About the company AGNITAS

What does AGNITAS do?

As an e-mail pioneer in Germany, AGNITAS has been offering its customers a technically leading online marketing platform focussing on e-mail automation for 25 years – but SMS, web push and print are also supported.

Our solutions cover the requirements of small companies through to large corporations and can be flexibly adapted to changing requirements. Our customers are mainly corporations, medium-sized companies and public authorities.

What makes the AGNITAS offer unique?

1. The choice is yours, because we offer our solutions in various forms:

  • as free open source software: OpenEMM (popular with SMEs, associations and clubs)
    • as free open source software with commercial add-ons: OpenEMM Plus
  • as a maintenance-free service in the cloud: EMM SaaS  (popular with eCommerce, agencies and B2B)
  • as a licence for cost-effective in-house operation (“on-premise”): EMM Inhouse (popular with banks and in the public sector)
  • as a hybrid licence: EMM Inhouse, but we operate the mail servers with whitelisting
  • as an isolated cloud service that we operate exclusively for you: EMM Private Cloud (popular with DXS providers)

And if your requirements change, you have the freedom to switch between these offerings.

2. We develop the software ourselves and operate the infrastructure for our cloud offerings ourselves. This allows us to make individual customisations and enhancements directly on request, as long as the required functionality is not already included in the extensive enterprise functionality (such as a variety of interfaces or white labelling functionality).

3. We operate our IT infrastructure ourselves in a German data centre. We do not use any subcontractors, i.e. all data is processed in Germany in compliance with the GDPR. Data security is guaranteed by our information security management system (ISMS), which is triple-certified in accordance with ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and ISO 27018. In addition, penetration tests are regularly carried out by external specialists. This enables us to ensure DORA compliance (Digital Operations Resilience Act). As part of our CRA compliance (Cyber Resilience Act), we can also supply up-to-date SBOMs (Software Bill of Material).

4. As a local provider, we can ensure high delivery rates, especially in the DACH region, because we know the particularities of each mailbox provider.

AGNITAS AG is based in Munich, next to the location of the trade fair grounds. The company is managed by founder Martin Aschoff. AGNITAS has no external investors and can therefore plan for the long term. Around 40 employees ensure that customers receive optimal support in the realisation and implementation of their digital communication projects on a daily basis.

Our promise to you

We automate digital communication for companies and the public sector simply, reliably and securely.

Martin Aschoff, Managing Director and Founder

Martin AschoffCEO and founder of AGNITAS AG

Derivation of the company name

agnitio: Insight

veritas: Wisdom, truth

Company History

  • 2024

    • AGNITAS turns 25 years old
  • 2023

    • OpenEMM Plus closes the performance gap between the free OpenEMM and the commercial EMM Inhouse
    • EMM is expanded to include an SMTP interface for processing emails from legacy systems
  • 2022

    • Banks in Germany, Austria and Switzerland use EMM Inhouse as a secure and reliable solution for their e-mail communication
    • For the first time since 2001, AGNITAS no longer has an external shareholder and is owned exclusively by the management
    • Karsten Schramm (founder of GMX and ginlo) becomes Deputy Chairman of the AGNITAS Supervisory Board
  • 2021

    • AGNITAS is named "Digital Champion 2021" by Focus Money
    • Introduction of the new Webhook interface
  • 2020

    • New communication channel print via the partner Trigger Dialogue/Deutsche Post is connected
    • Relocation to the most modern high-security data centre in the greater Munich area
  • 2019

    • AGNITAS turns 20 years old
    • Completely revised version of the popular OpenEMM is released
    • All offices have air conditioning
  • 2018

    • The EU General Data Protection Regulation comes into force and the EMM offers the necessary functionality (opt-out for tracking, information reports, etc.).
    • Company-wide offer to also work from home
    • Norbert Stangl becomes new Chairman of the Supervisory Board
  • 2017

    • Initial certification according to ISO 27017 (security in the cloud) and ISO 27018 (data protection in the cloud)
    • re-certification according to ISO 27001 (IT security)
  • 2016

    • First supplier of Web Push Notifications
    • EMM Inhouse as single server license (complete software on one single server)
  • 2015

    • Redesign of the E-Marketing Manager (EMM): New design of the software with a lot of improvements and new features
    • The number of downloads of the open source software OpenEMM reached the 500.000 mark
  • 2014

    • AGNITAS is 15 years old
    • DEKRA evidenced AGNITAS the highest IT security standard for the whole company with the ISO 27001:2013 certification
    • Development of the Campaign Manager: Tool for planning and managing of automated e-mail campaigns
    • Nominee for eco Internet Award 2014
  • 2013

    • Launch of EMM Inhouse as a licence variant that runs with the free DBMS systems MySQL and MariaDB
    • First installation of the EMM in-house in the AWS cloud
    • OpenEMM is extended to include multi-queue dispatch, context-sensitive online help and a web service API
    • EMM is extended by Drag&Drop Layout Builder for the creation of individual e-mail modules without HTML knowledge
  • 2012

    • Relocation of the servers to a new data centre for even better availability guarantees
    • EMM once again in the high-end systems class (Email Marketing Software 2012 study, Absolit)
    • Award: IT innovation prize - Best of 2012 (Certificate)
  • 2011

    • Start of Social Media Manager (SMM) for management and monitoring of social media activities
    • OpenEMM: In the meantime used in over 80 countries
  • 2010

    • Extension of the e-abo manager to online-based eCRM
    • The first trainee is hired
  • 2009

    • Award: Nominee for eco Internet Award 2009
    • Office space extended
    • Membership of ISPA - Internet Service Providers Austria (umbrella organization for Internet business in Austria)
  • 2008

    • EMM Enterprise, an individualized version of EMM for large concerns, is introduced to the market
    • The local AGNITAS development team is expanded to include an international development team
  • 2007

    • Start of the agency program
    • Start of e-abo manager for attracting and managing subscriptions
    • Award: Open Source Business Award (3rd place)
  • 2006

    • AGNITAS publishes its source code and with OpenEMM offers a free version for download
    • Start of LoyaltyAgent for implementation and operation of a customer bonus program
  • 2005

    • Management team strengthened by Chairman of the Board Helmut Kunkel and the long-time staff member Robert Pietsch
    • Start of TransactionAgent for the sending of transaction mails
    • Relocation of the servers to a new Data Center to handle necessary expansion
  • 2004

    • Martin Aschoff becomes DDV Vice-President (and holds this post until 2008)
    • As DDV Vice-President, Martin Aschoff concludes the fundamental contracts for the Certified Senders Alliance (CSA), AGNITAS is a founder member
    • Start of ShopAgent for reactivation of shopping basket terminations
    • Relocation to larger office premises in the Riem trade event center
  • 2003

    • AGNITAS becomes profitable
    • EMM comes onto the market as a license solution
    • Development of the DDV Code of Ethics – Martin Aschoff actively involved in working out the regulations
    • AGNITAS is the first company in the industry to commit to this voluntary self-checking
    • AGNITAS is again the only German supplier to have a solution classified in the highest class (e-mail newsletter software, market overview for mid-range industry by Absolit)
  • 2002

    • Start of DataAgent for automatic bidirectional exchange of data
    • AGNITAS is the only German supplier to offer a high-end system (market overview of e-mail marketing software by Absolit and Upspring)
  • 2001

    • Involvement of the Ebner publishing group as provider of capital and partner for growth financing
    • Relocation away from the original offices because AGNITAS has grown
  • 2000

    • EMM comes on to the market as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and full-service solution
    • AGNITAS wins its first large customer (Tiscali) in June and by doing so is the first German provider for e-mail marketing
  • 1999

    • Foundation of the AGNITAS company by Martin Aschoff
    • Start of development of the first version of E-Marketing Manager (EMM), a software solution for managing and sending of e-mail marketing campaigns