European open-source productivity suite openDesk expands to the private sector
Another European alternative to Microsoft 365
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- openDesk now lets accredited private cloud and IT providers build enterprise offerings.
- ZenDiS wants a partner network to speed rollout across public administration and private companies.
- European governments are moving away from Microsoft 365 over data privacy, costs, and cloud dependence.
- Schleswig-Holstein says its Microsoft migration to openDesk could save over €15 million in license costs.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Open-source productivity suite openDesk is now partnering with sovereign cloud providers to expand the software’s use as Europeans look for alternatives to Microsoft.
Germany-based Center for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration (ZenDiS), creator of openDesk, has announced it expanded its partnership with the private sector as a response to the growing demand for the sovereign office and collaboration suite.
Until recently, the German government-owned open-source suite openDesk focused on serving public-sector providers.
Starting September 23rd, private-sector cloud and IT service providers can develop their own openDesk Enterprise offerings, according to a press release.
ZenDiS says the partnership’s goal is to build a “high-performance network” of operations, sales, and implementation partners to accelerate rollout across public administration and the private sector.
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“In the future, customers from public administration and the private sector will be able to choose from a wide range of professional offerings and implement their sovereignty projects according to their individual needs,” Pamela Krostra-Hartl, managing director of ZenDiS.
All participating companies will have to undergo an official accreditation process, as ZenDiS is fully owned by the German federal government.
The openDesk productivity suite is a modular work environment that combines essential office tools, including calendar, email, chat, and document management.
Growing demand for alternatives to Microsoft 365
Federal and local governments across Europe are already replacing Microsoft 365 with openDesk, as the continent is breaking away from the US tech over data privacy concerns, raising proprietary software prices, and the potential “kill switch” scenario.
The administration of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s northernmost state, has migrated approximately 80% of its workstations from Microsoft to openDesk, saying it save over 15 million euros ($17.5 million) in licence costs.
The Swiss Armed Forces, too, have begun rolling out openDesk within its Cyber Command’s subunit for Cyber and Electromagnetic Actions, with completion planned by October 2026.
Simon Müller, head of the Cyber Command, said Microsoft’s productivity suite could no longer be considered a suitable solution for military requirements, partly due to the company’s push toward mandatory cloud usage, which poses a risk to data privacy.
The Swiss federal government will soon test openDesk across 3,000 workstations, as part of a 9 million CHF ($11.1 million, €9.5 million) pilot project that could eventually pave the way for the full migration from Microsoft.
ZenDIS announces a new partnership program as European alternatives to Microsoft gain traction.
Euro-Office, developed by a consortium of European companies, is soon launching its desktop app, as it was previously available only on a browser.
The latest version of LibreOffice, another productivity suite deliberately free of AI, developed by the Open Document Foundation, was downloaded over a million times in its first week.