DAISEC

What DAISEC does

DAISEC (Digital Innovation Hub for AI and Cybersecurity) is a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) headquartered in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany, coordinated by the Forschungszentrum L3S at Leibniz Universität Hannover. The organization was officially established on January 1, 2023 after receiving EDIH status from the European Commission in June 2022, and it serves small and medium enterprises (SMEs), startups, and public sector institutions across Lower Saxony with AI and cybersecurity adoption support. Its core service portfolio includes Cybersecurity-Check CARE (an online IT-security risk assessment), KI-Schnell-Check (a 45-minute structured AI readiness assessment), qualification programs such as the Digitalisierungsmanager curriculum, e-learning modules (Lernnuggets, Praxis-Module Deep Learning, TechTalks), a technology catalogue at katalog.daisec.de for test-before-invest scenarios, and applied AI demonstrators such as the RAG-based LACKI chatbot for vocational education.

Under the hood, DAISEC delivers its services through a consortium model that connects academic expertise from L3S, CISPA, TU Braunschweig, and Leibniz Universität Hannover with regional delivery partners including IT-Emsland, HPI (crafts sector), Handwerk Digital, and the Lower Saxony Chambers of Crafts. Its technology stack is built around third-party large language models (ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Mistral, Claude), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems for verifiable, source-referenced responses, AI agents for multi-step automation, and generative AI for image-based product design. Free services are delivered through direct consultation, self-serve online tools, scheduled webinars and workshops, partner referrals, and participation in trade events such as HANNOVER MESSE and ZUKUNFT HANDWERK.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: DAISEC receives €2 million per year from the EU Digital Europe Programme (50% EU, 50% national co-financing) for an initial three-year term with a possible four-year extension, totaling €6 million committed EU funding. Because services are offered free to eligible end users, there is no pricing model, ARR, or customer billing in the conventional sense. Customer concentration is naturally diffuse across the SME and public-sector base in Lower Saxony, with no disclosed anchor logos.

Name

DAISEC

Legal name

Forschungszentrum L3S

Website

https://daisec.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DAISEC is a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) based in Hannover, Germany, that provides free AI and cybersecurity consulting, training, and technology testing services to SMEs, startups, and public institutions in Lower Saxony, funded by the EU Digital Europe Programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Innovation Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Experience Monitoring & Management (DEX/DEM, AIOps for EUC) (BPAEAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Augmented Analytics & AI-Assisted BI (NLQ/NLG, Insights) (HDAEAMAD)

Keywords

• Digital innovation hub
• AI consulting services
• Cybersecurity advisory
• SME digitalization support
• Technology training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hannover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Funding via Digital Europe Programme: DAISEC is funded by the European Union as part of the Digital Europe Programme for an initial three years with €2 million per year, with possible extension for another four years. 50% of funding comes from EU, rest is national co-financing. Services are provided free of charge to SMEs, startups, and public institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DAISEC is a publicly funded European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) that delivers free AI and cybersecurity advisory, training, assessment, and technology-testing services to SMEs, startups, and public sector institutions in Lower Saxony, Germany. Its core offerings span orientation, qualification, technology testing, and financing advice — including the Cybersecurity-Check CARE risk assessment, the KI-Schnell-Check AI readiness interview, structured Qualifizierungsprogramme, a technology catalog, e-learning modules, and the RAG-based LACKI chatbot.

Product overview

DAISEC is a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) for AI and Cybersecurity, operating as a coordination hub rather than a software product company. It offers a holistic service portfolio including Cybersecurity-Check CARE for security assessments, KI-Schnell-Check for AI readiness evaluation, qualification programs like 'Digitalisierungsmanager', and various AI-related offerings. The hub provides E-learning through Lernnuggets and deep learning modules, maintains a technology catalog for testing, and offers networking, funding advice, and technology testing services. Key AI products include the RAG-based LACKI chatbot for educational institutions. All services are free for SMEs, startups, and public institutions thanks to EU funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cybersecurity-Check CARE

Quantifiable outcome

• Free services for SMEs, startups, and public institutions due to EU co-funding
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Forschungszentrum L3ScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023L3S Research Center serves as the coordinating entity for DAISEC. Located at Appelstraße 9a in Hannover, L3S provides the organizational backbone and academic expertise for the EDIH.
• CISPA – Helmholtz-Zentrum für InformationssicherheitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISPA is a core research partner providing expertise in cybersecurity research and transfer. Prof. Dr. Sascha Fahl represents CISPA in presenting current cybersecurity research and applications.
• Leibniz Universität HannovercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe university provides institutional support and academic expertise, with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Nejdl serving as Executive Director of L3S and Dr. Claudia Niederée as Managing Director.
• Technische Universität BraunschweigcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Braunschweig contributes expertise through the Institute for Legal Studies and Niedersächsisches Forschungszentrum Fahrzeugtechnik (NFF) for automotive research.
• Heinz-Piest-Institut für Handwerkstechnik (HPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPI is one of five research and service organizations of the Deutsches Handwerksinstitut e.V. (DHI) and provides expertise for craft sector digitalization, with Walter Pirk representing the institute.
• it.emsland (IT-Emsland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerit.emsland is a core partner delivering the AI Quick Check service to SMEs. They provide guideline-based interview formats for structured AI readiness assessments.
• Digitalzentrum HannoversupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitalzentrum Hannover is a partner organization supporting digital transformation initiatives in the Hannover region.
• Handwerk DigitalsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandwerk Digital supports the distribution of DAISEC services to craft businesses through their network of trade associations.
• EUHubs4Data FederationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAISEC is an associated partner of the European Federation of Data Driven Innovation Hubs (EUH4D), participating in open calls for SMEs and data-driven innovation experiments.
• Mittelstand-Digital ZentrensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination with Mittelstand-Digital centers ensures complementarity of offerings and extends reach of DAISEC services across Germany.
• Niedersächsische Handwerkskammern (Lower Saxony Chambers of Crafts)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with chambers of crafts for developing AI strategies for business consulting services, including workshops and technology evaluation.
• INNO.NON – Innovationsnetzwerk NordostniedersachsensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew associated partner strengthening innovative power in north-east Lower Saxony, creating bridges between economy, research, and practice.
• KI.NON – Innovationsnetzwerk für Künstliche Intelligenz NordostniedersachsensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew associated partner focused on AI innovation in north-east Lower Saxony, bundling regional expertise.
• Marktplatz IT-Sicherheit (IT Security Marketplace)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner bringing together comprehensive expertise and established ecosystem in the field of cybersecurity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Handwerk Digital (Zentralverband Deutsches Handwerk): National initiative by the German crafts sector to support digitalization in trades and crafts. Listed as a DAISEC partner, but also an adjacent service provider offering free digitalization tools, assessments, and training specifically tailored to the crafts segment that DAISEC also targets.
• Digitalzentrum Hannover: DAISEC lists Digitalzentrum Hannover as a partner, but it operates as a parallel regional digitalization hub in the Hannover area. Both serve SMEs with free digital transformation consulting, workshops, and training, and compete for the same Lower Saxony SME audience on overlapping topics like AI adoption and digital workflows.
• appliedAI Institute for Europe (aai.de): Germany's largest AI initiative, also designated as an EDIH, offering free AI training, strategy consulting, and tool assessments to SMEs. Direct head-to-head competitor for SME AI adoption services in Germany, with overlapping offerings like AI maturity assessments and knowledge-transfer programs.
• European Digital Innovation Hub Network (EDIH Network): Consortium of 200+ EDIHs across Europe funded by the same Digital Europe Programme, all serving the same mandate of supporting SMEs and public sector in AI/cybersecurity adoption. Direct peers include other German EDIHs (e.g., appliedAI Institute, Smart-Health Systems Hub) that share funding model, service portfolio, and target customers.

Others

• Bitkom (Bundesverband Informationswirtschaft): Germany's leading digital industry association providing SME-focused digitalization guidance, working groups, and events. While not a consulting provider, Bitkom shapes SME digitalization policy and offers some peer services (workshops, training) that compete for the same SME mindshare and budget attention as DAISEC.

Regional players

• IHK Hannover (Industrie- und Handelskammer): Regional Chamber of Commerce serving the Hannover/Lower Saxony business community, providing digitalization advice, training, and networking to member SMEs. It operates in the same geography and serves overlapping SME customers, though its mandate is broader business support rather than AI/cybersecurity specialization.
• Bayern Innovativ: Bavaria's state-owned innovation agency offering technology scouting, AI consulting, and SME digitalization programs. Functions as a peer model to DAISEC at a different German state level, providing comparable free consulting services to regional SMEs on AI adoption and digital transformation.
• Smart-Health Systems Hub Hannover: One of the designated EDIHs in Germany focused on digital health innovation in the Hannover region. Shares the EDIH funding model and consortium structure with DAISEC, both being Lower Saxony-based hubs, though it targets the distinct healthcare vertical rather than DAISEC's crafts/manufacturing/public sector focus.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer IAIS (Institut für Intelligente Analyse- und Informationssysteme): Major German applied research institute providing AI consulting, training, and applied research services to industry and public sector. Like DAISEC, it offers AI readiness assessment, workshops, and applied AI projects to SMEs and enterprises, but with a broader national mandate and significantly larger research footprint.
• Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum (Network of Centers): Germany-wide federally funded network of digitalization centers providing free AI and digitalization support to SMEs. DAISEC explicitly coordinates with these centers to ensure complementarity, but they cover the same SME value proposition (free workshops, AI readiness checks, demo centers) at a national scale across multiple German states.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DAISEC-de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daisec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DAISEC