Danish company Admin By Request competes globally with American giants in the fields of privilege management and secure remote access. In a world marked by geopolitical tensions, strained relations with the U.S., and increasing cyber threats, the company is experiencing growing demand for its product—and increasing interest in European alternatives to American software providers.
Global Presence, Local Roots
Admin By Request was founded with a clear mission: to create security software that is simple to use and powerful in functionality.
“We are 100% a Danish company, but we’re also 100% global,” says Jens Ole Andersen, Territory Director at Admin By Request.
The company is among the top three global players in its niche and serves clients in all sectors—from small businesses to global corporations with over 100,000 employees. Its headquarters are in both Aalborg and Copenhagen, with major offices in London, Munich, and Gothenburg, as well as in the U.S. But all development takes place in Aalborg.
“We’ve deliberately kept development in-house, unlike many other software providers. We’re not chasing cheaper labor elsewhere. For us, it’s far more important to control our processes and remain fast and agile. It also adds security that our developers are physically present in Aalborg. Some companies have outsourced development only to discover their contractors were actually North Korean operatives. That won’t happen here.”
Security Tools Built for Control
Admin By Request delivers two main SaaS solutions:
- Endpoint Privilege Management – Allows users to perform admin-level tasks without compromising security.
- Secure Remote Access – Provides secure, controlled access for screen sharing with end users or remote access for internal and external IT personnel.
Rising Demand for European Alternatives
“For years, especially Danish companies have favored large American providers like Microsoft. It’s astonishing, but we’ve seen Danish companies choose U.S. software even while admitting our solution is better and much cheaper,” says Jens Ole Andersen.
He adds that this hasn’t been as common in other European countries, where there’s been more skepticism about being locked into U.S. providers—especially with ongoing privacy concerns.
However, this mindset is shifting due to geopolitical instability, particularly policies under the Trump administration, which have disrupted global order and raised doubts about staying closely tied to U.S. vendors.
“We clearly see that many companies that used to automatically pick a big U.S. player are now thinking more critically. The geopolitical unrest has definitely made businesses reconsider what factors matter when selecting software and vendors.”
A Call for Better Growth Conditions in Denmark and the EU
Jens Ole Andersen, with 30 years in IT, sees this shift as promising for European software providers. He believes Europe—and Denmark in particular—has the software development talent to match the U.S.
“What we’ve lacked are major investments and political will to give startups the right conditions to grow. If that changes, we could see an economic upswing on par with Danish global leaders like Novo Nordisk.”
He hopes European policymakers will recognize the strategic importance of supporting IT and cybersecurity—just like agriculture or other critical sectors.
“I’m not advocating for massive subsidies—just that governments start awarding contracts to European alternatives. Look at AI: when OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, it was a global opportunity. But Europe hesitated, and now we’re behind the U.S. and China. That’s why political focus and support are critical for the future of European IT growth companies.”
Security Without Hurting Productivity
Compliance is a growing focus for companies—and balancing secure access with audit and control is more essential than ever. That’s exactly what Admin By Request delivers.
“Our software ensures employees can’t install programs on Windows, macOS, or Linux without permission. By default, installation rights are removed. Employees must request temporary installation access via Admin By Request. Once the program is installed, access is revoked again,” explains Andersen.
For large companies, the main concern isn’t licensing cost—it’s whether the system will slow productivity.
“If we have 50,000 employees, what will this cost in productivity? How many extra people will we need at the helpdesk?”
That’s why the solution is designed to be easy and intuitive.
“It’s like renting a car abroad—it may be a different model than you’re used to, but once you’re driving, you adapt quickly. That’s how easy our system is. It won’t slow down employees.”
Why Not Build It In-House?
“Some companies try to build their own systems. They usually cost more and are far less secure. We’ve had clients attempt homegrown solutions, only to switch to us because their versions weren’t safe. There’s a constant arms race between hackers and security tools. We make it our top priority to stay ahead.”
To maintain this, Admin By Request continuously hires white hat hackers from external security firms to test the platform and ensure there are no vulnerabilities.
Company Snapshot: Admin By Request
- A Danish cybersecurity company headquartered in Aalborg and Copenhagen
- Customers in over 100 countries
- Delivers SaaS solutions for privilege management and secure remote access
- Among the top three global players in its niche
- All development is done in Denmark, emphasizing security, agility, and control
- Growing interest from companies seeking European alternatives to U.S. software
This is an unofficial English translation of an article originally published in Danish by Computerworld in June 2025. The translation has been provided by Admin By Request for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the original Danish version remains the definitive source.
