Gegen den Trend: KI-Start-up Langdock verlegt Sitz nach Deutschland

The rapidly growing Berlin AI startup Langdock is relocating its legal headquarters from the United States back to Germany, according to the "Handelsblatt". This decision comes after the company converted its US parent company into a European Public Company (Societas Europaea, SE). The move is seen as an unusual step against the prevailing trend, where many European founders choose to relocate their company seats primarily for access to venture capital in the United States.

Additionally, lower profit taxes in the US trigger the decision. Strategic considerations and legal risks play a significant role in the company's return to Europe. US laws such as the Cloud Act and the Patriot Act, which permit authorities to access customer data under certain conditions, have increasingly raised concerns among company customers, as reported by the "Handelsblatt".

Langdock offers GDPR-compliant AI solutions, providing corporate clients with secure access to language and image models from various AI providers. The startup currently serves over 13,000 companies, including major corporations like Merck and Trumpf. After just three years of operation, Langdock claims to be profitable, with a recurring annual revenue of over 50 million euros.

The leadership team, according to their own statements, plans extensive expansion: in the medium term, Langdock aims to grow into a European cloud and AI infrastructure provider ("Hyperscaler") and thus strengthen Europe's required digital sovereignty. The company intends to launch its first data center this year, investing between 10 and 15 million euros in the process.