CloudRail
CloudRail, a Belden Inc. connected brand, provides managed OT-to-cloud connectivity solutions that auto-provision industrial assets to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and other platforms via gateways or software, serving manufacturers in pharma, defense, and FMCG.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersMannheim, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What CloudRail does
CloudRail, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany and founded in 2013, provides managed interoperability solutions that bridge Operational Technology (OT) and cloud platforms for industrial and factory-automation customers. Its core technology is a cloud-based device management platform with two deployment surfaces: CloudRail.Box Max, a hardware gateway, and CloudRail.OS, a software-only version for any edge gateway or data center. Both support automated Plug&Play device provisioning across the major OT protocols (IO-Link, 4-20mA, digital, Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA) and connect northbound to AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba, IBM, SAP, Aveva, MQTT brokers, and Webhooks. The platform adds centralized cloud-based management for remote firmware updates and security patches, plus edge-computing integration with AWS IoT Greengrass and Azure IoT Edge.
CloudRail is operated as a wholly-owned connected brand of Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC), and as such its standalone revenue, financials, and headcount are not separately disclosed; its listed team size is 1-10. The business model is unit-based annual subscription (Starter Plan at 6 months with Advanced Support, Standard Plan at 12 months with Basic Support), where each CloudRail.Box Max gateway, IO-Link master, or OPC-UA server counts as one unit, and every 10 Modbus TCP devices count as one unit, with quantity breaks at 20, 50, and 200 units. Go-to-market combines Belden's global channel partner and distributor network, a self-service customer portal (devices.cloudrail.com), and core system integrator alliances with Deloitte, Capgemini, and Atos for enterprise IIoT deployments.
CloudRail targets verticals with high IT/OT integration friction, including industrial equipment manufacturers, pharmaceuticals, defense, and FMCG. Disclosed customer outcomes include a pharmaceutical manufacturer saving €1.5M monthly per facility, an 80% onboarding time reduction benchmark from Capgemini, and connecting industrial machines to cloud platforms in hours rather than weeks or months. The company has raised approximately $1.3M in equity across a 2015 seed and a 2018 round led by investors including BWM GmbH, Leonardo Venture, Rheinland-Pfalz Fonds, and the Ulrich Turck Family Office, with co-founders Felix Kollmar (CEO) and David Amann (CTO), plus founder Matt Bolton.
CloudRail firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CloudRail
- Legal name
- CloudRail (Brand of Belden Inc.)
- Website
- https://cloudrail.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CloudRail, a Belden Inc. connected brand, provides managed OT-to-cloud connectivity solutions that auto-provision industrial assets to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and other platforms via gateways or software, serving manufacturers in pharma, defense, and FMCG.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CloudRail industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial IoT Connectivity Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Cloud Connectivity & Cloud Exchange Platforms (HDABALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cloud Connectivity Brokerage, Aggregation & Managed Interconnect (HDABALAJ), Cloud Architecture & Migration Integration (BPAEAAAH)
Keywords
Where CloudRail is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mannheim
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
CloudRail business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans (Starter and Standard): Unit-based annual subscription model. Each CloudRail.Box Max gateway, IO-Link master, OPC-UA server accounts for 1x subscription unit. Every 10x Modbus TCP devices connected to a gateway accounts for 1 unit. Quantity pricing breaks available after 20, 50, and 200 units. Starter Plan is 6 months; Standard Plan is 12 months.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Starter Plan: 6-month subscription for PoC, Pilots & Test installations with Advanced Support |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Plan: 12-month subscription for flexibly scaling installations with Basic Support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
CloudRail product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CloudRail provides managed OT-to-cloud connectivity solutions that enable industrial assets to connect to cloud platforms via the CloudRail.Box Max hardware gateway or the CloudRail.OS software variant. The platform offers automated Plug&Play device provisioning, centralized cloud-based device management, multi-cloud and multi-protocol support (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, MQTT, Webhooks, IO-Link, Modbus, OPC-UA), and edge computing integration, delivered under unit-based annual subscription plans (Starter and Standard).
Product overview
CloudRail is a managed OT-to-cloud connectivity solution offered as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of CloudRail.Box Max (hardware gateway) and CloudRail.OS (software-only deployment), which work with subscription plans (Starter Plan for 6 months, Standard Plan for 12 months) to enable automated device provisioning, secure edge-to-edge cloud communication, and data acquisition from industrial assets. The platform connects to multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, MQTT, Webhooks) and supports various OT protocols (IO-Link, Modbus TCP/RTU, OPC-UA, 4-20mA, digital inputs). Belden Horizon Data Operations & Data Manager integrates with CloudRail for managing mixed OT environments and multi-site connectivity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CloudRail.OS: The pure software version of the CloudRail.Box Max that brings the CloudRail experience on any edge gateway or in data centers.
Products and services
- CloudRail.Box Max
Quantifiable outcome
- Pharmaceutical manufacturer saves 1.5 million euro monthly per production facility
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CloudRail
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CloudRail technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature6 records
CloudRail partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreStrong partnership with AWS for cloud connectivity. CloudRail provides seamless integration with AWS IoT services including AWS IoT Greengrass, AWS IoT SiteWise, and Amazon Lookout for Equipment. Multiple case studies and AWS IoT blog posts highlight successful deployments.
- Microsoft AzurecoreCloudRail offers native integration with Microsoft Azure and Azure IoT Edge for cloud connectivity and edge computing capabilities.
- DeloittecoreGlobal system integrator partner for IIoT projects. Deloitte consultants help enterprises deploy CloudRail solutions for digital transformation initiatives.
- CapgeminicoreGlobal system integrator partner with published benchmark showing 80% onboarding time savings with CloudRail. Capgemini helps enterprises implement CloudRail solutions.
- AtoscoreGlobal system integrator network partner for IIoT projects using CloudRail.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CloudRail competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PTC (ThingWorx & Kepware): PTC's ThingWorx is an industrial IoT platform and Kepware provides OT protocol connectivity (OPC-UA, Modbus). It is the closest direct competitor to CloudRail's combined device-management + multi-cloud connectivity proposition, serving the same manufacturing customer base.
- Siemens Insights Hub (formerly MindSphere): Siemens' industrial IoT platform connects OT assets to cloud and edge environments for manufacturing customers. It competes directly with CloudRail in plant-level industrial connectivity, though typically bundled with Siemens automation hardware and software.
- Bosch Connected Industry / IoT Suite: Bosch's industrial IoT offering provides edge-to-cloud connectivity, device management, and analytics for factory automation. It targets the same IIoT use cases (predictive maintenance, OEE, energy efficiency) as CloudRail across discrete manufacturing.
- Litmus Automation: Litmus Automation provides an edge-to-cloud industrial data platform with multi-protocol device connectivity and integrations with AWS, Azure, and GCP. It competes directly with CloudRail's OT-to-cloud aggregation and device-management approach.
Broad incumbents
- AWS IoT (Core, Greengrass, SiteWise): Amazon's industrial IoT stack offers device connectivity, edge compute (Greengrass), and managed data services (SiteWise). It is both a partner and competitor: CloudRail integrates with AWS IoT but AWS's native offerings increasingly overlap with CloudRail's value proposition.
- Microsoft Azure IoT (Hub, Edge): Azure IoT provides device provisioning, edge compute (Azure IoT Edge), and cloud connectivity. Like AWS, it is simultaneously a CloudRail integration partner and a competing native platform for industrial customers.
- Belden Horizon: Belden Horizon is the parent Belden's broader data operations and management platform that integrates with CloudRail for mixed OT environments. As an internal sibling product, it is a closely adjacent competitor within Belden's own portfolio.
- Google Cloud IoT (and partner ecosystem): Google Cloud offers IoT and edge services integrated with its broader data and AI platform. CloudRail supports GCP as a northbound connector, while Google's stack increasingly competes for the same IT/OT convergence workload.
Emerging players
- HiveMQ / EMQX: HiveMQ provides an MQTT-based industrial connectivity platform that moves OT data to cloud and enterprise systems. It overlaps with CloudRail's MQTT and cloud northbound connector capabilities, particularly for greenfield IIoT deployments.
- Inductive Automation Ignition: Ignition by Inductive Automation is a SCADA/MES platform with strong industrial connectivity (OPC-UA, Modbus) and cloud-bridging capabilities. It competes with CloudRail at the plant-to-cloud boundary for industrial data acquisition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CloudRail social profiles
Digital presenceCloudRail financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CloudRail leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
CloudRail funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CloudRail M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CloudRail
What does CloudRail do?
CloudRail provides managed OT-to-cloud connectivity solutions that enable industrial assets to connect to cloud platforms via the CloudRail.Box Max hardware gateway or the CloudRail.OS software variant. The platform offers automated Plug&Play device provisioning, centralized cloud-based device management, multi-cloud and multi-protocol support (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, MQTT, Webhooks, IO-Link, Modbus, OPC-UA), and edge computing integration, delivered under unit-based annual subscription plans (Starter and Standard).
Is CloudRail a public or private company?
CloudRail is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CloudRail founded?
CloudRail was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CloudRail based?
CloudRail is headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does CloudRail make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription Plans (Starter and Standard).
Who are CloudRail's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PTC (ThingWorx & Kepware), Siemens Insights Hub (formerly MindSphere), Bosch Connected Industry / IoT Suite and Litmus Automation. Broad incumbents are AWS IoT (Core, Greengrass, SiteWise), Microsoft Azure IoT (Hub, Edge), Belden Horizon and Google Cloud IoT (and partner ecosystem). Emerging players are HiveMQ / EMQX and Inductive Automation Ignition.
Does CloudRail have an API?
Yes. CloudRail provides API integration for automatic device provisioning, enabling automatic addition and configuration of newly connected devices on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS IoT, Azure IoT) using APIs. The Auto Device Provisioning feature automatically adds and configures newly added devices on the respective cloud platform using APIs.
What industry is CloudRail in?
CloudRail's product category is Industrial IoT Connectivity Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABALAG, Multi-Cloud Connectivity & Cloud Exchange Platforms, with a secondary code of HDABALAJ, Cloud Connectivity Brokerage, Aggregation & Managed Interconnect. Its NAICS code is 518 and its SIC code is 3576.