Umbraco Platinum! What this means for our Umbraco community in the DACH region.
More than a badge
We’ve been an Umbraco Gold Partner since 2011, and became a Contributing Gold Partner in 2020; but for us, this journey was never “just” a partner program. It has always been driven by the community: through projects, trainings, open-source contributions, meetups, Cheese Nights, Codegarden adventures, and above all through like-minded people who, just like us, believe in this CMS from Denmark. “Platinum” now feels like the official headline for that relationship: trust, close collaboration with Umbraco HQ, and a shared commitment to quality in enterprise setups.
As one of the very first Umbraco partners worldwide and the leading Umbraco service provider in the DACH region, we’re excited about the fresh momentum Umbraco has gained in our market and about the many new partners who have joined since 2025. With 2026, a new chapter is opening in the shared story of byte5 and Umbraco. Our role remains what it has been for the past 15 years: pioneers, drivers, and shapers of what’s next.
Chris Köhler,
COO & Management
A quick look back at our shared history
2008–2010: Our first Umbraco projects using an early version of the CMS
2008–2010: Our first Umbraco projects using an early version of the CMS
2011: byte5 becomes an Umbraco Gold Partner, for a long time the only one in the German speaking region.
2011: byte5 becomes an Umbraco Gold Partner, for a long time the only one in the German speaking region.
2013: Christian Wendler and Christian Köhler are appointed as German Ambassadors by Umbraco founder Niels Hartvig with a handshake. This also marks the start of our certification trainings across the DACH region.
2013: Christian Wendler and Christian Köhler are appointed as German Ambassadors by Umbraco founder Niels Hartvig with a handshake. This also marks the start of our certification trainings across the DACH region.
2020: Contributing Gold Partner, an award recognizing exceptional contributions.
2020: Contributing Gold Partner, an award recognizing exceptional contributions.
2025: Big news: Umbraco appoints a Partner Manager for the German speaking region. That autumn, a Partner Summit finally takes place in Germany again.
2025: Big news: Umbraco appoints a Partner Manager for the German speaking region. That autumn, a Partner Summit finally takes place in Germany again.
2026: We take the step up to Platinum Partnership.
2026: We take the step up to Platinum Partnership.
2025: Partner Summit DACH hosted by us in Frankfurt
One of last year’s highlights was hosting the Umbraco Partner Summit DACH at our Frankfurt office in 2025. For us, it was a space where partners, the Umbraco team, and the community could come together as equals. It sparked great conversations about the roadmap, best practices, growth in the DACH market, and of course what we want to achieve together with Umbraco.
Mats Persson at the Umbraco DACH Partner Summit
Christian Wendler at the Umbraco Partner Summit
Italian Decoration at the Umbraco Cheese Night
New since 2025: A Partner Manager for DACH
Another thing that became very clear in 2025 is that Umbraco has put an even stronger focus on the DACH region. Since 2025, Rieke Strehle has been the Partner Manager for DACH, and that local presence makes collaboration even easier. It means shorter paths, better coordination, and clearer initiatives for trainings, co marketing, and enablement.
Rieke, Partner Managerin für DACH at the Umbraco Partner Summit
What does Platinum actually mean for us, for projects, and for the community?
We’ll stay closely involved and use this new partner level to keep pushing things forward in the DACH region.
Here are a few tangible outcomes:
- Even more direct access to Umbraco HQ, including roadmap discussions, the ecosystem, and product teams
- More co marketing and joint initiatives, such as case studies and campaigns around Engage, Commerce, Headless, and Search
- More trainings in Germany delivered together with Umbraco
- Regular meetups and other community events in Germany
Our focus for 2026 is to share more knowledge, enable developers, and invest even more in the community. If we celebrate “Platinum,” it’s not as a status update, but as a starting point. In 2026, we want to create even more space for exchange, learning, and great Umbraco work across the DACH region. Our next meetup is already scheduled, so feel free to check out our events.
Are you working with Umbraco and want to connect?
Feel free to drop us a message.
Contact us