keybits - The Digital Marketing Agency

What keybits - The Digital Marketing Agency does

keybits GmbH is an owner-managed digital marketing agency headquartered in Essen, Germany, founded in 1997 by Hartmut Meixner and Olaf Koch, who remain the two managing directors. The firm delivers end-to-end internet projects — strategy, design, content, development, online marketing, and hosting — for a client base spanning B2B enterprises (manufacturing, industrial services, healthcare, legal, architecture) and B2C/SMB customers (catering, wine, coffee, crafts, sports clubs). It operates with approximately five employees across a multidisciplinary team of consultants, designers, programmers, and copywriters.

The agency's technology stack is built on established open-source platforms — TYPO3, WordPress, and Shopware — augmented by two proprietary products. EventCommerce is a modular e-commerce platform purpose-built for catering and event-management businesses, integrating with BpEvent (Bankettprofi) event software and supporting multi-delivery orders, allergen/food filters, and QR-code workflows. keySeminar is a hosted SaaS for seminar and participant management with online registration, certificate generation, and QR-code attendance tracking. Bespoke development covers complex ERP integrations (ams.erp, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Lexware Pro), payment gateways (Secupay), and domain-specific product configurators for clients such as Hy-Lok, Air Products, Voestalpine, and Werner Lücke. The firm has been a certified Shopware Business Partner since 2012 with multiple developer and template certifications.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services, with project pricing determined per engagement, supplemented by a recurring keySeminar SaaS subscription (€200/month plus setup fees) and managed hosting/support contracts (Shopware, TYPO3, email hosting). Customer acquisition is sales-led and consultative, driven by the agency's own website portfolio, project case studies across 20+ industry categories, and referrals through the Shopware and BpEvent partner ecosystems. The firm serves clients primarily in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with occasional engagements in the United Kingdom and Spain; named enterprise customers include Käfer, Aramark, SVT GmbH, Hy-Lok D, Air Products, SITECH, and Carl Hamm Geotechnik, alongside SMB and nonprofit clients.

Name

keybits - The Digital Marketing Agency

Legal name

keybits GmbH

Website

https://keybits.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Owner-managed digital marketing agency headquartered in Essen, Germany, delivering website, e-commerce, online marketing, custom development, and hosting services built on TYPO3, WordPress, and Shopware, supplemented by two proprietary products: EventCommerce for catering and keySeminar for seminar management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Media Representatives (541840), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Ticketing, Registration & Event Technology (Badging, Apps) (BPAFAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging) (THACAFAB)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Web development agency
• E-commerce solutions
• Custom web applications
• Online marketing consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Project-Based: The primary revenue stream consists of project-based professional services including website design and development, e-commerce store development, online marketing campaigns, individual programming, graphic design, and hosting. Projects are scoped and priced individually based on requirements, scope, and CMS/platform choice. Services are delivered by a multidisciplinary team of consultants, designers, programmers, and copywriters. Support and maintenance contracts provide recurring revenue.
2. keySeminar SaaS Subscription: keySeminar is offered as a hosted SaaS product with a monthly license fee of €200 plus one-time setup and customization costs. This provides a recurring revenue stream from educational institutions, professional associations, and event organizers.
3. Web Hosting and Support Services: Recurring revenue from web hosting, domain management, SSL certificates, and ongoing support/maintenance contracts for existing clients. The company offers Shopware hosting, TYPO3 hosting, and managed email solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

keybits is an owner-managed digital marketing agency that delivers end-to-end internet projects including website development (TYPO3, WordPress, Shopware, REDAXO), B2B and B2C e-commerce implementations with ERP integrations, online marketing campaigns (SEO, SEA, social media, email), custom web applications and product configurators, plus managed web/email hosting. The agency also develops and licenses two proprietary vertical products: EventCommerce, a modular e-commerce platform for catering and event businesses, and keySeminar, a SaaS seminar and participant management platform priced at €200/month.

Product overview

keybits is a German digital marketing agency that operates a portfolio of proprietary software products alongside agency services built on established open-source platforms. The proprietary product suite includes EventCommerce — a specialized e-commerce platform for catering and event businesses supporting food/non-food ordering, multi-delivery event management, dietary filters, and BpEvent integration — and keySeminar — a seminar and participant management platform with online registration, messaging, and certificate generation. Agency services cover Shopware online shop development and support (as a certified Shopware Business Partner), TYPO3 and WordPress website development, REDAXO CMS, custom web application programming (product configurators, calculation tools, ERP/PIM interfaces), online marketing (SEO, SEA, social media, email marketing), print and graphic design, and managed web/email hosting. These offerings are offered as an integrated suite with cross-referrals among services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EventCommerce: A modular e-commerce solution specifically designed for catering and event businesses, developed and maintained by keybits for managing online orders for food, non-food products, and event services.
• keySeminar

Products and services

• EventCommerce Proprietary modular e-commerce platform purpose-built for catering, event, and conference businesses. Supports food and non-food ordering, rental and service offerings, event-specific order management with multiple deliveries, food-filter dietary options, QR-code modules, and integrates with BpEvent event management software. Targets catering companies, event managers, and venue operators.
• keySeminar Proprietary SaaS seminar and participant management platform for organizing and marketing trainings, congresses, conferences, and events. Features online registration, participant accounts, protected content delivery, messaging, QR-code attendance tracking, certificate/receipt generation, and newsletter marketing. Offered as a hosted SaaS product at €200/month plus one-time setup. Targets educational institutions, professional associations, and event organizers.
• Shopware Online Shop Development B2B and B2C online shop design, development, and support as a certified Shopware Business Partner since 2012. Includes template programming, plugin development, ERP integrations (ams.erp, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Lexware Pro), payment provider integrations, and Shopware hosting. Targets enterprises seeking B2B and B2C e-commerce implementations.
• TYPO3 Website Development Professional website development and support using TYPO3 CMS, an open-source system with certified security. Includes multilingual sites, complex content elements, TYPO3 hosting, security updates, and extension development (extBase/Fluid, TYPO3-Mask). Targets enterprises and organizations needing content-rich websites.
• WordPress Website Development Website development using WordPress CMS, covering from blog-based origins to full enterprise CMS. Supports responsive design, plugin ecosystem, user-role management, and automated security updates. Both pre-built themes and custom solutions offered.
• Online Marketing Services Full-spectrum online marketing services including content marketing, social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), social media advertising, SEO, SEA (Google Ads), email marketing (Newsletter2go, rapidmail, CleverReach), and analytics. Targets businesses seeking online visibility and lead generation.
• Custom Web Application Development Custom web application development including product configurators, calculation tools (Cv-value, flow, velocity), API/PIM/ERP interfaces (XML, FTP, SQL), and process automation. Integrates external systems with e-commerce or web platforms. Targets businesses with specialized digital tool requirements.
• Web and Email Hosting Managed web and email hosting with high-performance servers, SSL certificate management, domain and DNS management, and personal support. Includes backup, monitoring, and analytics services. Targets existing and new clients needing managed hosting for TYPO3, Shopware, and WordPress sites.
• Print and Graphic Design Graphic design and print media services including corporate design development, stationery, image brochures, catalogs, data sheets, flyers, and cards. Cross-media concepts linking print and digital campaigns. Targets businesses seeking integrated brand identity and cross-media marketing materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Caterer of the Year 2013 awarded to Stockheim Hamburg using keybits EventCommerce — 'where 7 employees were needed before, only 2 are needed today for complete order processing'
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration23 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• ShopwarecoreTechnology or Integrationkeybits is a certified Shopware Business Partner since 2012 (certified since 2013) with multiple certified developers, template designers, and template developers. The partnership enables keybits to implement Shopware shops for clients and access the Shopware partner ecosystem for lead generation. Certifications include: Shopware 6 Certified Developer, Shopware Certified Developer, Certified Developer Advanced, Certified Template Designer, Certified Template Developer, and Certified Partner.
• BpEvent (Bankettprofi)coreTechnology or IntegrationBpEvent (by Bankettprofi) is the recommended event management software for EventCommerce clients. keybits has developed integration interfaces between EventCommerce and BpEvent for multiple catering clients (Käfer, Aramark, DoN Catering) enabling seamless order data transfer between the systems.
• ams.erpmajorTechnology or Integrationams.erp is the integrated business software used by SVT GmbH. keybits developed bidirectional XML interfaces between Shopware 6 and ams.erp for importing product data and exporting orders, enabling automated order processing for SVT's B2B spare parts and training shops.
• Microsoft Dynamics AXmajorTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Dynamics AX is the ERP system integrated with Shopware shops for Carl Hamm Geotechnik. keybits developed bidirectional interfaces for importing customers, categories, products, variants, customer-specific prices, and exporting orders.
• marcelliniminorStrategic or Co-development Partnermarcellini is a creative partner that collaborated with keybits on the concept and screen design for the Ryll Messebau project, providing creative direction and title photography.
• Erich Rothenfußer AkademieminorStrategic or Co-development Partnerkeybits developed the NHK Fortbildungen website and keySeminar application in cooperation with the Erich Rothenfußer Akademie for medical continuing education programs at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eventbrite: Global self-service ticketing and event registration platform. Comparable to keySeminar and EventCommerce on event registration/ticketing functionality but serving a vastly broader consumer and prosumer audience.
• Cvent: Leading enterprise event management platform offering registration, attendee tracking, and event marketing technology. Broadly comparable to keySeminar's seminar/registration functionality but at much larger scale and with broader event-management capabilities.

Direct peers

• Denkwerk GmbH: Cologne-based digital agency covering strategy, design, development, and online marketing. Comparable in scope (full-service digital) and customer base (B2B enterprises) although larger in headcount.
• dkd Internet Service GmbH: Frankfurt-based owner-managed German digital agency with comparable services across TYPO3, e-commerce, online marketing, and hosting. Similar size and full-service agency model serving B2B clients across multiple verticals.
• cataneo GmbH: German full-service digital agency offering web, e-commerce, hosting, and online marketing to B2B and B2C clients. Directly comparable to keybits on service portfolio, mid-market positioning, and Shopware/TYPO3/WordPress platform stack.
• Team23 GmbH: German digital agency specializing in TYPO3 and Shopware implementations with hosting and custom development. Directly comparable on platform specialization (TYPO3, Shopware) and B2B project work in the DACH market.

Emerging players

• Bizzabo: Event experience and registration platform focused on B2B conferences and corporate events. Comparable to keySeminar on online registration, participant management, and certificate/badge features but targeting a different (larger enterprise) buyer.
• Whova: Event and conference management platform with registration, attendee networking, and event app features. Comparable to keySeminar on registration, messaging, and certificate functionality for small/mid-market event organizers.
• Aventri: Event management software platform with registration, attendee engagement, and analytics for corporate events. Directly comparable to keySeminar's seminar/registration offering with overlap in target buyers.

Regional players

• UEBERBIT GmbH: Düsseldorf-based digital agency focused on TYPO3, e-commerce, and digital marketing for B2B clients. Comparable to keybits on DACH focus, TYPO3 platform expertise, and B2B mid-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/keybitsgmbh
• Facebookfacebook.com/keybitsessen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keybits

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 keybits - The Digital Marketing Agency