Lutz Gerlach studied business administration at TU Chemnitz and completed a doctorate there. His friend Martin Böhringer studied business informatics at the same university.
Before Staffbase the two founded another startup, Hojoki. In 2014 they started again with a third co-founder, Frank Wolf. Staffbase began as an employee app, built for workers without a desk or a company email.
Staffbase stayed in Chemnitz. General Atlantic led a $145 million Series D in 2021. A $115 million Series E followed in 2022 and valued the company at $1.1 billion. Total funding is about $300 million.
Gerlach is the COO of Staffbase. In May 2022 the founders were named Saxony's entrepreneurs of the year.