum. The event brings together high-profile business and political leaders for confidential discussions.
• Robert Bosch StiftungflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobert Bosch Stiftung commissioned Studio ZX to create the Deutsches Schulportal, a leading digital platform for educational excellence in Germany since 2018.
• AOK-BundesverbandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio ZX (in partnership with Ressourcenmangel) produces the AOK health insurance magazine, a key communication instrument serving millions of insureds.
• Hapag-LloydflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the World Trade Dialogue Hamburg with the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Hapag-Lloyd hosts the conference at their Hamburg headquarters.
• Stiftung MercatorflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio ZX produces the 'AufRuhr' digital magazine for Stiftung Mercator, a platform covering societal and political debates since 2019.
• Wübben Stiftung BildungflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio ZX produces the SchuB Magazin for schools in challenging circumstances, promoting educational equity and giving schools a voice.
• Schweiz TourismusflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the 'Überm Berg' podcast series showcasing Switzerland's diverse regions through immersive audio storytelling.
• Wien EnergieflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustria's largest energy provider commissioned the ENERGIEVOLL podcast to make the energy transition accessible to the Austrian population.
• FraportflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFraport commissioned a four-part event series celebrating 100 years of aviation in Frankfurt, concluding at the Deutsches Wirtschaftsforum.
• HandelsblattflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four German leading media outlets (alongside ZEIT, Tagesspiegel, and WirtschaftsWoche) co-producing the EUROPE 20XX conference series since 2021.
• TagesspiegelflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four German leading media outlets (alongside ZEIT, Handelsblatt, and WirtschaftsWoche) co-producing the EUROPE 20XX conference series since 2021.
• WirtschaftsWocheflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four German leading media outlets (alongside ZEIT, Handelsblatt, and Tagesspiegel) co-producing the EUROPE 20XX conference series since 2021.
• Kiel Institute for the World EconomyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the World Trade Dialogue Hamburg with Hapag-Lloyd, bringing together global business, policy, and academic leaders.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jung von Matt: Jung von Matt is a leading Hamburg-based creative agency with a strong reputation for brand campaigns, content, and digital experiences. As a fellow premium-positioned German creative agency serving large enterprise and consumer brands, it is a direct competitor for the same pool of marketing decision-makers.
• Ressourcenmangel: Ressourcenmangel is a Berlin-based creative and communications agency that actually co-produces the AOK Gesundheitsmagazin together with Studio ZX. As a fellow purpose-driven, socially-focused agency with comparable editorial and campaign capabilities, it is a tightly comparable peer and frequent collaborator/competitor.
• Kolle Rebbe: Kolle Rebbe is a Hamburg-based creative agency known for integrated brand campaigns and editorial-grade storytelling. Its premium positioning and proximity to major German media companies make it a directly comparable peer to Studio ZX for high-end content-driven client engagements.
• UDG United Digital Group: UDG United Digital Group is a major German digital and creative agency group with deep enterprise content, platform, and campaign capabilities. It competes with Studio ZX for digital content and platform mandates from large German enterprises and foundations.
• Serviceplan Group: Serviceplan is the largest independent owner-led creative agency group in Europe, headquartered in Munich. It competes directly with Studio ZX for premium German enterprise, foundation, and government mandates across campaigns, content, and events at a much larger scale.
• Scholz & Friends: Scholz & Friends is a Hamburg-rooted full-service creative agency with deep experience in cross-media campaigns, brand strategy, and content production. It targets many of the same enterprise and FMCG clients as Studio ZX and competes for content-marketing and campaign budgets in the DACH market.
• Zum goldenen Hirschen: Zum goldenen Hirschen is one of the leading independent creative and PR agency networks in Germany, with capabilities spanning brand campaigns, content, and corporate communications. It pursues many of the same enterprise and foundation mandates as Studio ZX, particularly in storytelling-led communications.
• Territory: Territory is the content marketing and brand communications arm of Bertelsmann, structurally analogous to Studio ZX as the embedded creative agency of a major German media group. Both serve enterprise clients with content, campaigns, and platforms across multiple media formats under the credibility of a parent publisher.
• C3 Creative Code and Content: C3 Creative Code and Content is a global content-marketing and creative agency with strong DACH operations and a comparable service mix of editorial content, campaigns, and digital platforms. It pursues many of the same enterprise clients as Studio ZX for storytelling-led branded content.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture Song (DACH): Accenture Song is the global creative, content, and experience arm of Accenture, with a substantial DACH practice that competes for large enterprise content and campaign engagements. It is a broader incumbent than Studio ZX, offering strategy, technology, and operations alongside creative production, but it increasingly competes for the same branded-content and storytelling mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCo3W8VvgdRD8PwxTYyDZRSg
• Facebookfacebook.com/StudioZX.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studiozx
• Instagraminstagram.com/zeit_studiozx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Studio ZX