Brabbler

About Brabbler

Brabbler AG was a German technology firm established in 2015 with a focus on creating secure digital communication solutions. The company was founded by the team behind Germany's major email service, GMX: Karsten Schramm, Eric Dolatre, and Peter Köhnkow, who were joined by finance specialist Jörg Sellmann. Their collective experience from GMX and as angel investors informed their new venture, which aimed to provide a confidential alternative to mainstream messaging apps.

The company's core offering was "ginlo," a communication platform with separate versions for private users and businesses ("ginlo @work"). The service was marketed as a highly secure alternative to competitors like WhatsApp and Slack, emphasizing its German hosting and adherence to strict local data protection laws. A key differentiator was its full encryption model, which extended beyond just end-to-end encryption to include data at rest on user devices and company servers. For corporate clients, Brabbler offered a unique hierarchical encryption system that allowed companies to access a centralized archive for compliance purposes, a feature not commonly found in other encrypted messengers.

Brabbler's business model involved providing a free, ad-free messenger for private users, while generating revenue from its feature-rich business version. A significant milestone was the acquisition of Deutsche Post's messenger app, SIMSme, in March 2019, which was integrated into the ginlo platform. This deal also brought Deutsche Post on as a strategic shareholder. In July 2017, the company secured a substantial €15 million investment from the Stiefel family, co-founders of Media Markt. Despite these achievements and pilot projects with public authorities like the City of Munich, Brabbler AG faced financial difficulties. Unable to secure further funding, the company filed for insolvency in October 2019 and terminated its business operations by the end of that year. The ginlo service was later revived in 2020 under a new entity, ginlo.net GmbH, founded by original Brabbler co-founder Karsten Schramm.