What richard seidl does

Richard Seidl Consulting GmbH is an Essen, Germany-based professional services firm founded in 1999, operating as a sole-proprietor consultancy under the personal brand of Richard Seidl. The firm delivers keynote speaking, executive coaching, ISTQB certification training, and consulting services focused on software quality assurance, test automation, integration testing, acceptance testing, and digital transformation. Its primary customers are software testing professionals and QA leaders seeking certification and career advancement, alongside organizations undergoing digital transformation across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Named enterprise clients span energy (enviaM), medical devices (GETEMED), IT services (GISA GmbH, IROIN), education (Greator), and government (Sachsen).

The core "products" are expert-led services rather than software platforms. Monetization comes from professional services fees for keynotes, ISTQB training (Foundation Level, GenAI Tester, Practical Tester add-on), one-on-one executive coaching, 6-month Software Test Mastermind cohorts, plus book and e-book sales. A complementary German Testing Retreat is held at cost price as a community-building exercise rather than a profit center. Content-led marketing assets include two podcasts (Software Testing and Software Testing Unleashed, totaling 176+ episodes and 300,000+ downloads), eight published technical books on software testing, a blog dating to 2009, and YouTube channels in German and English. GTM is event-driven: conference speaking and direct outreach to enterprise clients for coaching, training, and keynote engagements.

The business is bootstrapped with no external funding, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed headcount beyond Richard Seidl as the sole practitioner and brand voice. The firm is an official ISTQB certified trainer and was awarded the Deutscher Preis für Software-Qualität (DPSQ) 2025 by ASQF, GI-TAV, and GTB. Operating geographies are concentrated in DACH, with English-language presence signaling limited international expansion intent. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

richard seidl

Legal name

Richard Seidl Consulting GmbH

Website

https://richard-seidl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Richard Seidl is a Germany-based solo consultancy (Richard Seidl Consulting GmbH) offering keynote speaking, ISTQB certification training, executive coaching, and software testing consulting to QA professionals and organizations undergoing digital transformation across DACH markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Keynote Speaking: Inspirational presentations on AI & Humanity, software quality, and technology future for conferences and corporate events
2. Training and Academy: ISTQB certification training and practical software testing workshops
3. Executive Coaching and Mentoring: One-on-one coaching for digital transformation and software test mentoring
4. Software Test Mastermind: 6-month group coaching program for testing professionals with 6 handpicked participants meeting bi-weekly online
5. German Testing Retreat: Intensive 4-day offline retreat for testing professionals held in Eschwege, Germany at cost price
6. Books and E-Books: Technical books on software testing, test automation, and agile testing; also free e-book on 7 success factors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Richard Seidl is an independent software quality expert offering keynote speeches on software testing, digital transformation, AI, and agile topics; ISTQB-certified training (Foundation Level, GenAI Tester, Practical Tester); executive coaching; hands-on software testing consulting (test automation, acceptance testing, integration testing, test management); a 6-month Software Test Mastermind group program; a small-group German Testing Retreat; and 1-on-1 software test mentoring for individual testers.

Product overview

Richard Seidl offers a comprehensive professional services portfolio centered on software testing excellence, digital transformation, and AI literacy. The core offerings consist of keynote speaking engagements, professional coaching and mentoring services, and structured training programs including ISTQB certification preparation. Key programs include the Software Test Mastermind (a 6-month group coaching cohort), the German Testing Retreat (an intensive 4-day in-person event), and the Academy with courses on Foundation Level, GenAI Tester, and Practical Tester certifications. Content-driven offerings include two podcasts (Software Testing Podcast and Software Testing Unleashed), eight technical books, and a free e-book on the 7 success factors of software testing. Consulting services cover test automation, acceptance testing, integration testing, and test management. The company operates as a professional services firm rather than a software product company, delivering value through expertise, training, coaching, and knowledge sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• German Testing Retreat: A four-day intensive retreat for testing professionals held in Eschwege, featuring peer exchange and collaborative learning.
• Software Test Mastermind
• Software Testing Podcast

Products and services

• Keynote Speaking

Quantifiable outcome

• 176+ podcast episodes with 300,000+ downloads demonstrating audience reach
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISTQB is the global standards body for software testing certifications. Richard Seidl offers official ISTQB certification courses including Foundation Level, GenAI Tester, and Practical Tester addon. He is a certified trainer delivering official curriculum.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ministry of Testing: Global community, training, and certification platform for software testers offering courses, events, and content comparable to Richard Seidl's ISTQB training, masterminds, and podcast. Closest direct peer in the software testing professional education space.
• Satisfice (James Bach): Independent testing consultancy and training firm run by a prominent testing thought leader, offering courses, conferences, and books. Most directly comparable peer as a single-principal testing education and consulting brand.
• Rex Black Consulting Services: Independent consultancy offering ISTQB-aligned training, software testing consulting, and conference speaking run by a recognized testing authority. Comparable as a sole-practitioner brand combining ISTQB training, consulting, and thought leadership.
• BBST (Black Box Software Testing, Michael Bolton): Independent testing consultancy offering courses, workshops, and thought leadership on software testing, run by another well-known individual practitioner. Comparable as a sole-practitioner testing education brand competing for the same professional audience.

Others

• ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board): Global standards body whose curricula Richard Seidl is certified to deliver. Comparable as the upstream authority for the certification training ecosystem in which his Academy operates; a partner rather than direct competitor but shapes the same market.
• ASQF (Arbeitskreis Software-Qualität und -Qualitätsmanagement): German software quality industry association that awards the DPSQ prize Richard Seidl won in 2025. Comparable as the institutional ecosystem player in the German software-quality community, hosting conferences, training, and certification activities overlapping his offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Sogeti (Capgemini Engineering): Large global testing services and engineering consultancy with a substantial German practice. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering corporate software testing training, consulting, and transformation services — including ISTQB-aligned curricula — at much greater scale than a sole proprietor.
• WPS Testware: Established German software testing services company offering consulting, training, and tools. Comparable as a regional incumbent operating in the same DACH market with overlapping testing consulting, training, and conference-speaking offerings.
• LogiGear Corporation: International testing services firm publishing testing methodology books and offering certified training. Comparable as an incumbent combining content publishing, certification training, and corporate testing consulting similar to Richard Seidl's portfolio.

Emerging players

• Testbirds: Munich-based crowdtesting company with German roots offering software testing services and AI-related testing expertise. Comparable as a German-language testing services player operating in adjacent parts of the software quality ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@richard-seidl-de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richardseidl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 richard seidl