AV-Comparatives

AV-Comparatives was born from a real-world cybersecurity incident. In 1993, Andreas Clementi ‘s computer was infected by the November 17 virus (NOV 17.855); a pivotal moment that sparked his fascination with malware analysis and antivirus technology. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Security vendors quickly recognized the duo’s independent, methodical approach and sought inclusion in their comparative tests. In 2025, Peter Stelzhammer, who remains a shareholder, stepped back from day-to-day operations, transitioning business development leadership to Co-CEO Jan Brilke . Together with Andreas Clementi and CTO Philippe Rödlach , the leadership team continues to advance AV-Comparatives’ mission: delivering transparent, real-world cybersecurity testing that helps users and organizations make informed security decisions.