Real-Time Systems
Real-Time Systems GmbH develops bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor software that consolidates deterministic real-time operating systems with general-purpose OSes on a single x86 platform, serving industrial automation, medical, robotics, and embedded system OEMs via direct sales and a global silicon, software, and hardware partner ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersRavensburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Real-Time Systems does
Real-Time Systems GmbH, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Ravensburg, Germany, develops bare-metal (Type 1) hypervisor software for consolidating deterministic real-time operating systems (RTOS) with general-purpose operating systems on a single x86 hardware platform. The company's flagship product, the RTS Hypervisor, runs directly on hardware without a host OS and provides a privileged execution mode that allows guest operating systems to retain full hardware access, preserving 100% native real-time performance with no virtualization overhead. The product supports the full breadth of commercial and open-source operating systems relevant to embedded deployments (Windows, Linux/Real-Time Linux, VxWorks, QNX, INtime, On Time RTOS-32, Microware OS-9, T-Kernel, and proprietary OSes) and runs on any x86 processor from low-power modules to multi-socket servers, with hardware partitioning, PCI pass-through, and a secure boot loader as core capabilities. A second product, the RTS Safe Hypervisor announced in 2022, extends the architecture into mixed-critical and functional-safety workloads targeting IEC 61508, ISO 13849 PL e, IEC 62304 Class C, EN 50128 SIL4, and IEC 62443 standards.
The company sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales complemented by a global partner network spanning silicon (Intel, AMD), software (Microsoft, Wind River, QNX, TenAsys, On Time, CODESYS), and hardware vendors (congatec, ADLINK, Dell, Emerson, Kontron). Revenue is generated from one-time software licenses for the hypervisor and recurring support and maintenance contracts. The company targets six primary verticals: machine and factory automation, medical technology, robotics and autonomous systems, test and measurement, embedded real-time servers, and broadcasting and streaming, with named enterprise customers including Emerson, Airbus, Bosch Rexroth, B. Braun, dSPACE, Grass Valley, Murata, GE Predix, and COMAU. Since February 2018, Real-Time Systems has operated as a 100% subsidiary of congatec Group, and in February 2023 it acquired Arendar IT-Security GmbH to add edge computing and secure OT-IT connectivity capabilities. The company is privately held, ISO 9001:2015 certified, and maintains offices in Ravensburg, Deggendorf (congatec), and Tokyo.
Real-Time Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Real-Time Systems
- Legal name
- congatec GmbH
- Website
- https://real-time-systems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Real-Time Systems GmbH develops bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor software that consolidates deterministic real-time operating systems with general-purpose OSes on a single x86 platform, serving industrial automation, medical, robotics, and embedded system OEMs via direct sales and a global silicon, software, and hardware partner ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Real-Time Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Embedded Real-Time Hypervisor Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Server Operating Systems & Hypervisors (Virtualization) (HDABADAE)
Keywords
Where Real-Time Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ravensburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Real-Time Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: RTS Hypervisor and RTS Safe Hypervisor software licensing for x86 hardware platforms
- Software Support and Maintenance: Ongoing support services for hypervisor products
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
Real-Time Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Real-Time Systems develops and licenses the RTS Hypervisor, a bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor for x86 processors that enables consolidation of deterministic real-time operating systems (RTOS) alongside general-purpose operating systems on a single hardware platform with 100% native real-time performance and zero virtualization overhead. The company also offers the RTS Safe Hypervisor, a functional safety-certified variant for mixed-critical workloads in medical, industrial, and railway applications, plus the RTS Secure Boot Loader for trusted system startup.
Product overview
Real-Time Systems provides a portfolio of virtualization products for x86 hardware. The core offering consists of two hypervisors: the RTS Hypervisor (bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor) for standard real-time workload consolidation, and the RTS Safe Hypervisor (functional safety-certified Type 1 hypervisor) for mixed-critical applications requiring IEC 62304, IEC 61508, ISO 13849, EN 50128, and IEC 62443 compliance. Supporting products include the RTS Secure Boot Loader and Nested Virtualization feature. The INtime Distributed RTOS from TenAsys is fully supported as a partner RTOS on the hypervisor. The company also acquired Arendar IT-Security to extend its portfolio toward edge computing and secure IoT connectivity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RTS Hypervisor: A bare metal Type 1 hypervisor for consolidating deterministic real-time operating systems with other applications on x86 hardware platforms.
- RTS Safe Hypervisor
- RTS Secure Boot Loader
Products and services
- RTS Hypervisor A bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor for x86 processors that enables consolidation of deterministic real-time operating systems (RTOS) alongside general-purpose operating systems on a single hardware platform. Provides privileged mode allowing guest OSes to run at native real-time speed without virtualization overhead, maintaining 100% native real-time capability. Supports any x86 processor from low-power modules to multi-socket servers, and works with COTS and proprietary operating systems. Targeted at embedded systems developers in industrial automation, medical technology, robotics, test & measurement, embedded servers, and broadcasting.
- RTS Safe Hypervisor An OS-independent Type 1 hypervisor addressing functional safety and cybersecurity for mixed-critical workloads on x86 multicore processors. Bundled as a complete OEM package including a certified real-time hypervisor, functionally safe and non-safe virtual machines, and a certified safe OS (Zephyr or QNX). Targets IEC 61508 (all SIL levels), ISO 13849 (up to Performance Level e), IEC 62304 (up to Class C), EN 50128 (up to SIL4), and IEC 62443 certifications. First implementations based on Intel Atom x6000E Series with integrated Intel Safety Island and 11th Generation Intel Core processors.
- RTS Secure Boot Loader Secure boot loader component for the RTS hypervisor ecosystem that enables trusted system startup and firmware-level security.
Quantifiable outcome
- Native real-time capability maintained at 100%
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Real-Time Systems
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Real-Time Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Real-Time Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Software Defined AutomationmajorPartnership in virtual PLCs. SDA provides cloud-based management platform for hard, soft, and virtual PLCs enabling code development, versioning, and automated deployment. Combined with RTS, SDA enhances manufacturing and machine-building efficiencies through workload consolidation with unified management interface.
- AMDcoreSilicon partner providing x86 processor technology for RTS hypervisor deployment
- IntelcoreIntel Co-Development Partner. Silicon partner providing x86 processors including Intel Atom x6000E Series with Intel Safety Island for functional safety applications. Deep cooperation on real-time workload consolidation.
- MicrosoftmajorWindows Embedded Gold Partner. Microsoft Windows operating systems supported on RTS Hypervisor including Windows 10, Windows Embedded Compact (CE 6.0, WEC7, WEC2013)
- Wind RivermajorSoftware partner. Wind River VxWorks (6.9 and 7) supported on RTS Hypervisor
- QNX Software SystemsmajorSoftware partner. QNX Neutrino RTOS 6 and 7 supported on RTS Hypervisor. QNX also supported as safe OS on RTS Safe Hypervisor.
- On Time GmbHmajorSoftware partner. On Time RTOS-32 supported on RTS Hypervisor
- CODESYSmajorSoftware partner providing PLC programming automation software compatible with RTS Hypervisor
- TenAsysmajorSoftware partner. INtime Distributed RTOS supported on RTS Hypervisor with full integration including virtual network, disk sharing, shared memory, event systems, and time synchronization. Partnership enhances determinism and security for workload consolidation.
- ADLINK TechnologymajorHardware partner providing embedded computing platforms qualified for RTS Hypervisor
- Dell TechnologiesmajorHardware partner. Dell IoT solutions qualified for RTS Hypervisor deployment
- EmersonmajorHardware partner. Emerson programmable automation control systems integrated with RTS Hypervisor
- KontronmajorHardware partner. Kontron embedded computing platforms qualified for RTS Hypervisor
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Real-Time Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SYSGO: SYSGO's PikeOS is a Type 1 hypervisor/RTOS hybrid for safety- and security-critical embedded applications in automotive, aerospace, rail, and industrial automation — the most direct head-to-head competitor to the RTS Hypervisor and RTS Safe Hypervisor.
- Green Hills Software: Green Hills' INTEGRITY RTOS and INTEGRITY-178 tuMP safety-certified separation kernel hypervisor compete directly with RTS Safe Hypervisor in DO-178C (avionics), IEC 61508 (industrial), and medical safety applications.
- BlackBerry QNX: QNX Neutrino RTOS and QNX Hypervisor target the same automotive, medical, and industrial safety-critical embedded markets as RTS Safe Hypervisor, with deeper penetration in automotive instrument clusters and ADAS.
- Lynx Software Technologies: Lynx offers LynxSecure (separation kernel hypervisor) and the MOSA.ic platform for mixed-criticality embedded workloads, directly competing with RTS in defense, aerospace, and industrial safety-certified virtualization.
- Wind River Systems: Wind River's VxWorks RTOS is an RTS software partner, but its Helix Platform and VxWorks+virtualization stacks increasingly compete with RTS Hypervisor for embedded consolidation designs in aerospace, defense, and industrial automation.
Others
- congatec: congatec is the parent company of Real-Time Systems and a leading embedded computing module manufacturer — an ecosystem enabler rather than competitor, providing hardware platforms that RTS Hypervisor runs on.
- TenAsys: TenAsys' INtime Distributed RTOS is a software partner fully integrated with the RTS Hypervisor for industrial automation; complementary rather than competitive, though TenAsys' own embedded virtualization features create partial overlap.
Broad incumbents
- Continental (Automotive Embedded): Continental integrates hypervisor-based mixed-criticality architectures (often using third-party hypervisors) in automotive ECUs and ADAS platforms, representing a large embedded customer/incumbent with internal virtualization capabilities.
- Siemens EDA (Mentor Embedded): Siemens' Mentor Embedded division offers embedded virtualization, RTOS, and safety-certified software stacks that overlap with RTS in factory automation, where Siemens has dominant industrial-software incumbency.
Emerging players
- ACRN Project (Linux Foundation / Intel): ACRN is an open-source Type 1 hypervisor led by Intel for embedded, IoT, and edge workloads — providing a free alternative to RTS Hypervisor in cost-sensitive, non-safety-critical applications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Real-Time Systems social profiles
Digital presenceReal-Time Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Real-Time Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Real-Time Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Real-Time Systems subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Real-Time Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Real-Time Systems 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 Real-Time Systems
What does Real-Time Systems do?
Real-Time Systems develops and licenses the RTS Hypervisor, a bare-metal Type 1 hypervisor for x86 processors that enables consolidation of deterministic real-time operating systems (RTOS) alongside general-purpose operating systems on a single hardware platform with 100% native real-time performance and zero virtualization overhead. The company also offers the RTS Safe Hypervisor, a functional safety-certified variant for mixed-critical workloads in medical, industrial, and railway applications, plus the RTS Secure Boot Loader for trusted system startup.
Is Real-Time Systems a public or private company?
Real-Time Systems is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Real-Time Systems founded?
Real-Time Systems was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Real-Time Systems based?
Real-Time Systems is headquartered in Ravensburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Real-Time Systems make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are software Support and Maintenance.
Who are Real-Time Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SYSGO, Green Hills Software, BlackBerry QNX, Lynx Software Technologies and Wind River Systems. Others are congatec and TenAsys. Broad incumbents are Continental (Automotive Embedded) and Siemens EDA (Mentor Embedded). ACRN Project (Linux Foundation / Intel) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Real-Time Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Real-Time Systems.
What industry is Real-Time Systems in?
Real-Time Systems's product category is Embedded Real-Time Hypervisor Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABADAE, Server Operating Systems & Hypervisors (Virtualization). Its NAICS code is 5415 and its SIC code is 7373.