What Inventivo does

Inventivo is a Münster-based, founder-operated digital agency founded in 2004 by Nils Harder that delivers web design, e-commerce development, SEO, Google Ads, and emerging AI/GEO services to German Mittelstand companies and e-commerce businesses across the DACH region. The firm operates a solo-operator model with a freelancer network for project scaling, handling work directly without sales intermediaries. Core technology spans WordPress (custom themes and plugins), Shopware 6 (certified template design, custom plugin development, SW5-to-SW6 migrations), and Shopify (including custom apps published in the official Shopify App Store built with Remix, GraphQL Admin API, App Bridge, and Polaris). Adjacent capabilities include n8n workflow automation connecting shop, CRM, ERP, and mailing systems, and AI integration consulting including EU AI Act compliance assessments.

The business model combines fixed-price project work with recurring monthly retainers. Project pricing starts at approximately €5,000 net for websites, €8,000 net for online shops, with Shopify Plus and enterprise projects ranging €40,000–€100,000 depending on scope. Subscription revenue streams include SEO retainers, Google Ads management, website maintenance packages, and a recently introduced GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) retainer. A free initial consultation functions as the primary lead-conversion mechanism, supported by an active content marketing program (109 published articles) and the founder's LinkedIn presence for personal branding. Customer segments span SMB through enterprise across diverse verticals including musical instruments, food and delicatessen, transportation, insurance, drilling tools, confectionery, fishing equipment, and aviation services, with many client relationships exceeding 10 years.

The company is privately held, bootstrapped with no external investors or parent entity, and has operated continuously for over 22 years. Revenue, headcount growth, and legal entity form are not publicly disclosed; the firm appears to operate as a single proprietorship (Inhaber model) under the name inventivo. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward AI-adjacent services — Generative Engine Optimization for AI search visibility, KI-Hygiene-Check for EU AI Act compliance, and n8n-based workflow automation — alongside geographic expansion of GEO coverage to multiple cities in North Rhine-Westphalia and surrounding regions.

Name

Inventivo

Legal name

inventivo

Website

https://inventivo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Inventivo is a Münster-based, founder-operated digital agency founded in 2004 that delivers WordPress, Shopware, and Shopify web development, SEO, Google Ads, and emerging AI/GEO services to DACH-region Mittelstand businesses via a solo-operator model with freelancer network support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Web Design and Development Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (541830), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

App Store Optimization (ASO) & Mobile Growth Marketing (MPAAACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical SEO (Audits, Crawl/Indexing, Site Architecture) (BPAFAJAA), SEO Content Strategy & Production (Topic Research, Editorial Planning) (BPAFAJAH), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Web design services
• E-commerce development
• SEO optimization
• Google Ads management
• AI integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Münster

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web Design & Development Projects: Fixed-price project work for website design and development. Custom quotes provided after free initial consultation. Typical website projects start at €5,000 net, online shops at €8,000 net.
2. E-commerce Development Projects: Fixed-price project work for online shop development on Shopware 6 and Shopify platforms. Custom themes and app development priced per project.
3. SEO & Google Ads Services: Ongoing SEO and Google Ads management services with monthly retainer structure. Includes monitoring, optimization, and reporting.
4. Maintenance Packages: Wartungspakete (maintenance packages) covering updates, backups, and monitoring for websites and shops after launch.
5. GEO Services: Generative Engine Optimization services including one-time audits with fixed pricing and monthly retainer for ongoing AI visibility work.
6. KI Integration Services: AI integration consulting and implementation, EU AI Act compliance assessments, and workflow automation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Inventivo is a web design and e-commerce development agency based in Münster, Germany, that builds, relaunches, and maintains websites and online shops on WordPress, Shopware, and Shopify. Beyond web development, the agency provides complementary digital services including SEO, Google Ads, AI integration, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and workflow automation via n8n for German Mittelstand businesses.

Product overview

Inventivo is a full-service digital agency offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The core offering spans website development (WordPress and custom), e-commerce (Shopware and Shopify platforms including custom theme and app development), search engine optimization (Sistrix-certified), Google Ads management, and AI-powered services. AI offerings include AI integration consulting, EU AI Act compliance audits, and n8n-based workflow automation. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) services help businesses gain visibility in AI-generated answers across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Services are offered from the company's Münster location to clients across the DACH region, with specialized regional GEO coverage for cities including Osnabrück, Rheine, Coesfeld, Warendorf, Greven, Gütersloh, Hamm, and Gelsenkirchen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WordPress Freelancer Services WordPress website design, development, and customization services delivered by a freelance web designer for German SMEs and enterprises. Includes theme customization, plugin integration, and ongoing WordPress maintenance.
• Landing Page Design Creation of conversion-focused landing pages for marketing campaigns, product launches, and lead generation. Targeted at businesses running Google Ads or outbound campaigns that need dedicated landing experiences.
• Website Relaunch End-to-end redesign and replatforming of existing business websites, including migration, design refresh, content restructuring, SEO preservation, and post-launch optimization. Targeted at established companies modernizing their web presence.
• Sales Website (Vertriebs-Website) Custom-built sales-oriented websites designed to support B2B and B2C sales processes with integrated lead capture, CRM connectivity, and conversion-optimized layouts. For sales-driven SMEs in the DACH region.
• Shopware Freelancer Services Certified Shopware 6 development services including store setup, customization, theme development, and ongoing support for German online retailers using the Shopware e-commerce platform.
• Shopware Migration Migration services that move online stores from legacy platforms or older Shopware versions to Shopware 6, including data, product, customer, and order transfer with minimal downtime.
• Shopware Plugin Development Bespoke Shopware plugin and app development for retailers needing custom functionality beyond standard Shopware extensions. Covers storefront features, checkout logic, and backend integrations.
• Shopify Freelancer Services Shopify store setup, theme customization, app integration, and migration services for SMEs wanting to launch or improve Shopify-based online stores.
• Shopify Full-Service Agency End-to-end Shopify agency service covering strategy, store build, design, marketing integration, and ongoing optimization for German-speaking merchants scaling on Shopify.
• SEO Services Search engine optimization services including technical SEO, on-page optimization, content strategy, and link building. Targets German-speaking SMEs wanting improved organic Google visibility.
• Google Ads Management Paid search campaign setup, management, and optimization on Google Ads delivered by a certified Google Partner. Includes keyword strategy, ad copy, bidding, and conversion tracking for SMEs.
• AI Integration (KI-Integration) Consulting and implementation services that embed AI capabilities such as chatbots, content generation, and intelligent search into existing business websites, online shops, and internal workflows.
• AI Hygiene Check (KI-Hygiene-Check) Diagnostic audit evaluating how well a business's digital assets and content are prepared for AI-driven discovery and consumption. Produces an actionable readiness report.
• n8n Agency Services Workflow automation services using the n8n platform to connect apps, APIs, and data sources for SMEs looking to automate repetitive processes without extensive custom development.
• GEO Agency Services Generative Engine Optimization services that help businesses improve their visibility in AI-driven search and answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pagespeed improvement from 35/100 to 95+/100
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Google Partner with specialisation in Google Ads management. Status indicates passing of Google certification exams and demonstrated expertise in managing Google advertising campaigns for clients.
• ShopwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Shopware 6 Template Designer and partner. Develops custom plugins and themes for Shopware platform. Deep platform expertise including Shopware Migration (SW5 to SW6) and plugin development.
• SistrixcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Sistrix agency partner using Sistrix toolbox for SEO analysis, technical audits, and ranking monitoring. Sistrix-certified SEO expertise.
• Trusted ShopsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for Trusted Shops review and trust seal solutions. Offers Trusted Shops integration and sales to e-commerce clients.
• Allianz deutscher Designer (AGD)minorOthersProfessional association membership for German designers. Indicates professional standards, network participation, and industry recognition.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationHas own Public Apps listed in official Shopify App Store. Develops Custom Themes, Theme App Extensions, and Shopify Plus solutions. Deep platform expertise as both agency user and app developer.
• n8ncoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial n8n agency partner for workflow automation. Implements n8n automations between shops, CRM, ERP, and mailing systems for clients.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SISTRIX: Germany's leading SEO toolbox provider, of which Inventivo is a certified partner. Comparable as an SEO ecosystem player but at vastly larger scale, with their own agency and tool offerings that compete for the same technical SEO mandate.
• Searchmetrics: Larger SEO platform and agency hybrid providing enterprise SEO software and consulting globally. Comparable in SEO service category but operates at a much larger scale with proprietary software, serving as a broader incumbent in the same SEO market.

Emerging players

• Otterly.AI: GEO/AI-search monitoring platform tracking brand visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Comparable as an emerging tool vendor in the GEO category that Inventivo has built its differentiation around.
• Profound: Early-stage AI-search analytics platform helping brands measure and optimize visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Closest emerging competitor to Inventivo's GEO service line, with overlapping methodology around AI citation monitoring.

Direct peers

• Claneo: Berlin-based digital marketing agency offering SEO, content marketing, and performance marketing to European mid-market and enterprise clients. Directly comparable as a DACH-region SEO/digital agency targeting similar B2B customers with similar service depth.
• eology: German SEO and SEA agency specializing in technical SEO, content, and paid search for mid-market and enterprise clients. Highly comparable in service mix (technical SEO, Google Ads, e-commerce SEO) and DACH Mittelstand customer base.
• Bloofusion: Würzburg-based digital agency with strong SEO and content marketing focus, also publishing proprietary SEO tools. Comparable as a DACH SEO/content agency with thought leadership and tooling that overlaps with Inventivo's Sistrix-certified SEO offering.
• Peak Ace: Berlin-based performance marketing agency offering SEO, SEA, and analytics services. Comparable as a DACH competitor targeting larger mid-market clients in similar SEO/Google Ads services that Inventivo offers.
• 247GRAD: Augsburg-based full-service digital agency offering web design, e-commerce, SEO, and performance marketing. Directly comparable as a German full-service agency competing for the same Mittelstand project mandates.

Others

• Trusted Shops: European e-commerce trust seal and certification provider, of which Inventivo is a sales partner. Adjacent ecosystem participant that channels e-commerce clients to Inventivo but does not compete directly in web design/SEO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/intent/tweet?text=ChatGPT%2C%20Gemini%2C%20Claude%20%26%20Perplexity%3A%20Welche%20KI%20wof%C3%BCr%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inventivo.de%2Fblog%2Fki-automatisierung%2Fchatgpt-gemini-claude-perplexity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inventivo-full-service-webagentur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Inventivo