Brainstorm

What Brainstorm does

Brainstorm GmbH is a Munich-based, privately held German limited liability company founded in 2000 by Matthias Müller that specializes in idea and innovation management software and consulting for the DACH market. Its core offering is trideo®X, a web-based ideas management / continuous improvement (KVP/BVW) platform with more than 1 million end users, delivered as SaaS from German high-availability data centers and available in two variants — trideo®X Quickstep (pre-configured best-practice workflows aimed at new implementations, starting at €250/month net) and trideo®X Custom (fully tailored enterprise deployments starting at €480/month net plus €15,000+ setup). trideo®X is developed and maintained through a formal Joint Venture with NEULAND Software GmbH (Augsburg), formalized in May 2023, which contributes AI, AR, and robotics capability. Complementing trideo®X, Brainstorm holds exclusive global distribution rights for the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP, a mobile-first iOS/Android application paired with an Excel-based KVP-Verwaltung back-office, distributed under a licensing partnership dating to March 2021. The portfolio additionally includes the StartUp Connector managed service for corporate-startup matching and dedicated Ideenmanagement-Beratung consulting.

Revenue mechanics are subscription-recurring (tiered by employee headcount from €60/month for KVP-APP up to €480/month for trideo®X Custom), supplemented by one-time setup/onboarding fees (€4,990–€15,000+), professional services for implementation and training, and licensing royalties from the Fraunhofer Austria arrangement. GTM is hybrid: a self-service PLG motion for the KVP-APP and trideo®X Quickstep via free trials (30 days and 3 months respectively), combined with consulting-led sales and 2–4 day workshops for Custom enterprise deployments. The company serves two named primary segments — large enterprises (automotive suppliers such as ZF and Muhr und Bender, pharmaceutical firms such as Merz, banks, insurers, machinery manufacturers) and SMEs that need a low-IT-overhead entry into structured improvement processes — supported by an international association network (Idee Suisse, IdeasUK, IdeasAmerica, IdeenNetz, ÖPWZ) and regional implementation partners in Austria and Germany. The company is led by two Managing Directors, Matthias Müller (founder) and Poldi-Eva Leo (Usability/UX specialist), and celebrated its 25th anniversary in June 2025 alongside NEULAND, at which it announced a KI-Assistent (AI Assistant) and a major trideo®X feature expansion (parallel reviews, virtual commissions, integrated ticketing, knowledge database).

Name

Brainstorm

Legal name

Brainstorm GmbH

Website

https://brainstorm-gmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brainstorm GmbH is a Munich-based DACH specialist founded in 2000 that sells trideo®X idea-management SaaS and the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP — under exclusive distribution — to enterprises and SMEs, supplemented by consulting and a StartUp Connector service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Idea and Innovation Management Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Other Computer Related Services (541519), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

iBPMS (Intelligent BPM Suites) & Process Automation Suites (HDAEAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business Rules & Decision Management Platforms (BRMS/DMN) (HDAEAKAG), Enterprise Application Reporting, BI & Analytics Enablement (BPAEAGAK)

Keywords

• Idea management software
• Innovation management platform
• Continuous improvement software
• Employee suggestion system
• KVP and BVW software

Headquarters

HQ city

Augsburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription (trideo®X): Monthly or annual subscription fees for trideo®X software, priced by company size (number of employees). Includes Quickstep and Custom variants, with additional initial setup/configuration fees.
2. SaaS Subscription (KVP-APP): Monthly subscription for the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP + Excel-KVP management, priced by company size (number of employees). Starting at €60/month for up to 50 employees. Additional one-time initial fees for setup and onboarding.
3. Professional Services (Consulting & Training): Consulting for idea/innovation management introduction and optimization, plus workshops and training for idea management teams as part of initial setup.
4. Licensing Royalties: As a licensing partner of Fraunhofer Austria, Brainstorm distributes the KVP-APP, suggesting a revenue share or licensing arrangement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brainstorm GmbH sells and supports trideo®X, a web-based idea and innovation management software platform (available as Quickstep and Custom variants, hosted as SaaS in German data centers or On-Premise), and distributes the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP, a native iOS/Android mobile application for employee idea submission paired with an Excel-based KVP management tool. The offerings are complemented by the StartUp Connector service (curated matching of companies with innovative startups) and Ideenmanagement-Beratung consulting for introducing, optimizing, and elevating BVW (Betriebliches Vorschlagswesen) and KVP (Kontinuierlicher Verbesserungsprozess) programs in enterprises of all sizes.

Product overview

Brainstorm GmbH is a Munich-based company specializing in idea and innovation management solutions. The core product portfolio consists of trideo®X, a web-based idea management software platform (available in QuickStep and Custom variants, hosted as SaaS in Germany or On-Premise), and the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP — a native mobile app for iOS/Android distributed exclusively by Brainstorm, which is paired with an Excel-based KVP management tool. These products are complemented by the StartUp Connector service for connecting companies with innovative startups, and professional consulting services for implementing and optimizing idea management, BVW, and KVP processes. The company holds exclusive distribution rights for the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP and operates a Joint Venture with NEULAND Software GmbH for software development and long-term product support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• trideo®X Web-based idea and innovation management software platform with more than 1 million users, available as trideo®X QuickStep (pre-configured best-practice workflow for new implementations) and trideo®X Custom (fully customized workflows with On-Premise option). Delivered as SaaS from German high-availability data centers and includes idea submission, evaluation workflows, automated notifications, prize/award accounts, statistics, multilingual support, an integrated knowledge base, SSO/LDAP, and a new AI assistant.
• Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP Native mobile application for iOS and Android developed by Fraunhofer Austria and distributed exclusively by Brainstorm GmbH. Enables employees to submit ideas, improvement suggestions, and KVPs directly from their smartphones with photo, video, or voice attachments; works offline and syncs when connectivity is restored; pairs with Excel-based KVP management for processing and evaluation.
• StartUp Connector Managed service that automatically matches companies with suitable innovative startups and solution providers based on company-defined criteria, forwarding relevant contacts to the right internal departments. Includes a StartUp Management Tool for contact management and monitoring, supporting open innovation across production, administration, and R&D.
• Ideenmanagement-Beratung (Consulting for Idea Management) Consulting services for introducing, optimizing, or elevating idea management (BVW), continuous improvement (KVP), and innovation management in enterprises. Includes tailored advice, motivation seminars, and an online consulting offering tailored for SMEs to start quickly after a few personal sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• One customer (automotive supplier, 6 sites, 4,500 employees) achieved €2.5M in production cost savings and 10% material loss reduction within 2 years through Brainstorm's ideas management system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature13 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NEULAND Software GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2023A formal joint venture between Brainstorm GmbH (Munich) and NEULAND Software GmbH (Augsburg). NEULAND has developed trideo®X and related workflow-based products for many years. The JV ensures long-term operation and extension of trideo® software products. NEULAND contributes expertise in AI, AR, prototyping, and robotics to the joint product development.
• Fraunhofer AustriacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 March 2021Brainstorm GmbH is a licensing partner of Fraunhofer Austria (Vienna), distributing the Fraunhofer Austria KVP-APP globally. This partnership extends Brainstorm's product portfolio to include a mobile-first, no-server-required idea capture tool that works offline and syncs with Excel — without any external data hosting. The KVP-APP is co-developed by Fraunhofer Austria and distributed exclusively by Brainstorm.
• Idee SuisseminorOthersIDEE-SUISSE® is a non-profit association promoting employee involvement programs in Switzerland. Brainstorm participates as a member/partner, contributing to the international idea management community.
• IdeasUKminorOthersThe UK's foremost association for employee involvement programmes, founded in 1987. Brainstorm participates as a member, connecting with UK organizations developing ideas programmes.
• IdeasAmericaminorOthersA US-based association promoting employee involvement programs. Brainstorm participates as a member, part of its international network strategy.
• IdeenNetzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Rüdiger Munzke, a long-time idea management consultant. Brainstorm jointly offers workshops for designing idea management in companies — on-site or in multiple online sessions. IdeenNetz collaborates with Brainstorm on the International Day of Ideas campaign at HANNOVER MESSE.
• ÖPWZ (Österreichisches Produktivitäts- und Wirtschaftlichkeits-Zentrum)minorOthersThe ÖPWZ Forum KVP & Innovation brings together responsible parties from business and administration for experience exchange, benchmarking, and best practice sharing for over 40 years. Brainstorm participates in the Austrian partner network.
• CONSIGA (Austria)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional consulting and implementation partner based in Graz, Austria. Part of Brainstorm's Austrian partner network for KVP-APP and trideo®X distribution and implementation.
• TCMS (Austria)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partner represented by DI Dr. Martin Riedler in Karpfenberg, Austria. Part of Brainstorm's Austrian partner ecosystem.
• Brainstorm DortmundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partner in Dortmund supporting all idea managers in designing campaigns, from initial introduction of idea management to comprehensive idea campaigns in Germany.
• Zentrum Ideenmanagement (ZI)minorOthersThe Zentrum Ideenmanagement in Frankfurt Main offers a comprehensive service spectrum for idea managers. Established as a competence center and trendsetter in idea and innovation management.
• Dr. Hartmut Neckel ( Unternehmensberatung)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal expert contributing blog content on idea management KPIs, benchmarking, and best practices. Contributed to Brainstorm's thought leadership content on idea management metrics and stakeholder engagement.
• Ideen machen ZukunftminorOthersA Germany-wide initiative of idea managers for idea managers, aiming to put the ideas of people more at the center of attention. Brainstorm is part of this network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HYPE Innovation: German-headquartered innovation management platform with a global enterprise install base. Direct competitor focused on idea campaigns, KVP, and innovation portfolio management, serving DACH multinationals that overlap with Brainstorm's customer base.
• IdeaScale: US-based idea management SaaS offering crowdsourcing, evaluation, and consulting services for enterprise and government customers. Closely comparable to Brainstorm's trideo®X for idea submission, voting, and campaign workflows.
• Viima: Finnish-origin idea management platform providing voting, evaluation, and workflow tools for enterprise innovation programs. Comparable to trideo®X Quickstep for SMB and mid-market customers adopting idea management as SaaS.
• Sidecar Interactive: Israeli-founded idea management platform with deep workflow configurability for enterprise innovation programs. Comparable to trideo®X Custom in supporting complex, multi-stage idea evaluation and campaign mechanics.
• Qmarkets: Israel/global SaaS platform providing end-to-end idea and innovation management (ideation, evaluation, workflow, rewards) for mid-market and enterprise. Closest direct competitor to trideo®X, serving similar continuous improvement and innovation use cases.
• Brightidea: US-headquartered innovation management software vendor offering idea crowdsourcing, evaluation workflows, and consulting services to enterprise customers. Directly competes with Brainstorm's trideo®X in idea management program design and execution.
• Planbox (inno-360): Canadian innovation management platform offering ideation, evaluation, and portfolio tracking for mid-market and enterprise. Competes with trideo®X on end-to-end idea-to-execution workflows and consulting services.

Broad incumbents

• Medallia Employee Experience: Enterprise employee engagement and experience platform with crowdsourcing and idea capture features. Adjacent incumbent that some enterprise HR teams may choose over specialist tools like trideo®X to consolidate engagement and innovation spend with one vendor.
• Microsoft Viva Ideas / Yammer: Microsoft's employee experience platform within Microsoft 365 includes ideas and campaigns functionality embedded in Teams. Operates as a broad incumbent option that large enterprise customers already pay for, potentially absorbing standalone idea management budgets.
• SAP Innovation Management (SAP BTP): SAP's innovation and idea management capabilities embedded within its business technology platform and ERP ecosystem. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Brainstorm by bundling idea features into an enterprise suite that large manufacturers and pharma companies already standardize on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqJ-wDl0yJwwD30G3eK1q4Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brainstorm-gmbh

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 Brainstorm