highQ: highQ in portrait ★ Innovations & Quality since 1996

eine Nahaufnahme vom highQ Firmenlogo in Freiburg

About Us

Smart solutions and high quality in mobility and controlling – that's what the name highQ stands for

We bring visions to life

Intelligent industry solutions from highQ set standards in the areas of mobility, controlling and benchmarking.

highQ delivers contemporary solutions for intermodal and interoperable mobility, for both public transport and motorised individual transport. Numerous awards confirm the innovation-driven approach of our company, founded in 1996. Among other things, highQ has been awarded the "Innovative through Research" seal of quality by the Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft.

Furthermore, highQ develops high-performance software solutions for the financial sector as well as for company benchmarking. The European star classification in the hotel industry also originates from highQ.

High quality since 1996

In the field of mobility, highQ aims to make public transport smoother and more environmentally friendly.

At the heart of this is the concept of the mobility platform, which digitally connects various transport service providers; the first projects have already successfully gone live in Osnabrück and the Schwabenbund. highQ currently employs around 60 people at five locations: Freiburg, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Stuttgart.

With innovative software solutions, we support companies, municipalities and financial institutions in the effective planning, execution, optimisation and monitoring of their tasks. Our IT solutions make public transport smoother and more environmentally friendly, provide more transparency in real estate projects and identify potential improvements in company structures and processes.

Then there is smart city status::
cities share their traffic strategies with us and open the interfaces to their existing systems. In line with the motto "Reward rather than punish", citizens can be rewarded for adapting their behaviour according to a city's traffic management strategy. The innovative and already very successfully implemented principle of incentivisation follows, among others, our concept ZEITMEILEN.

Social commitment internally and externally

Taking social responsibility through donations and sponsorship is part of the company tradition. In selecting the recipients of donations, we ensure a good mix of different commitments and a balanced ratio of regional and international organisations. In recent years, non-profit organisations and projects in the fields of humanitarian aid, health, culture, sport and animal welfare have been supported.

highQ employees can also suggest organisations that are close to their hearts.

Since August 2021, highQ has been one of the 15 FAIR ways partner companies of SC Freiburg. The FAIR-ways-Partner-Award the FAIR ways Sponsorship Prize each year.
It is given in partial amounts to non-profit institutions and projects from the region that engage in education, physical activity, environment and solidarity, just like the sports club.

We also support the Freiburg Sacristans, the American football department of the Freiburger Turnerschaft von 1844 sports club. Our commitment promotes, among other things, youth work and socially disadvantaged team members.

With mobility that benefits the common good
towards a better future

Our services and products for
public transport are an important contribution to
mobility that benefits the common good

Mission: To advance the transport transition

Socially responsible mobility requires a change in habits. With innovative digital solutions, we want to convince people that flexible mobility behaviour sustainably improves the quality of life.

Vision: Better quality of life for all

Urban streets and squares will no longer be dominated by traffic but will belong to the people again. Rural areas remain attractive for young and old. Thanks to intelligent, multimodal mobility, everyone can reach their destination in a socially responsible and environmentally friendly way.

Our commitment to sustainability is one of our core values

Our actions should therefore be distinguished by social, ecological and economic sustainability across all areas of the company.

Climate-friendly from partner to paper

We also focus on sustainability when choosing our suppliers:

From climate-neutral hosting partners, to hotels with high environmental standards for overnight stays on business trips, to regional fruit suppliers. For business trips, we forego flights and use trains and public transportation whenever feasible.

In Hamburg and at our headquarters in Freiburg, we source 100% green electricity, which we also use to charge the electric cars and e-bikes in Freiburg. Since 2024, our company cars have been either hybrid or purely electric. In addition, an electric sharing car and an electric cargo bike can be used at our location in Freiburg.

Even seemingly small things make us more sustainable step by step: LED lights, smart heating, digital instead of paper – and if printing is unavoidable, then on recycled paper. Likewise, the use of online meeting tools is an integral part of our business routine, allowing us to participate in events or meetings online when sensible.

climate-friendly employer

We received the "climate-friendly employer" award from the Verein Klimapartner Oberrhein e.V.

Because we handle resources with particular care and, for example, make our business trips by bus and train whenever possible. Our social responsibility as a company and employer is also reflected in the award.

This includes our FAIR ways membership at SC Freiburg as well as our values and opportunities we offer to all highQ employees: from further development to a good work-life balance.

Learn more about career opportunities at highQ

The history of highQ since 1996

Please expand to read!

Christian Disch and Thomas Hornig found the highQ Computerlösungen GmbH
First product is PlanB - formerly "SystemBoll" since 1990

The first highQ employee is hired. Michael Schmidt, now team leader and product manager.

The products fare.logiQ - then called "revenue database" and abakus^BT are created
highQ develops the first end-to-end eTicketing system in Germany (CiTOP Prize 2000)

The customer SBG receives the CiTOP Public Transport Innovation Award
First EU-wide tender is won: SVT tender with system launch in 2001; the vending machines went into operation in 2003 and the overall launch took place in 2005. You can read a detailed report here .

10 Employees

highQ and IBS (Ingenieurbüro Schade, Josue Schade) join forces

Development and introduction of the first check-in/check-out system on a processor card

Quality management certification according to DIN ISO 9001:2000

Another customer receives an innovation award for the first ever IPM system with highQ product
The highQ product IONgate is developed and the first ever NFC control app is launched on the market
highQ develops the "KOSE-P" pilot system for the VDV-KA
TicketOffice is the successor product to planB.abo and planB.list

20 Employees
ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) and control center at HVV (major project in the Hamburg Transport Association)

Opening of the branch office in Hamburg

First use of software generation
Winner of the "IBM BestSeller Award", read more here.

Opening of the branch office in Stuttgart
Einführung der Verbundintegrationsplattform Baden-Württemberg (VIP-BW), Grundstein für ein gemeinsames Zahlungsverfahren und damit für die verbundübergreifende Nutzung elektronischer Tickets. Mehr dazu können Sie nachlesen. Introduction of the Verbundintegrationsplattform Baden-Württemberg (VIP-BW), the cornerstone for a joint payment procedure and thus for the cross-network use of electronic tickets. You can read more about this here.
30 Employees

Conclusion of a framework agreement with DB Vertrieb

IP-LUX, major project for Luxembourg. You can read a detailed report here.
The free „mytraQ“ app for checking tickets is issued
Certification with IONgate as the first provider of an eTicket Germany-compliant solution. Find out more here.
Foundation of the Zeitmeilen AG
Development and market launch of the highQ TicketApp
Opening of the branch office in Berlin

highQ BI-Business Intelligence Connection of highQ products to BI solution

KVTneo, major project for the Hamburg S-Bahn
50 Employees
Partner in the pilot project moveBW

Tender for mobility platform in Osnabrück (SWO) won. You can read more about this here.

Tender for mobility platform won by Schwabenbund

Conclusion of a framework agreement with DB AG
60 Employees
SVTneo runs in live operation
abakus^BT has won its sixtieth customer
Successful final acceptance of the project at Schwabenbund

Creditreform awards us the CrefoZert award for excellent creditworthiness. Read more here.
Nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2021. read more here.
TicketOffice 4.0 is available and GoBD-certified. Read more here.
highQ becomes part of the research project Bauhaus.MobilityLab in Erfurt

highQ turns 25
Flyer

highQ: Over 25 years of partnership for effective and sustainable mobility solutions

With more than 25 years of experience, highQ is your reliable partner for future-oriented mobility solutions. Together, we shape the building blocks of sustainable mobility. Whether high technical requirements, new functionalities or legal regulations: thanks to our expert team, we find the ideal solution for you.