Our Services
About Open Hippo
Based in the city of the river Lech, we build sovereign AI infrastructure for European enterprises. Secure, compliant, and powered by renewable energy from the very river that runs through our hometown.
Born in Augsburg, built for Europe.
Open Hippo's roots are in the Augsburg region — a city with a 2,000-year history of engineering, trade, and innovation. The river Lech that runs through our hometown doesn't just shape the landscape; it powers the renewable energy that runs our AI infrastructure.
We chose to stay here — in the city of the Fuggers — because we believe great technology doesn't need a Silicon Valley address. It needs conviction, craftsmanship, and roots.
Open source at heart — helping, sharing, building together.
We believe the best technology is built in the open. That's why we contribute to open-source projects, share our learnings publicly, and build on top of community-driven tools like vLLM, Docling, and Lucene.
For us, open source isn't just a licensing model — it's a mindset. It means helping others succeed, sharing knowledge freely, and trusting that when everyone contributes, everyone wins. That's the spirit we bring to every project.
The LEW Green Data Center — where our AI lives.
Our infrastructure runs in the LEW Green Data Center, powered by 100% renewable energy from the river Lech. This isn't just a hosting choice — it's a statement. Powerful AI doesn't have to cost the planet.
By operating our own hardware in a sovereign, GDPR-compliant facility, we guarantee that your data never leaves European soil. No US cloud dependencies, no compromises on privacy — just clean energy and full control.
What Open Hippo stands for.
The principles that guide every decision we make.
Sovereign AI Without Compromise.
Your data doesn't leave your hands — or your continent. We run self-hosted infrastructure down to the metal, ensuring full GDPR and EU AI Act compliance without compromise.
AI That Actually Works.
We don't build AI for the sake of it. Every product we ship is designed around a real problem your organization actually has — and built to solve it.
Sustainability without Greenwashing.
Our infrastructure runs on 100% renewable energy at the LEW Green Data Center, powered by the river Lech and the Augsburg sun.
Open to the Core.
Open standards, transparent pricing, honest communication. We believe trust is earned through radical openness — not polished in a marketing department.
The team behind Open Hippo.
Engineers, researchers, and builders who care deeply about responsible AI.
Dr. Thomas Fraunholz
Founder & CEO
Works hard to raise more money than the AI burns through.
Tim Köhler
Engineer
Keeps the servers running so the AI can do its thing.
Dennis Rall
Researcher
Tries to understand what LLMs don't understand.
Eduard Kesler
Engineer
Makes sure data is stored in a way the AI can actually find it again.
Klaus Happacher
Engineer
Holds the code around the AI together with his bare hands.
Maybe you?
Your next role
We're always looking for curious minds who want to build sovereign AI. Let's talk.
"Sovereign AI can be thought about and lived in many ways. But in the end, it almost always comes down to open source. And that's exactly where we already stand with Open Hippo."
Dr. Thomas Fraunholz
CEO & Founder, Open Hippo
Ready for sovereign AI?
Let's have a no-obligation conversation about your challenges. Together we'll find the best solution for your needs — quickly, straightforwardly, and tailored to you.