Q-Advise | Microsoft License & Cloud Savings Experts

What Q-Advise | Microsoft License & Cloud Savings Experts does

Q-Advise is an independent Microsoft licensing and cloud cost optimization advisory firm headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands, with a secondary office in Brussels, Belgium. The firm operates with a team of approximately 10 specialists who collectively hold over 50 years of Microsoft licensing experience, led by founder and CEO Nii Dsane. Its core offerings span Microsoft contract negotiation across EA, CSP, MCA-E, and SPLA agreements, license optimization and health checks, Azure cloud cost reduction (powered by a proprietary Azure AI Cost Analysis Tool), audit defense support, second-opinion reviews, LSP selection advisory, and public-sector tender support. The firm also operates a second-hand Microsoft perpetual-license trading desk that leverages EU exhaustion-of-rights doctrine (UsedSoft ruling) to resell licenses at up to 70% discount.

The company's revenue model combines professional-services advisory fees (tied to savings achieved or risks mitigated for the client) with transaction-based margins from second-hand license trading. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting enterprises, government agencies, healthcare organizations, and IT decision-makers via website lead capture, free no-obligation consultations, knowledge-base content marketing, and case-study-driven inbound demand. The firm emphasizes 100% independence from Microsoft and resellers, with no vendor commissions or LSP obligations.

Customer evidence indicates traction across multiple verticals: Schiphol (aviation), ICCO Cooperation (40% savings on Microsoft software), Het Oogziekenhuis Rotterdam (Microsoft Teams deployment), Roba Metals (license resale during cloud migration), Gemeente Montferland and Waterschap Scheldestromen (government tenders), and an international construction company. The firm has carried out more than 200 client negotiations cumulatively, and has expanded its advisory scope beyond Microsoft into IBM, Salesforce, Oracle, SAP, Outsystems, and VMware licensing. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or executive transitions are disclosed; the firm is privately held and founder-led.

Name

Q-Advise | Microsoft License & Cloud Savings Experts

Legal name

Q-Advise

Website

https://q-advise.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Q-Advise is an independent Microsoft licensing and cloud cost optimization advisory firm serving enterprises, government agencies, and IT decision-makers across Europe with contract negotiation, license optimization, Azure cost reduction, audit support, and second-hand license trading.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT License Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Application License Advisory, Vendor Management & Optimization (BPAEAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ)

Keywords

• Microsoft licensing advisory
• Cloud cost optimization
• Software asset management
• License compliance services
• Contract negotiation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Leiden

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing Advisory Services: Q-Advise generates revenue through advisory and consulting fees based on the savings they generate for clients or risks they mitigate. Their revenue model is directly tied to client outcomes—money saved or risks removed—rather than software sales commissions.
2. Pre-owned Software License Trading: Q-Advise facilitates the buying and selling of second-hand Microsoft licenses (pre-owned/perpetual), earning margins on transactions. They source licenses from companies migrating to cloud and resell in granular quantities (e.g., 2-Core Packs) to other organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Q-Advise is an independent advisory firm that helps organizations optimize and reduce costs on Microsoft software licensing (EA, CSP, MCA-E, and SPLA agreements) and Azure cloud spend. The firm provides Microsoft contract negotiation, license optimization and second opinions, audit support, tender assistance, and license health checks, and also trades pre-owned Microsoft software licenses. Its services are aimed at IT and procurement leaders seeking to lower Microsoft spend and mitigate licensing compliance risk.

Product overview

Q-Advise is an independent Microsoft licensing and cloud savings advisory firm offering a portfolio of consulting and optimization services. The core offering centers on Microsoft contract negotiation, license optimization, and cloud cost reduction across EA, CSP, MCA-E, and SPLA agreements. Key services include Azure Optimization, Audit Support, Second Opinions, and LSP Selection. The firm also operates a second-hand Microsoft license marketplace leveraging EU exhaustion-of-rights doctrine, offering pre-owned perpetual licenses at up to 70% savings. Their proprietary Azure AI tool supports infrastructure analysis and optimization. Beyond Microsoft, they extend advisory expertise to IBM, Salesforce, Oracle, SAP, Outsystems, and VMware licensing challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microsoft Contract Negotiation

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients save 20-30% on Microsoft licensing costs through optimization
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ilionxminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partnerilionx is a technical implementation partner that assisted Oogziekenhuis Rotterdam with Microsoft Teams deployment issues. Q-Advise referred clients to ilionx for technical support, demonstrating a referral relationship for specific technical implementation needs beyond Q-Advise's advisory scope.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• ilionx: Dutch IT services and Microsoft implementation partner; already works with Q-Advise as a referral partner for technical implementations, and competes for adjacent enterprise Microsoft consulting budgets in the Netherlands.
• Redka: Dutch IT cost optimization and Microsoft licensing consultancy; competes directly with Q-Advise in the Netherlands on enterprise license optimization and Azure cost reviews.

Direct peers

• The KMS Team: Specialized software license management consultancy focused on Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, and SAP licensing optimization, contract negotiations, and audit defense for mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Anglepoint: Independent software asset management and license advisory firm offering Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, and IBM license optimization, audit defense, and SAM managed services — the closest direct peer to Q-Advise across both Microsoft specialization and multi-vendor scope.
• Livingstone Tech: Independent Microsoft licensing and SAM consultancy based in the UK; offers Microsoft contract negotiation, audit support, and license optimization services aimed at enterprise and public-sector clients.
• Convedo (formerly known as SAM experts in Europe): European-based IT asset management and Microsoft licensing consultancy delivering license optimization, SAM managed services, and cloud cost advisory to enterprise customers.
• Trustmarx: Independent Microsoft licensing advisor providing contract negotiation, license optimization, and audit support to enterprises, with a similar vendor-independent positioning to Q-Advise.

Broad incumbents

• SoftwareOne: Global licensing solution provider and cloud services company with a large Microsoft practice and significant advisory arm; competes for the same enterprise licensing optimization engagements at much larger scale.
• DoiT International: Cloud cost optimization and FinOps platform provider with strong Microsoft Azure expertise, offering both tooling and advisory services that overlap with Q-Advise's cloud optimization offering.
• Flexera: IT asset management and software license optimization SaaS provider whose software, services, and advisory arm compete for the same enterprise SAM and license optimization budget as Q-Advise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/q-advise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Q-Advise | Microsoft License & Cloud Savings Experts