What Mindrefined Gmbh does

MindRefined GmbH is a German vocational education and training provider headquartered in Schönefeld, Brandenburg (registered as HRB 15350 CB at Amtsgericht Cottbus). The company delivers multi-month full-time and part-time programs in IT/cybersecurity and bookkeeping to three principal audiences: registered job seekers funded via the AZAV-certified Bildungsgutschein voucher, employed professionals funded or co-funded via the Qualifizierungschancengesetz (QCG), and corporate clients purchasing customized team training or subscription-based Security Awareness Training. The portfolio spans 6-12 month full-time programs (IT-Security StarterPro, 12-month Cyber Security Weiterbildung, Fachkraft für Buchführung IHK mit DATEV, Betriebliches Rechnungswesen IHK) and part-time certification preparation across the CompTIA stack (A+, Network+, Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, Cloud+, Tech+, LPIC-1) plus the IHK Cyber Security Advisor credential.

The technology layer is an online learning management system built around live instruction (Tuesday/Thursday 5-7:30 PM sessions for part-time learners), interactive video content with quiz and gamification elements, and virtual practice labs where students configure networks, analyze threats, and run penetration-testing scenarios. Practical exercises draw on the TryHackMe cybersecurity learning platform. Curriculum delivery is anchored in a credential stack of international (CompTIA, BSI IT-Grundschutz Praktiker) and German (IHK Cottbus, DATEV Anwenderzertifikat) certifications, with the Bitkom-cited 149,000 unfilled IT positions in Germany providing a structural demand backdrop.

The commercial model combines three subscription-style revenue streams: government-funded Bildungsgutschein reimbursements per enrolled job seeker, employer-funded QCG seats with up to 100% subsidy, and recurring corporate contracts — most notably the annually billed Security Awareness Training subscription with automated DSGVO/ISO 27001-compliant documentation. Self-pay learners can access 0%-interest installment financing (cashpresso, 6 months) or up to 50% cost reduction via Bildungsprämie. Reporting 200+ annual participants, >70% four-week placement rates, 460+ exams passed, and 12,500+ instructional hours delivered, MindRefined operates with a 40+ employee organization (15+ trainers). Since 2024, heise (German IT media group) holds a 51% majority stake, and the company continues to hold CompTIA EMEA Bootcamp & Apprenticeship Partner of the Year 2024 and CompTIA Academic Partner of the Year 2025.

Name

Mindrefined Gmbh

Legal name

MindRefined GmbH

Website

https://mindrefined.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MindRefined GmbH is a German AZAV-certified vocational education provider delivering multi-month IT/cybersecurity and bookkeeping training programs to job seekers, employed professionals, and corporate clients via government-funded, employer-subsidized, and self-pay channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Phishing, Social Engineering & Business Email Compromise (BEC) Training (EDABAGAB)

Keywords

• Vocational training programs
• Cyber security certification
• Professional education services
• IT training courses
• Accounting certification training

Headquarters

HQ city

Schönefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Training (Bildungsgutschein): AZAV-certified vocational training programs fully funded by the German Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or Jobcenter for registered unemployed individuals. The government covers course fees, learning materials, and sometimes travel and childcare costs.
2. Employer-Funded Training (QCG): Companies fund employee upskilling through the Qualifizierungschancengesetz (QCG), with the Employment Agency subsidizing course costs and potentially providing wage subsidies during training periods.
3. Corporate Training: Customized training programs for company teams, including Security Awareness Training delivered via subscription model with annual fees, documentation, and automated reporting for compliance purposes.
4. Self-Pay Courses: Individual professionals pay for courses through flexible installment plans (0% interest for first 6 months via cashpresso partnership),Bildungsprämie (up to 50% cost reduction), or education funds with income-dependent repayment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MindRefined GmbH is an AZAV-certified vocational education provider based in Germany that delivers full-time and part-time training programs in IT cyber security (CompTIA, BSI IT-Grundschutz, IHK Cyber Security Advisor) and accounting/bookkeeping (IHK Fachkraft, DATEV). Courses combine live online instruction, virtual labs, exam preparation, and individual tutoring, and are funded through Bildungsgutschein and Qualifizierungschancengesetz government programs. The company also delivers subscription-based corporate Security Awareness Training and customized team training for companies.

Product overview

MindRefined GmbH is a vocational education provider specializing in IT and cybersecurity training, operating under a platform-and-programs model. The company offers two main categories: (1) Full-time vocational training programs (Vollzeit Weiterbildungen) for job seekers including IT-Security StarterPro (6 months), Cyber Security Weiterbildung (12 months), Fachkraft für Buchführung IHK (7.5 months), and Betriebliches Rechnungswesen IHK (6 months) - all AZAV-certified and fully fundable through education vouchers; and (2) Professional certification preparation courses (berufsbegleitend) for employed professionals including CompTIA Security+, Network+, A+, CySA+, PenTest+, Cloud+, Tech+, LPIC-1, and Cyber Security Advisor IHK. Additionally, they offer Security Awareness Training as a subscription-based corporate e-learning product. The company is CompTIA authorized, DATEV education partner, and member of BBB and Bitkom. Partnerships with heise academy (51% ownership) and QCG state funding programs enable broad accessibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IT-Security StarterPro
• Cyber Security Weiterbildung (Vollzeit)
• Fachkraft für Buchführung IHK mit DATEV
• Betriebliches Rechnungswesen (IHK) mit digitaler Finanzbuchhaltung
• Security Awareness Training (Unternehmen)
• Berufsbegleitende Weiterbildungen (CompTIA Certification Prep Courses)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of alumni are placed in jobs within 4 weeks of completing training
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CompTIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompTIA is the certification partner providing internationally recognized IT certifications including Security+, Network+, A+, PenTest+, CySA+, and others. MindRefined is an authorized CompTIA training partner and has been recognized as EMEA Bootcamp & Apprenticeship Partner of the Year (2024) and Academic Partner of the Year (2025).
• IHK Cottbus (Industry and Commerce Chamber)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with IHK Cottbus for German-recognized qualifications including Cyber Security Advisor (IHK), Fachkraft für Buchführung (IHK), and Betriebliches Rechnungswesen (IHK) certifications that carry significant weight with German employers.
• DATEVcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership as official DATEV education partner providing training on the standard accounting software used in German tax consultancies and mid-sized companies. Students receive DATEV Anwenderzertifikate for Finanzbuchführung and Lohn & Gehalt.
• BSI (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for BSI IT-Grundschutz Praktiker certification, providing training aligned with the German federal agency's cybersecurity standards widely used in German government agencies and KRITIS operators.
• baobabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner company providing additional services or referrals to MindRefined training programs
• mispa TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner company with collaboration on training programs or referral relationships
• Neue FachkräfteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for new talent acquisition and placement services supporting graduate employment outcomes
• WavestoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConsulting firm partner providing industry connections and potential employment opportunities for graduates
• HAYSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational recruitment company partner facilitating job placement for training graduates in IT security roles
• cashpressominorOthersFinancial technology partner enabling installment payment options for course fees. MindRefined covers interest for first 6 months to provide 0% financing for students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CBT Nuggets: IT certification training platform covering CompTIA, Cisco, and cloud credentials with subscription-based video courses. Comparable in certification prep focus and corporate training delivery model.
• neuefische: German coding and data bootcamp offering full-time vocational programs with strong job placement focus and government funding integration. Operates an analogous model to MindRefined in career-changer IT training within the German market.
• StackFuel: German data science and AI training provider delivering bootcamp-style programs for career changers and corporate teams. Comparable in target audience (German professionals seeking IT transitions) and AZAV-funded training delivery model.
• Ironhack: Global coding and cyber security bootcamp with operations in Berlin. Directly competes for the same career-changer and corporate upskilling segment in Germany, with overlapping cyber security curriculum and job placement focus.
• WBS Training: Major German vocational training provider offering AZAV-certified programs across IT, commercial, and business disciplines. Comparable in AZAV funding integration, course catalog breadth, and B2B/B2C segment coverage.
• OffSec: Cybersecurity training provider known for OSCP and penetration testing certifications. Comparable in hands-on cyber security training methodology, though focused on offensive security rather than MindRefined's broader CompTIA-aligned curriculum.
• Digital Career Institute (DCI): German IT bootcamp provider specializing in web development, data science, and cyber security training for career changers, often funded through Bildungsgutschein. Closely mirrors MindRefined's vocational training and government funding model.

Emerging players

• TryHackMe: Cybersecurity learning platform with hands-on labs and guided learning paths. Already an integration partner of MindRefined for practical exercises; partially overlaps in cyber security skills training for entry-level learners.

Broad incumbents

• SANS Institute: Global leader in cyber security training and certifications (GIAC, SEC+) with broader portfolio and global reach. Comparable in advanced cyber security curriculum and certification preparation, but operates at significantly larger scale and price point.

Others

• heise academy: Training arm of heise, MindRefined's 51% parent company. Adjacent rather than competitive — provides IT professional development courses and shares brand/community reach with MindRefined through its ownership relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mindrefined
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mindrefined-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/mindrefined_gmbh

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Mindrefined Gmbh