AI consulting with substance, not just slides

Many technology vendors primarily sell off-the-shelf software. We start by analysing your business, organisational and commercial challenges. Only then can we determine whether and how AI can be deployed effectively — and which technology is genuinely suited.

While AI remains difficult to grasp for many software vendors or is reduced to simple applications, we bring deep roots and expertise in artificial intelligence. This foundation allows us to assess potential realistically and build solutions that hold up in daily operations.

Unlike traditional AI SaaS providers, we don't just sell licences. We advise on the deployment and adaptation of existing AI systems, develop highly customised solutions when needed and integrate them seamlessly into existing workflows. The result is AI that delivers real impact.

We work across industries — wherever processes, decisions and data play a central role. Our experience covers finance, insurance, logistics, energy, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, pharma, consumer goods and defence.

Many of these industries face similar challenges: cost pressure, talent shortages, complex operations and the ambition to deploy AI responsibly and effectively. That is precisely where we help — with solutions that are commercially relevant and work in practice.

We deploy AI wherever workflows can be improved, decisions supported or resources used more efficiently. This includes sales, marketing, controlling, HR, support, production, planning, product development and IT.

We work along four key innovation fields:

1. AI on the product

AI enhances or improves existing products and enables new features, services or markets.

2. AI in core processes

We optimize value-creating operations such as production, logistics or operational decisions — more efficiently, more scalably and more sustainably.

3. AI in supporting processes

Finance, HR, customer support, procurement or administration benefit from greater automation, better data and more stable operations.

4. New business models with AI

We develop approaches where data and AI become the product — unlocking new revenue models or services.

Yes. We don't just support development — we also ensure stable operations and continuous improvement of AI systems. This includes monitoring, MLOps, regular retraining, cloud infrastructure maintenance, security updates and technical support — so your AI keeps learning reliably, securely and adapts to new data and requirements.

On request, we also help you build internal capabilities and enable IT teams to operate and evolve AI systems independently over time.

We work with organizations of all kinds — from startups and small businesses to mid-market companies and large enterprises. What matters is not the size of the company or its AI maturity, but the commitment to deploy AI meaningfully and responsibly.

Our projects range from small, focused initiatives in growing businesses to large-scale transformation programmes and complex, highly regulated AI systems in critical infrastructure. In every case, we bring the right approach, the necessary technical depth and scalable solutions — so AI creates impact where it is needed.

We distinguish between two scenarios:

1. Custom AI models for enterprises

When a company needs its own machine learning or deep learning model, we naturally train it on the company's data. This is the only way to create highly customized AI models that generate financial forecasts, automate quality checks, control production processes, support sales decisions or optimise operational workflows.

All data and models remain 100% in the ownership and control of the client — without exception.

2. Using pre-trained AI models

When we deploy pre-trained models — including foundation models such as large language models (LLMs) — we enrich them at runtime with the company's relevant context.

We explicitly do not train these models on client data. Sensitive information is not stored, not shared and not used for general training.

On request, we also operate such models on-premises within the client's own infrastructure. All LLMs deployed by PLAN D are hosted exclusively in Europe.

AI is becoming the defining technology of modern value creation. Many tasks that were once manual can now be handled by AI — faster, more reliably, more accurately and more cost-effectively. This typically starts with augmenting human work and evolves towards full automation of processes and decisions. AI helps organisations deploy scarce resources strategically, reduce workload and remain economically competitive.

Companies that don't adopt AI lose speed, efficiency and room to manoeuvre. Competitors that do adopt it gain advantages and increase market pressure. At the same time, talent shortages and rising costs intensify the challenge for those still relying on manual processes.

Yes. PLAN D has dedicated in-house teams for data engineering, machine learning, backend and frontend development, software architecture, IT and cloud infrastructure, product management and strategic consulting.

This means we bring together all the capabilities required to develop, integrate and operate modern AI systems — entirely in-house and with the technical depth it takes to make AI projects succeed in practice.

Sustainability matters to us: we want to use AI not only to optimise business metrics but also where it creates societal value. That is why we support pro bono projects such as satellite-based analysis of bird sanctuaries for NABU or faster stroke treatment at the University Hospital of Lübeck.

Sustainability also shapes our technical infrastructure: our compute-intensive environment runs in a German data centre powered directly by locally generated wind energy — no certificate trading, no fossil fuels. We offer this service to clients who want to operate AI systems sovereignly, energy-efficiently and within German infrastructure.

Sustainability also means responsibility in everyday operations: we travel domestically by train, support green mobility through bike schemes and public transport subsidies, and use electric vehicles for business trips. For us, modern technology should be commercially viable — and take responsibility at the same time.

PLAN D is more than a consulting firm. We combine strategic advisory with hands-on implementation, custom AI development and our own AI platform that enables many use cases without custom development.

We only recommend what we can deliver ourselves. No AI castles in the sky — just solutions that are technically feasible and commercially sound.

We don't just deliver concepts — we deliver production systems. Not just recommendations — but solutions that hold up in daily operations. And we accompany organizations from the first step through to operations and the continuous evolution of their AI.

PLAN D was founded in 2017 in Berlin by Sebastian Bluhm and Dirk Schmachtenberg. Both previously worked at Munich Re in strategic innovation, where they developed international IoT and AI solutions.

Today, Sebastian leads the company's direction, product development and technology foundation. He brings deep experience in modern AI and software architectures and shapes PLAN D's technological trajectory.

Dirk complements this perspective with strategic and organisational expertise. His focus is on evolving organizations so that AI can take effect in practice — across business models, structures and value creation.