Schwarz Digits KG is the IT- and digital-services division of Germany's Schwarz Group, headquartered in Neckarsulm. Announced in 2023, the unit consolidates activities in cloud computing (STACKIT), cybersecurity (XM Cyber) and the e-commerce for discount supermarket chain Lidl and hypermarket chain Kaufland. In 2024/25, the division generated about â¬1.9 billion in annual sales.
The Schwarz Group announced on 29 September 2023 the creation of Schwarz Digits as its fifth division to group IT and digital operations under a dual leadership. The move has been described as a shift by the retailer into providing IT services beyond its own retail operations.
Schwarz Digits had at launch about 7,500 employees and was led by co-CEOs Christian Müller and Rolf Schumann.
Prior to the reorganisation, the group expanded into cybersecurity by acquiring Israeli firm XM Cyber in November 2021 for about US$700 million.
In 2024 the group and the Deutsche Bahn announced DataHub Europe, a data platform to support AI applications; by October 2024 AuditGPT was cited as an initial use case. In August 2025, Deutsche Bahn stated that the platform had gone into operation with AuditGPT.
In December 2024 it was reported that Schwarz Digits would build its largest data center on a 13-hectare site near Lübbenau, Brandenburg. Plans exist for a six-building campus targeting around 200 MW of capacity. Co-CEO Rolf Schumann has spoken about their cloud strategy requiring substantial investment in additional data center infrastructure.
Schwarz Digits encompasses several brands and activities:
They announced a strategic investment and technology partnership with German AI developer Aleph Alpha via an investor consortium in November 2023.
Early enterprise users and partners have adopted the STACKIT cloud and security portfolio, which is positioned to serve data sensitive European companies. A 2023 partnership in which SAP planned to use XM Cyber solutions has been reported.
A long-term partnership with Google was reported in November 2024, under which Google Workspace services would be hosted in Schwarz-operated data centers via STACKIT. The data residency in Germany and the European Union has been emphasized, including the migration of about 575,000 employees to Google Workspace.
In March 2025, the German Federal Office for Information Security, BSI, announced a cooperation with Schwarz Digits to develop sovereign cloud solutions for public administration in Germany.
In August 2025, Schwarz Digits also entered into a partnership with the Südwestrundfunk, Southwest Broadcasting corporation, to provide cloud solutions intended to strengthen the innovation capacity and competitiveness of the ARD and other public broadcasting organisations in Europe.
The division co-hosts the annual TECH convention in Heilbronn with Handelsblatt (first event 25âÂÂ27 May 2025).
In 2025, the podcast Tech, KI & Schmetterlinge [Tech, AI and Butterflies] launched with journalist Sascha Lobo as host.
Schwarz Digits is considered a credible regional challenger to large US cloud providers, while limits stemming from a smaller external partner ecosystem have been noted. The company plans to develop a sovereign hyperscale offering in Europe and is expanding its data centers' infrastructure accordingly.