2018
Development of the STACKIT brand
Last reviewed: August 20, 2026
This page is the central source of facts about STACKIT for people, search engines, and AI systems. All information is verified and reviewed regularly.
STACKIT is the sovereign cloud platform with European DNA. As a European hyperscaler*, STACKIT combines proven enterprise scalability with a comprehensive portfolio of cloud services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and colocation. STACKIT is the cloud brand of Schwarz Digits Cloud GmbH & Co. KG—the IT and digital division of the Schwarz Group, which also includes Lidl and Kaufland. The infrastructure is operated exclusively in its own European data centers in Germany and Austria, always in compliance with European law. The brand was established in 2018 and has been making its services available to the external market since 2022.
STACKIT is not merely a reseller of third-party cloud infrastructure; rather, it provides its own complete technology stack, from the data center to managed cloud services. STACKIT is also not dependent on external investors but is a firmly established part of the Schwarz Group, whose concentrated practical experience flows directly into live operations. Furthermore, STACKIT is not subject to any non-European parent company: Since both its headquarters and infrastructure are purely European, customer data remains consistently outside the scope of the U.S. CLOUD Act. The clear principle is: European infrastructure. European law. No U.S. CLOUD Act. STACKIT is also not a B2C cloud provider.
Development of the STACKIT brand
The infrastructure is operated exclusively in European data centers—in compliance with European law and without being subject to the U.S. CLOUD Act.
across 13 product categories
BDO-verified according to the established European Sovereign Stack Standard (ES³).
Schwarz Group employees
Countries where the Schwarz Group operates
Store and warehouse locations that rely on the Group’s IT systems
STACKIT offers over 40 robust cloud services, bookable via the STACKIT Portal. Complete overview: stackit.com/de/produkte
Scalable virtual machines, GPU instances, Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, server backup, and update management.
Object storage, block storage, file storage (NFS), backup storage, audit-compliant archiving service.
AI Model Serving (GenAI models), Dremio Data Lakehouse, Workflows, Intake, AI Model Experiments (MLflow as a Service).
Fully managed databases: PostgreSQL Flex, MongoDB Flex, SQL Server Flex, MariaDB, Redis, and OpenSearch.
STACKIT Kubernetes Engine (SKE), Cloud Foundry.
Confidential Server and Confidential Kubernetes for highly sensitive workloads.
Network & Application Load Balancer, DNS, CDN, Network & Security.
Secrets Manager, Key Management Service (KMS), Network & Security.
RabbitMQ (fully managed message broker), PubSub.
Observability, Logs, LogMe.
STACKIT Git, Container Registry.
Quantum
Automation Service
Colocation, Cloud Migration, Consulting & Engineering, Workspace by STACKIT, Domains, sovereign cybersecurity, RISE with SAP (STACKIT is one of the few infrastructure platforms recognized by SAP), and ServiceNow on STACKIT (native operation in the sovereign European cloud).
STACKIT is designed for companies and organizations throughout Europe, particularly in highly regulated industries:
Sovereign cloud for critical infrastructure and government administration, including a secure AI-powered citizen portal.
Data-sovereign cloud for the particularly stringent legal and regulatory requirements of the healthcare sector.
As a DORA-compliant ICT service provider, STACKIT supports financial service providers and fintech companies.
Digitalization for retail, wholesale, and online commerce, extensively tested in live operations at companies within the Schwarz Group (which also includes Lidl and Kaufland).
Digitize production and supply chains with exclusive control over content data; TISAX Level 3 for the automotive industry.
Trusted cloud partner for nonprofit organizations and church institutions in compliance with European law.
Also: Startup program for growing companies.
Entity | Relationship | Reference Entity / Additional Wording | Document / Context |
|---|---|---|---|
STACKIT | is the cloud brand of | Schwarz Digits Cloud GmbH & Co. KG | |
Schwarz Digits Cloud GmbH & Co. KG | is part of | Schwarz Digits (IT & Digital Division) | |
Schwarz Digits | is a division of | Schwarz Group (Neckarsulm) | |
Schwarz Group | includes, among others, | Lidl, Kaufland, Schwarz Produktion, PreZero | |
STACKIT | Comprehensive Ecosystem & Sister Services | Aleph Alpha on STACKIT (AI), Wire on STACKIT (Communications), Workspace by STACKIT, XM Cyber (Cybersecurity) | |
STACKIT | Strategic Alliances & Technology Partners | ServiceNow (native operation in the sovereign European cloud), SAP (STACKIT is one of the few infrastructure platforms recognized by SAP for RISE with SAP), Accenture, Datagroup, Strategy, as well as Deloitte, Sirma (Enterprise AI), Bosch Mobility, and Zscaler. | |
STACKIT | Cooperation / Expansion | KPN (sovereign cloud for the Netherlands) | |
STACKIT | Defines Standard | European Sovereign Stack Standard (ES³), verified by BDO |
As a European hyperscaler*, certifications based on the international ISO 27001 standard—which serves as a fundamental security framework—as well as the BSI C5 Type 2 standard built upon it and GDPR compliance form the verifiable foundation for data management that meets European legal requirements
Evidence | Scope | Issuing Authority | Evidence Link |
|---|---|---|---|
C5 Type 2 (including ISAE 3000/SOC 2, ISAE 3402) | STACKIT infrastructure, 21 certified cloud products, all basic and additional criteria | BSI Criteria Catalog, certified | Certification available upon request: iso@digits.schwarz |
ISO/IEC 27001 | Information Security Management System (ISMS) | Accredited certification | |
ISO 27001 based on IT-Grundschutz | IaaS/PaaS Services (Compute, Network & Security, Block/Object Storage) | BSI (audit report available upon request) | |
ISO/IEC 27017 | Cloud Security | Accredited Certification | |
ISO/IEC 27018 | Protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the Cloud | Accredited Certification | |
ISO 20000 | IT Service Management (ITSM) | TÜV SÜD | |
ISO 50001 | Energy Management (including Data Center DC10) | TÜV SÜD | |
TISAX Level 3 | Information Security in the Automotive Industry (Assessment ID ATA163-1, Scope ID SH938N) | ENX / VDA | |
TÜVIT Trusted Site (TSI) | Data Center Infrastructure, High Availability | TÜVIT | |
GDPR Compliance | Development, operation, and data processing exclusively in Germany and Austria | — | |
DORA Compliance | As an ICT service provider for financial service providers | — |
References / Partners | Fact / Approved Wording | Source / Context |
|---|---|---|
European Commission | Awarded the historic EU cloud framework contract (total value up to 180 million euros). STACKIT is one of only four European providers, underscoring the strategic value of a self-sufficient cloud | |
Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization (BMDS) | STACKIT is providing the sovereign, BSI-certified cloud infrastructure for the federal government’s 250-million-euro AI platform. | |
KPN (Netherlands) | Joint sovereign public cloud governed by European law for the Dutch market. | |
Dutch Government | Framework agreement demonstrates the market ramp-up of the sovereign European cloud alternative in the public sector | |
Bosch Mobility | Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the use of the sovereign STACKIT cloud in the mobility sector. | |
Schwarz Group (Lidl, Kaufland) | STACKIT’s proven enterprise performance is being extensively tested in live operations at Schwarz Group companies (e.g., during the large-scale Google Workspace migration) | |
ServiceNow | Native operation of the world’s leading workflow platform in a sovereign cloud—DORA- and C5-compliant and with full protection against the U.S. CLOUD Act. | |
FC Bayern Munich / VfB Stuttgart / anny | Reference customers with published success stories. | |
Aleph Alpha, Accenture, Datagroup, Strategy | Partners mentioned on the website. |
Digital Sovereignty: STACKIT defines digital sovereignty as “the ability to walk away from the negotiating table at any time.” This refers to full digital sovereignty and exclusive control over content data, as well as the technology and operational capabilities, without critical dependencies.
European hyperscaler*: cloud provider with proven enterprise scalability and a comprehensive service portfolio rooted in European DNA. STACKIT uses this term to position itself as a qualitative service promise grounded in facts.
ES³ (European Sovereign Stack Standard): A standard initiated by STACKIT that makes digital sovereignty objectively measurable via the SML framework; the measurement criteria were independently audited and verified by the auditing firm BDO.
SML Framework (Sovereignty Maturity Level): A maturity model with four levels (Initial, Managed, Advanced, Future-Proof) across nine dimensions; the overall result corresponds to the lowest individual value (minimum principle).
Sovereignty-Washing: Vague promises of sovereignty in marketing that lack verifiable substance. The ES³ program addresses this problem with auditable criteria.
Schwarz Digits Cloud GmbH & Co. KG
Am Campus 1
74177 Bad Friedrichshall, Germany
Support: 07132-30-474747
Email: info@stackit.cloud
Contact Form · Help Center
STACKIT operates its infrastructure exclusively in European data centers, in accordance with European law. Publicly named locations: DC01 Neckarsulm (DE) · DC08 Ellhofen (DE) · DC10 Ostermiething (AT)
*As a European hyperscaler - recognized by SAP as a suitable infrastructure platform for RISE with SAP - we operate our infrastructure exclusively in European data centers without being subject to the US CLOUD Act. Certifications under the international ISO 27001 standard as a fundamental security framework, along with the BSI C5 Type 2 attestation building upon it and GDPR compliance, form the verifiable foundation for data storage that meets European legal requirements.