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The Hartl Group has joined forces with three other partners to form synaforce GmbH, aiming to provide sustainable data center services across Germany. Under the leadership of Munich-based investment firm Afinum Management GmbH, a buy-and-build approach is being pursued to bring together mid-sized companies. The goal is to scale managed cloud services powered by 100 percent green energy.

What is Data center performance?

Data center performance is a concrete priority for companies in 2023 because it directly shapes scalable data center capacity, energy efficiency and compliance. This article uses synaforce as an example to show which requirements, figures and operational steps matter in practice.

The Most Important in Brief

• In 2023, the Hartl Group, together with ITecon, Abakus IT Service, and Trikom, founded synaforce GmbH.
• Afinum Management is funding growth through a €1.8 billion fund.
• Peter Hartl is stepping down, and Andreas Braidt is taking over as CEO and COO to lead operations.
• The new data center in Hofkirchen achieves a PUE of 1.1 while using solar power.
• Municipalities and government agencies are increasingly making sustainability a decisive criterion for awarding contracts.

The data center infrastructure market is undergoing a fundamental transformation. While traditional providers often still rely on outdated cooling technologies, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability are now coming into focus. The founding of synaforce GmbH marks a significant step in this evolution. Four established players have pooled their resources to create a solution that combines technical excellence with ecological responsibility. This initiative is supported by German medium-sized enterprises.

Peter Hartl, founder of the Hartl Group-one of the leading operators of sustainable data centers at its headquarters in Hofkirchen near Passau, as well as in Vienna, Nuremberg, and Munich-has always believed that long-term success can only be achieved through collaboration and partnerships. Consequently, his company relies on “collaborators,” as he calls them, for areas it cannot or does not wish to handle independently. This approach led to the formation of the new group in spring 2023. ITecon GmbH, which also includes ITecon Financial Services, operates modular data centers in Mainz and Frankfurt am Main, adhering to comparable standards. The Swabian system integrator Abakus IT Service, based in Waldburg, is highly active in western Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, with locations in Dortmund, Soest, and Unna. Meanwhile, the Hamburg-based network service provider Trikom has a strong presence beyond Hamburg’s city limits across northern Germany. Thanks to this geographic diversification, synaforce gains not only spatial but also technical breadth.

Strategic Financing by Afinum

The fifth partner-and the one who made this merger possible-is Munich-based private equity firm Afinum Management GmbH. The company manages funds with committed capital totaling €1.8 billion, as well as €1.1 billion in equity. As synaforce CMO Hannes Beierlein stated at the official founding press conference on June 14, 2023, a significant portion of these funds is directed toward Buy-and-Build projects focused on consolidating medium-sized companies, building them up collaboratively, and enhancing their competitiveness. This approach differs markedly from traditional acquisitions, which often prioritize short-term synergies. Instead, the emphasis lies on the long-term development of a scalable platform.

Hartl concluded negotiations with Afinum as a strategic financial partner in May 2022 to initiate the next growth phase. Under the agreement, Afinum Neunte Beteiligungsgesellschaft, advised by Afinum Management GmbH, would acquire a majority stake in the Hartl Group along with additional IT service providers. This move aims to position and scale the sustainable managed cloud services business across regions. Such an undertaking requires meticulous due diligence processes and a clear vision for the future of the participating companies. The financial backing enables investments in modern infrastructure that would otherwise be challenging to fund without external capital.

Through these IT service providers, synaforce expands not only geographically but also in terms of its service offerings. For example, Trikom brings extensive expertise in network security. Abakus enjoys strong local ties in Wathlingen, within the district of Celle in eastern Lower Saxony, and has established a solid reputation as a telecommunications service provider. The combination of regional presence and technical know-how creates a network that ensures seamless transitions between different areas. Collaboration is based on shared standards for quality and security.

“For government agencies, municipalities, and large enterprises alike, this has now become a deal-breaker. Sustainability is increasingly important-and is being demanded by corporations as well.”
– Peter Hartl, Founder of Hartl Group / synaforce

Technical Sustainability and Efficiency

The new data center of the Hartl Group, inaugurated in 2016 and certified according to ISO 27001 and DIN EN 50600 Cat. III-now operating under the name synaforce-is entirely designed to be powered by solar energy. Equipped with state-of-the-art cooling technology, it ranks among the most modern facilities in all of Bavaria and southern Germany. When asked whether this approach resonates with the key target audience of government and municipal institutions, Peter Hartl stated: “For public authorities as well as large corporations, sustainability has now become a deal-breaker. After all, it is becoming increasingly important-and even demanded by major companies.” This requirement poses significant challenges that can only be met through appropriate certifications and transparent energy supply chains.

cloudmagazin further inquired whether it is feasible or even sensible to retrofit an existing data center to make it sustainable. Hartl answered unequivocally with a “no,” explaining that the building’s very structure simply does not allow for such modifications. Consequently, older data centers often stand empty unless repurposed for other uses. In contrast, the new data center in Hofkirchen an der Donau boasts a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) rating of 1.1-better than Google’s figure-and thus excels particularly in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency. This metric indicates that for every watt of IT load, only an additional 0.1 watt is required for cooling. The industry average stands at a PUE of 1.7, while Google claims a PUE of 1.2.

The data center sources its energy exclusively from renewable sources. ITecon in Mainz achieves comparable performance and likewise relies on 100 percent green electricity. Hartl does not rule out the possibility that additional data centers powered by solar, wind, and hydropower-such as ColocationIX in Rostock-may join forces with synaforce to further expand the network of sustainable DC services, thereby positioning itself as a mid-sized trendsetter across Germany. Such collaborations enhance capacity and redundancy while enabling more efficient distribution of peak loads.

Leadership Transition as Best Practice

Following Afinum’s investment, the Hartl Group rebranded as synaforce. This was followed in April 2023 by Abakus and in June by Trikom GmbH, a company that assists clients in building their own on-premises data centers, among other services. ITecon GmbH and its subsidiary ITecon Financial IT Services are expected to complete their name change only at the beginning of 2024. The existing websites under the previous names will also gradually be integrated into synaforce to fully reflect the company’s comprehensive 360-degree service portfolio. B2B customers and partners have already been fully informed. They are also aware that synaforce’s headquarters is located in Hofkirchen near Passau and that Mr. Hartl will share leadership responsibilities with two of his long-standing employees:

Andreas Braidt serves as COO, overseeing operational activities, while Tobias Lehner holds the position of CTO, leading technology and application development. Braidt is also slated to serve as synaforce’s dedicated CEO, whereas Mr. Hartl, currently 58 years old, plans to step back into an advisory role. In doing so, he is implementing the timely succession planning recommended by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), a practice that remains lacking in many medium-sized enterprises. Such forward-looking planning is essential for ensuring business continuity and instilling investor confidence. The clearly defined roles streamline decision-making processes and enhance the company’s agility.

Together, all five companies-including ITecon Financial Services-currently employ approximately 100 people and serve around 1,000 clients, most of whom are from Germany’s SME sector. As Mr. Hartl explained at the press event held at Munich’s Motor World in Freimann, the group aims to expand and welcome additional members. His vision is to grow to 300 employees within four to five years. However, he emphasized that the sheer number of employees is less important than maintaining a cohesive team dynamic; after all, his company has recently operated effectively with just 21 staff members. Skilled professionals are far more critical than mere headcount growth.

Market Positioning and Outlook

synaforce’s strategy aims to assume a leading role in the field of green IT infrastructures. By pooling expertise from various regions, a network is being created that meets national requirements while also taking local specificities into account. Collaboration with partners such as Trikom, a Hamburg-based network service provider, expands its reach into northern Germany. At the same time, a strong presence in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg secures solid positions in the south. This geographical balance is crucial for supply security and latency times in critical applications.

Sustainability is a “deal-breaker” criterion for municipalities. Many public contracting authorities stipulate in their tenders that data centers must be operated exclusively on renewable energy. Those unable to meet this standard risk losing potential large-scale contracts to competitors with stronger environmental credentials. synaforce has positioned itself precisely at this intersection. By utilizing 100 percent green electricity and state-of-the-art cooling technologies, it not only fulfills compliance requirements but also leverages them as a selling point. This opens up new markets that have previously remained untapped due to a lack of sustainability certifications.

A potential expansion of the synaforce network to include additional green-powered data centers would increase capacity and reduce dependence on individual sites. Moreover, it would strengthen the company’s negotiating position with energy suppliers. In the long term, this model could become a benchmark for German medium-sized enterprises that need to modernize their digital infrastructure under ESG principles.

The consortium addresses two parallel trends within German SMEs: the succession pressure faced by Baby Boomer-era founders who wish to transfer their companies into secure structures, coupled with growing regulatory burdens imposed by the CSRD, the EU Taxonomy, and municipal tender requirements. Buy-and-build platforms like synaforce offer solutions for both sides. Owners gain an exit option while maintaining industry continuity, while customers benefit from a single point of contact capable of delivering both scalability and sustainability simultaneously. This is particularly relevant for IT decision-makers in the SME sector, as the number of independent German managed-service providers has been declining for years, even as reliance on hyperscale cloud providers and debates over digital sovereignty continue to intensify.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the founding members of synaforce?

synaforce GmbH was founded in spring 2023 by the Hartl Group, ITecon GmbH, the system house Abakus IT Service, and the Hamburg-based network service provider Trikom.

What is the capital of Afinum Beteiligungsgesellschaft?

Afinum manages funds with committed capital totaling 1.8 billion euros, as well as equity capital of 1.1 billion euros.

What PUE value does the data center in Hofkirchen achieve?

The data center in Hofkirchen an der Donau achieves a PUE value of 1.1, meaning that for every watt of IT load, only an additional 0.1 watt is required for cooling.

Who will take over leadership after Peter Hartl?

Andreas Braidt, as COO, is responsible for operational business and is set to serve as CEO, while Tobias Lehner will act as CTO, overseeing technology.

Why is sustainability important for municipalities?

Sustainability has become a decisive criterion for municipalities and government agencies, as they are increasingly demanding green energy sources and certified infrastructure.

Image source: synaforce / Hartl Group (press image)