LinkedIn names Comatch one of Germany's most sought-after startups

Career platform LinkedIn has unveiled a list of what it believes are Germany’s most sought-after startups. Fourth on the list is Comatch, a startup founded by two McKinsey & Company alumni that facilitates online matching between clients seeking expert advice and consultants.

LinkedIn’s ranking of Germany’s top startups is based on behavioral analysis of millions of LinkedIn members working in Germany. By analysing platform activity in the area of employment growth, brand engagement on the platform, job interest and the ability to recruit top candidates, the company’s algorithm came to a top 25 ranking. Only startups that are not older than seven years and have grown significantly since launching, now having more than 50 employees, were considered for the list.

The list of Germany’s top 25 startup companies is led by N26 Group; a financial services player; Celonis, a provider of process mining software; and Horizn Studios, a company that manufacturers smart travel luggage and accessories. Fourth on the prestigious list is Comatch, a startup that helps buyers of consultancy services tap into the growing supply of qualified independent consultants. Founded in 2014 by former McKinsey & Company consultants Christoph Hardt and Jan Schächtele, Comatch has in the past four years facilitated more than 40,000 project requests, according to the firm’s website. These have been delivered by the firm’s 5,500+ consultants in its database, all of which have been hand-picked and boast a track record either in consulting or in industry.

According to Hardt, this focus on quality has been instrumental to the firm’s success (“fewer than 50% of independent consultants that apply meet our quality criteria”), combined with the firm’s client promise – consultancy buyers are assured they will receive a candidate proposal with 48 hours of engagement request. “Our promise to our customers is to find the perfect consultant for them. We attach great importance to quality, speed and personal contact. These values ​​we try every day to live and anchor in our culture,” explained Hardt.

Comatch, which is backed by investors, having raised €12 million in Series A and B funding, has offices in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, France, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. On the back of its steep growth, the startup recently earned a place in Gründerszene’s list of Germany’s ten fastest growing digital startups.

Commenting on the recognition by the globe’s largest career networking platform, Hardt said, “I’m extremely proud, in particular of the pan European growth Comatch has experienced in recent years. Even at our office in Berlin, I am regularly reminded of this, not only by the international team, but also by our meeting rooms – Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen & Paris – named after four of our international offices. I am looking forward to continue our international expansion.”

Berlin-headquartered Comatch joins 18 of the top 25 startups that are located in Berlin, with only six peers located outside of Germany’s capital. Five of those are however based in one city, Munich (Celonis, FlixMobility, Personio, the Global Savings Group and ProGlove), while Deposit Solutions is located in the Northern city of Hamburg. "Berlin offers its founders a gigantic pool of talent and attracts capital and talent internationally with its lively startup scene, even from Silicon Valley,” explained Jochen Doppelhammer, Country Manager of LinkedIn Germany. Interestingly, the top 25 startup ranking houses only 1 firm that has a female founder: Osnat Michaeli of InFarm.

The full list of Germany’s top 25 startups: 1. N26 Group, 2. Celonis, 3. Horizn Studios, 4. Comatch, 5. FlixMobility, 6. Spryker, 7. Contentful, 8. Door2Door, 9. Auto1 Group, 10. InFarm, 11. Personio, 12. 8fit, 13. Blinker, 14. Seven transmitters, 15th Fluffy Fairy Games, 16. Remerge, 17. Blacklane, 18. Lesara, 19. Lingoda, 20. Everywhere, 21. Raisin, 22. Deposit Solutions, 23. Global Savings Group, 24. ProGlove, 25. HeyJobs.