Starhead
Starhead GmbH is a German compliance and information security consulting firm (6-person team, Geretsried) providing DSGVO, ISMS, TISAX, KBV IT security, and HinSchG advisory plus external DSB/ISB services to German SMB and mid-market clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersGeretsried, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Starhead does
Starhead GmbH is a privately held German professional services firm (GmbH) headquartered in Geretsried, Bavaria, founded in 2009 and operating with a six-person consulting team. The firm provides advisory, coaching, and external compliance officer services across German and EU regulatory frameworks: GDPR (DSGVO), information security management (ISMS), TISAX certification for the automotive sector, IT security for medical practices under KBV §75b SGB V, whistleblower protection (HinSchG), trade secrets protection (GeschGehG), and IT security for critical infrastructure operators (KRITIS). Service delivery centers on the provision of certified external Data Protection Officers (DSB) and Information Security Officers (ISB), supplemented by project-based consulting, training, internal audits, and penetration/security scans.
The business operates on a professional services revenue model with project-based engagements and managed-services retainers structured around a minimum 24-month contract term with 3-month notice and 12-month auto-renewal. Pricing is budget-based with a 12% flexibility threshold requiring client approval for overruns; travel and material costs are billed at cost. Revenue streams include consulting, external DSB/ISB managed services, outsourced HinSchG internal reporting channel operation, and coaching. The go-to-market is sales-led and inside-sales-driven, with lead generation primarily via the German-language website, callback request form, contact form, and presence on Xing, LinkedIn, and JOIN.
Starhead serves a heterogeneous client base across automotive (TISAX), medical practices (KBV), healthcare/nursing, construction, religious/nonprofit associations, and general SMB/mid-market German companies. The firm is independently owned and founder/management-led by Managing Director Kevin Sternkopf (also Senior Consultant), with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or holding structure. Geographic scope is exclusively Germany, with operational concentration in Bavaria.
Starhead firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Starhead
- Legal name
- STARHEAD GmbH
- Website
- https://starhead.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Starhead GmbH is a German compliance and information security consulting firm (6-person team, Geretsried) providing DSGVO, ISMS, TISAX, KBV IT security, and HinSchG advisory plus external DSB/ISB services to German SMB and mid-market clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Starhead is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geretsried
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Starhead business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consulting Services: Advisory, auditing, and other professional services in data protection, IT security, TISAX, whistleblower protection, and KBV compliance. Engagements are project-based or retainer arrangements with minimum 24-month contract terms. Travel times, travel costs, and expenses are billed separately at cost.
- External DSB (Datenschutzbeauftragter): Provision of certified external data protection officers for companies. Clients receive ongoing data protection organization management, GDPR compliance support, and personnel awareness training.
- External ISB (Informationssicherheitsbeauftragter): Provision of external information security officers for companies implementing or maintaining ISMS, TISAX certification, or general information security standards.
- Whistleblower System Operation: Outsourced operation of internal reporting channels for companies with 50+ employees required under HinSchG. Services include setup, report processing, whistleblower communication, and documentation with legally mandated retention.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Project-based consulting engagements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Starhead product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Starhead GmbH provides specialized data protection, information security, and compliance consulting services to small and mid-sized German businesses. Core offerings include GDPR (DSGVO) advisory, TISAX assessment preparation, ISMS implementation, whistleblower protection (HinSchG) compliance, and KBV-compliant IT security consulting for medical practices.
Product overview
Starhead GmbH is a consulting firm providing advisory and coaching services exclusively in the domains of data protection, information security, and regulatory compliance. The company does not offer a software product; its portfolio consists entirely of consulting services organized around distinct practice areas: DSGVO-Beratung (GDPR/data protection), TISAX-Beratung (automotive information security), ISMS-Beratung (information security management systems), IT-Sicherheit für Praxen nach KBV (medical practice IT security), Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz/Meldestelle (whistleblower protection compliance), IT-Sicherheit (general IT security), Compliance, and System- und Prozessberatung. These are complemented by coaching services, a free initial consultation (Orientierungsgespräch), and a callback request service (Rückruf-Service). All offerings are professional services delivered by consultants, not packaged software or SaaS products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DSGVO-Beratung (GDPR Consulting)
Companies that use Starhead
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Starhead technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Starhead partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Starhead competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH: Global German-headquartered testing, inspection, and certification firm with established TISAX and ISO 27001 certification practices. Competes for the same audit/certification-driven mandates but with significantly broader geographic and service reach.
- TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH: Major German compliance and certification body offering TISAX assessment, ISO 27001 certification, and information security advisory. Comparable service lines but operates at much larger scale across broader industry verticals.
- SGS Germany GmbH: Swiss-headquartered global testing, inspection, and certification giant with TISAX, ISO 27001, and information security audit services in Germany. Competes in the same certification-driven mandates as Starhead but with vastly greater scale and resources.
- KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft: Big 4 firm with a substantial German cyber security and data protection advisory practice serving enterprise clients. Competes for large-scale governance, risk, and compliance mandates that overlap with Starhead's external DSB/ISB offerings.
- DEKRA Certification GmbH: Major German testing, inspection, and certification organization with TISAX and information security assessment offerings. Large-scale incumbent that competes for enterprise-level ISMS and TISAX mandates.
Direct peers
- Datenschutz Nord GmbH: German DSGVO/data protection consulting firm offering external DSB services, audits, and compliance advisory. Direct competitor in the German external-DSB and GDPR consulting market.
- activeMind AG: Munich-based consulting firm specializing in data protection (DSGVO) and information security, offering training, external DSB services, and awareness programs. Closely comparable in service mix, geographic focus, and target client profile.
- Secorvo Security Consulting GmbH: Karlsruhe-based German IT security and ISMS/TISAX consulting firm. Most directly comparable boutique German competitor offering similar information security management consulting and external CISO/ISB services to mid-market enterprises.
- Trusted Bodies GmbH: German consulting firm specializing in TISAX assessment preparation and information security for the automotive sector. Directly comparable in the TISAX practice area and automotive vertical focus.
Emerging players
- 8com GmbH & Co. KG: German cybersecurity and information security consulting firm offering ISMS implementation, penetration testing, and security awareness. Comparable ISMS/IT-security service portfolio but with stronger technical security testing orientation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Starhead social profiles
Digital presenceStarhead compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Starhead financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Starhead leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Starhead funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Starhead M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Starhead
What does Starhead do?
Starhead GmbH provides specialized data protection, information security, and compliance consulting services to small and mid-sized German businesses. Core offerings include GDPR (DSGVO) advisory, TISAX assessment preparation, ISMS implementation, whistleblower protection (HinSchG) compliance, and KBV-compliant IT security consulting for medical practices.
Is Starhead a public or private company?
Starhead is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Starhead founded?
Starhead was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Starhead based?
Starhead is headquartered in Geretsried, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Starhead make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are external DSB (Datenschutzbeauftragter), external ISB (Informationssicherheitsbeauftragter) and whistleblower System Operation.
Who are Starhead's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TÜV Rheinland Cert GmbH, TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH, SGS Germany GmbH, KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft and DEKRA Certification GmbH. Direct peers are Datenschutz Nord GmbH, activeMind AG, Secorvo Security Consulting GmbH and Trusted Bodies GmbH. 8com GmbH & Co. KG is listed as an emerging player.
Does Starhead have an API?
No public API is recorded for Starhead.