What Ontech Group does

Ontech Group is the exclusive worldwide rights holder of Controlled Electromagnetic Field (CEMF) sensing technology, originally invented in 2012 by industrial engineer Dr. Juan Aponte and now commercialised through an analog ASIC platform manufactured at TSMC. The proprietary CEMF core generates, controls and analyses electromagnetic fields to detect, classify and track the presence, properties and movement of objects, materials and living beings, with disclosed advantages of approximately 10x greater resolution, 75% lower power consumption, up to 5x faster response and 75% greater processing capacity versus competing short- and medium-range sensors. The new 128-channel ASIC family (1.5 mm² form factor, HV-CMOS 0.13µm, up to 2 GHz acquisition frequency) is the chip-level product embedded into customers' devices.

The company monetises through three interlocking revenue streams: (i) licensing the patented CEMF technology by vertical or application to large multinational technology companies on a quote-based, contract/royalty basis; (ii) sale of custom-designed CEMF sensor ASICs (32-channel and 128-channel families) into high-volume customer products; and (iii) custom innovation and prototype development projects delivered under confidential co-development engagements. Ontech serves primary verticals of Safety & Security, Human-Computer Interfaces/Extended Reality, Industrial Automation/Robotics and Healthcare, with secondary exposure to IoT/Smart Buildings and Automotive/Transportation/Defence. Customer-facing solutions include the Wardiam Safety and Wardiam Robot collaborative-robotics safety systems, Smart Sanitary reference designs (Smart Urinal, Touchless Flush, Smart Mirror) and a Handheld Circular Saw Safety System.

The company operates from regional offices in Singapore (APAC HQ), Sevilla, Spain (Europe) and Seattle, Washington (North America), with over 50 engineers and specialists, 100+ patents worldwide and certifications including ISO 9001:2015, EN 9100:2018, ISO 14006:2011 and UNE 166002:2018. Following a 2021 acquisition by an unnamed international investment group that formed the Ontech Group corporate entity, the company has pursued a deliberate multi-vertical licensing strategy anchored on its patented analog ASIC platform.

Name

Ontech Group

Legal name

Ontech Group

Website

https://ontechgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ontech Group is the exclusive worldwide rights holder of proprietary Controlled Electromagnetic Field (CEMF) sensor technology, commercialised through a custom analog ASIC platform licensed by vertical to large multinational technology, industrial, healthcare, robotics and consumer-electronics customers for privacy-preserving, non-contact detection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Sensor Technology

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531)

SIC

Electronic Coils, Transformers & Other Inductors (3677), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Analog Front-End (AFE) ICs (Sensor/Medical/Industrial AFE) (HDAHAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers) (IMAGAGAC), Industrial Safety & Security Electronics Manufacturing (Safety relays, E-stops, light curtains, access control) (IMAGAGAG), Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Electromagnetic field sensors
• Sensor ASIC chips
• Near-field sensing technology
• Proximity detection sensors
• Industrial safety sensing

Headquarters

HQ city

La Rinconada

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. CEMF Technology Licensing by Verticals/Applications: Primary business model: licensing the exclusive Ontech CEMF technology to partners by vertical or application. Recurring/contract-based royalty revenue from licensees using the patented technology across use cases such as security, healthcare, automotive, IoT, HCI, and industrial automation.
2. ASIC Sensor Hardware Sales: Sales of custom-designed CEMF sensor ASICs (32-channel and new 128-channel families) in low unit cost mass production, integrated into customers' products. Standard TSMC manufacturing enables scale.
3. Custom Innovation / Prototype Development Projects: Custom innovation projects and prototype development (proof-of-concept through engineering samples and final prototypes) delivered to medium and large companies, often under confidential collaborations with leading consumer, industrial, and technology companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ontech Group designs and licenses proprietary Controlled Electromagnetic Field (CEMF) sensor technology, custom analogue ASIC chips (including a new 128-channel ASIC), and a portfolio of application reference designs and safety solutions. Products built on the platform include the Smart Sanitary trio (Smart Urinal, Touchless Flush / Smart Cistern, Touchless Mirror), Wardiam Safety and Wardiam Robot for collaborative robotics, and a CEMF-based Handheld Circular Saw Safety System. The company commercialises the technology primarily through an exclusive partner licensing programme by vertical/application to enterprise OEMs across security, healthcare, automotive, IoT, HCI, and industrial automation.

Product overview

Ontech Group operates a single core technology platform — Ontech CEMF® (Controlled Electromagnetic Field sensing) — commercialised via an analogue ASIC family and a portfolio of reference designs and safety solutions. The Ontech Analogue ASIC and its higher-channel 128-channel successor are the chip-level modules that customers integrate into their products. Built on top of this sensing core, Ontech Group also publishes a set of application reference designs / safety solutions: the Smart Sanitary trio (Smart Urinal, Touchless Flush / Smart Cistern, Touchless Mirror) for public restrooms, the Wardiam Safety and Wardiam Robot solutions for collaborative robotics, and a CEMF-based Handheld Circular Saw Safety System. The CEMF Test Kit is an evaluation tool used at industry events to demonstrate the platform. Ontech Group commercialises through a partner licensing programme rather than selling a packaged SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ontech CEMF®: Controlled Electromagnetic Field sensing technology — the proprietary sensor technology and product brand exclusive to Ontech Group, protected by over 100 international patents.

Products and services

• Ontech CEMF® Sensing Technology Controlled Electromagnetic Field (CEMF) sensor technology that generates, controls and analyses electromagnetic fields to detect, classify and track the presence, properties and movement of objects, materials and living beings. Operates without line-of-sight and without capturing PII, protected by 100+ worldwide patents; exclusively licensed to enterprise partners by vertical/application.
• Ontech Analogue ASIC ASIC chip that integrates CEMF field generation, real-time signal analysis, signal processing and data conversion into a single analogue device. Designed to be embedded into customers' products across safety, security, healthcare, automotive, IoT and industrial automation applications.
• Ontech 128-channel High-Performance CEMF Sensor ASIC New 128-channel ASIC family in a 1.5 mm² form factor using HV-CMOS 0.13 µm process, supporting up to 3.3V, up to 32 flexible scan steps and acquisition frequency up to 2 GHz, with integrated LDOs, clocks and references. Delivers up to double the resolution and accuracy of leading short-range sensors and is targeted at health tech, consumer electronics, robotics, wearables, power tools and IoT/IIoT.
• Smart Urinal (CEMF sanitary concept) CEMF-based smart urinal reference design that detects user presence, monitors urine and water flow, recognises activity types (use, cleaning, clogs) and provides real-time maintenance alerts. Sensor is fully embedded and hidden from sight for hygiene and vandal resistance.
• Touchless Flush / Smart Cistern (CEMF sanitary concept) Gesture- and proximity-controlled cistern reference design that delivers short or long flushes based on hand-presence duration, distinguishes intentional hand-over actions from a person standing nearby, and integrates with multiple cisterns without calibration.
• Touchless Mirror / Smart Mirror (CEMF sanitary concept) Presence- and gesture-controlled mirror reference design that activates lighting on approach and supports toggle gestures, while filtering out static objects for reliable contact-free performance.
• CEMF Test Kit Demonstration / evaluation kit used at industry events to showcase Ontech CEMF®'s ability to detect materials, objects and movement in sanitary, HVAC and other building-automation environments.
• Wardiam Safety CEMF-based industrial safety system that creates dynamic, real-time safety zones around machinery with 360° sensor coverage, distinguishes people from objects, and triggers slow-down or emergency shutdown when safety thresholds are crossed.
• Wardiam Robot CEMF-based safety system for collaborative robots that gradually slows the robot as a person approaches and stops it if the safety zone is breached, then automatically resumes work when the area is clear.
• Handheld Circular Saw Safety System (CEMF-based) CEMF-powered proximity safety system for handheld circular saws that turns the saw blade itself into the sensing electrode, projecting a uniform protective field of up to 25 cm and using a multi-frame detection algorithm to stop the blade before contact. Detects on average 28% greater distance than required in circular saw safety tests.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~10x greater resolution vs the best current sensors on the market
• +6 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EQA (European Quality Assurance)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEQA is Ontech Group's certification partner in Spain, specialising in certifying and evaluating compliance with ISO standards for quality, environmental, and safety management in high-precision sectors such as aerospace, defence, and environmental services. EQA provides independent certification, evaluation, and verification services through rigorous assessments, enabling Ontech to hold ISO 9001, EN 9100, ISO 14006 and UNE 166002 certifications.
• ENAC (Spain's national accreditation agency)coreOthersENAC provides further oversight of EQA's certifications for Ontech Group, serving as Spain's national accreditation agency for the independent certification, evaluation and verification services EQA delivers against ISO standards.
• CTA (Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCTA is a key technology cluster supporting R&D and innovation for companies in the Andalucía region. CTA hosted the exhibition of Ontech CEMF technology to Juanma Moreno, President of Andalucía, highlighting innovative applications in transportation and IoT.
• TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company)coreTechnology or IntegrationTSMC is Ontech's standard foundry for ASIC mass production, enabling low integration cost, low unit cost and scalable industrialisation of the CEMF sensor ASIC family.
• Arthur D. LittleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArthur D. Little is a management consulting firm cited as a thought-leadership reference for physical AI; Ontech references their viewpoints on physical AI requiring embedded, decentralised edge computation, validating the design philosophy of Ontech CEMF as an edge sensing technology.
• Leading universities (R&D partners, unnamed)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOntech Group collaborates with engineers and researchers at leading universities to drive cutting-edge research in CEMF and near-field sensing, and welcomes strategic R&D partnerships for applied research and experimental development under research and innovation funding programmes.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• STMicroelectronics: Major semiconductor company with a broad MEMS and sensor portfolio (motion, environmental, ToF) for industrial, automotive and consumer markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing sensor ASICs at scale to OEMs.
• Infineon Technologies: Global semiconductor leader in power and sensor ICs, including 60 GHz radar and capacitive sensing solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent selling sensor ASICs into automotive, industrial and consumer markets that overlap with Ontech's verticals.
• Texas Instruments: Largest US analog semiconductor company with extensive sensor, signal-chain and embedded-processing portfolios serving industrial, automotive and consumer OEMs. Comparable as a broad incumbent alternative to Ontech's analogue ASIC strategy.

Direct peers

• SICK AG: Global manufacturer of industrial sensors, safety systems and machine-vision solutions for factory, logistics and process automation. Highly comparable to Ontech in safety & security and industrial automation verticals, including proximity and presence detection.
• Omron Corporation: Diversified industrial automation company with a strong presence, proximity and safety-sensor portfolio plus collaborative-robotics offerings. Directly comparable to Ontech across robotics safety (Wardiam Robot/Safety) and industrial sensing.
• ifm electronic: German specialist in industrial sensors (inductive, capacitive, photoelectric) and IO-Link connectivity for factory automation. Comparable to Ontech's industrial automation and IIoT integration use cases with proprietary sensing hardware.
• Hokuyo Automatic: Japanese specialist in LiDAR, photoelectric and safety laser scanners for robotics and industrial automation. Comparable to Ontech in providing proximity/safety sensing for collaborative robotics and AGV/cobot use cases.
• Pepperl+Fuchs: German specialist in industrial sensors (inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic) and explosion-protection/safety solutions. Closely comparable to Ontech in serving industrial automation and safety with proprietary sensor technologies, though without the CEMF-specific electromagnetic field approach.
• Keyence: Japanese developer of industrial sensors, measurement systems and safety devices widely used in factory automation. Comparable to Ontech in selling proprietary sensing IP to industrial OEMs for presence detection, safety and quality control.
• Banner Engineering: US-based manufacturer of industrial sensors, machine safety and vision products. Comparable to Ontech in presence/proximity detection and industrial safety applications, particularly for OEMs integrating sensors into machinery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ontech Group