Adfinis wins SUSE INNOVATE status for OpenBao work
Wed, 19th Aug 2026 (Today)
Adfinis has achieved the SUSE INNOVATE specialisation, which also gives it Emerald Partner status in the SUSE partner programme.
According to the companies, the specialisation recognises interoperability and software testing work across the SUSE stack. Adfinis said the designation reflects its work integrating open source security tools with SUSE technologies while maintaining platform stability.
The move adds another SUSE credential to Adfinis's existing SELL Diamond and CLOUD Emerald specialisations. Together, the three designations form what Adfinis described as a "triple crown" spanning commercial expertise, cloud deployment work and systems integration.
Adfinis is an open source IT services provider with operations in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and Egypt. It works across consulting, engineering and managed services, and partners with suppliers including GitLab, Red Hat and SUSE.
Open source focus
A central part of the latest accreditation is Adfinis's work around OpenBao, an open source secrets and encryption management system managed by the Linux Foundation. Adfinis said the SUSE INNOVATE specialisation follows the certification of OpenBao for the SUSE Ready for Rancher ecosystem, completed earlier this year.
Secrets management has become more prominent for organisations running cloud-native systems, where applications, services and user identities are distributed across multiple environments. Tools such as OpenBao are used to store sensitive information and control access to API keys, passwords and certificates.
By linking OpenBao more closely with SUSE software, Adfinis is seeking to strengthen its role with customers that want open source security tools integrated into broader infrastructure environments. It presented the latest step as part of a wider push around digital sovereignty, a theme that has gained traction among European technology buyers and public sector bodies looking to reduce dependence on a small number of large providers.
Christian Gafner, Partner Manager at Adfinis, said the company's role had broadened beyond implementation work.
"We've moved beyond traditional integration and are now co-engineering and certifying secure custom stacks that champion open standards and digital sovereignty. Together with SUSE, this milestone is a testament to our engineering rigor and our deep, enduring commitment to the global open source community," Gafner said.
Partner status
SUSE uses specialisations within its partner network to mark companies that meet technical and commercial standards in specific areas. The INNOVATE track is assessed annually, and companies must continue to meet the required standards to retain it.
For Adfinis, the latest status strengthens its position within SUSE's ecosystem at a time when vendors and service partners are competing to provide support around Kubernetes, container management, Linux infrastructure and related security tooling. Rancher, one of SUSE's better-known products, is widely used for Kubernetes management, making related certifications relevant for partners serving organisations with complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
The accreditation may also help Adfinis stand out in a crowded open source services market, where many providers are trying to demonstrate both technical depth and alignment with major software vendors. Partner tiers and product certifications often serve as shorthand for procurement teams assessing implementation and support options.
Nico Lamberti, Country Manager Alps at SUSE, said the designation reflected the companies' joint work on interoperability.
"Achieving the SUSE INNOVATE specialization is a significant milestone that underscores Adfinis's deep technical expertise and their dedication to high-performance, open source standards. This validation confirms our seamless interoperability, ensuring that enterprise clients receive secure, resilient and reliable infrastructure. We are proud to deepen our partnership with Adfinis as they continue to deliver innovation that empowers our customers to maintain full digital sovereignty," Lamberti said.
OpenBao has emerged as a community-led fork of Vault, offering identity-based secrets and encryption management with access controls, auditing and multiple administrative interfaces. Its certification within SUSE's Rancher ecosystem, followed by Adfinis's new INNOVATE specialisation, points to continued activity among open source vendors and service firms seeking tighter alignment between security software and container infrastructure.