What Valentin Software does

Valentin Software GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately held German software company founded in 1988 that develops planning and simulation tools for renewable energy systems. Its product portfolio centers on four flagship desktop applications — PV*SOL premium (3D-visualized PV simulation with shading analysis), PV*SOL (standard PV simulation), T*SOL (solar thermal systems), and GeoT*SOL (heat pump systems) — complemented by free browser-based calculators (PV*SOL online, T*SOL online, GeoT*SOL online), a component database covering PV modules, inverters, batteries, and electric vehicles, custom development services, and a publicly documented API. The core technology is deterministic dynamic simulation for system sizing, yield forecasting, shading analysis, and optimization of PV, solar thermal, and heat pump installations including battery storage and EV charging integration.

The company sells to a diversified base of professional users — engineers, planners, architects, installers, and craftsmen in the heating, electrical, and building technology sectors — alongside educational institutions and students who receive time-limited academic access. Distribution runs through direct e-commerce, international sales partners and resellers, and a dedicated educational channel, with the company maintaining membership in DGS, BSW, BWP, and ISES industry associations. Marketing relies on the website, free online calculators, newsletters via rapidmail, social media, webinars via GoTo, YouTube tutorials, an online forum, and trade show participation such as Intersolar.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining perpetual single-workstation and network/multi-seat licenses, Named User annual subscriptions, separate maintenance agreements, custom development, and training services. The product integrates with third-party data services including Google Solar API, Rexplorer 3D building data, and climate data providers PVGIS, Solcast, SolarAnywhere, and NREL. The company is led by Managing Director Nicola Rosenkranz and operates without disclosed venture capital or private equity backing.

Name

Valentin Software

Legal name

Valentin Software GmbH

Website

https://valentin-software.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Valentin Software is a Berlin-based German company founded in 1988 that develops dynamic planning and simulation software for photovoltaic, solar thermal, and heat pump systems, serving engineers, planners, installers, architects, and educational institutions worldwide through licenses, subscriptions, and a partner channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses (Purchase): Perpetual one-time license purchase model where customers acquire software with a one-time fee. Single workstation licenses and multi-seat/network licenses available. Software delivered as download with license key. Includes software maintenance agreement available separately.
2. Software Subscriptions (Rental): Time-limited rental model with Named User licensing. Annual or multi-year contracts with monthly or annual billing. Includes software updates and maintenance during contract period. Active internet connection required for use.
3. Individual Software/Custom Development: Custom software development and customization services including interface adaptations to external systems and software extensions, charged separately.
4. Training Services: Training sessions for PV*SOL premium and additional training offerings, webinars, and tutorial videos provided separately.
5. Software Maintenance: Separate maintenance agreements including updates, access to updated component databases, and technical support in German or English.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Valentin Software develops and sells dynamic planning and simulation software for renewable energy systems. Its core product line comprises desktop applications for designing, simulating, and forecasting photovoltaic systems (PV*SOL, PV*SOL premium), solar thermal installations (T*SOL), and heat pump systems (GeoT*SOL). The company complements these with free online calculators, a PV component database, custom software development services, and an API for programmatic access.

Product overview

Valentin Software develops a portfolio of planning and simulation software for renewable energy systems. The core product line consists of four main desktop applications: PV*SOL premium (advanced PV simulation with 3D visualization and shading analysis), PV*SOL (standard PV simulation), T*SOL (solar thermal systems), and GeoT*SOL (heat pump systems). The portfolio also includes complementary free online calculators (PV*SOL online, T*SOL online, GeoT*SOL online), a component database (PV*SOL Database), custom software development services (Individualsoftware), and an API for programmatic access. Customers include engineers, planners, architects, installers, and educational institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PV*SOL premium: Dynamic simulation program with 3D visualization and detailed shading analysis for calculating photovoltaic systems combined with consumers, battery systems and electric vehicles.
• PV*SOL
• T*SOL
• GeoT*SOL
• PV*SOL online
• T*SOL online
• GeoT*SOL online
• PV*SOL Datenbank

Products and services

• PV*SOL premium Dynamic simulation program with 3D visualization and detailed shading analysis for calculating photovoltaic systems in combination with consumers, battery systems, and electric vehicles. Targeted at engineers, planners, architects, installers, and craftsmen in heating, electrical, and building technology.
• PV*SOL Dynamic simulation program for designing and optimizing photovoltaic systems combined with consumers, battery systems, and electric vehicles. Targeted at engineers, planners, installers, and solar professionals.
• T*SOL Dynamic simulation program for designing, optimizing, and calculating solar thermal systems. Used by installers, engineers, and planners for solar thermal installations.
• GeoT*SOL Dynamic simulation program for professional planning, calculation, and design of heat pump systems. The 2026 release introduced realistic minimum output representation and improved simulation accuracy. Targeted at engineers, installers, and planners.
• Individualsoftware (Custom Software Development) Custom software development and adaptation services, including interface customizations to external systems and software extensions tailored to specific customer requirements. Sold separately from standard product licenses.
• Programmierschnittstelle (API) Application programming interface providing programmatic access to Valentin Software products for integration with external systems.
• PV*SOL online Free online photovoltaic calculator for simulation and yield calculation of photovoltaic systems.
• T*SOL online Free online solar thermal calculator for simulation and yield calculation of solar thermal systems.
• GeoT*SOL online Free online calculator for simulation and yield calculation of heat pump systems.
• PV*SOL Database Online database containing photovoltaic modules, inverters, batteries, and electric vehicles, accessible to users of Valentin Software products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Realistic minimum output representation for heat pump systems
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SlasconecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based licensing software used for user administration and license management. Slascone supports automation of the licensing process, particularly for creating, managing and administering user permissions. A data processing agreement has been concluded.
• Microsoft (Azure AD B2C)coreTechnology or IntegrationIdentity verification service for user authentication. Azure Active Directory B2C enables identity verification for users of applications. Session cookies store IP address, location, date and time of login, browser type and version, operating system.
• GoTosupportingTechnology or IntegrationWebinar and online meeting platform. Used for conducting webinars with customers. Data processed includes name, email, phone number, meeting duration, IP address, browser details, audio/video data and chat messages.
• Google (Solar API, Maps, Fonts)supportingTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Solar API integration in PV*SOL premium for high-resolution orthophotos and elevation data. Google Maps integration for map services. Google Fonts for web typography.
• RexplorersupportingTechnology or IntegrationAPI providing 3D building data for planning energy solutions for residential and commercial properties. Offered as a paid service with registration required.
• PVGIS (European Commission)supportingTechnology or IntegrationFree climate data interface providing solar radiation data for Europe, Africa, large parts of Asia and America.
• SolcastsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMostly paid climate data service with API interface in PV*SOL software. Requires email registration and account creation.
• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)supportingTechnology or IntegrationFree climate data service with API interface in PV*SOL. Requires name and email for API key registration.
• rapidmailsupportingTechnology or IntegrationNewsletter service provider used for organizing and analyzing newsletter distribution. Data stored on rapidmail servers in Germany.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing service for credit card payments via Shopify Payments. Handles transaction data and credit card information for payment processing.
• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment option for online shop transactions. Credit card and direct debit payments processed through PayPal.
• OpenStreetMapsupportingTechnology or IntegrationOpen source map service available in software products for geographic visualization.
• Bing Maps (Microsoft)supportingTechnology or IntegrationMap service integrated in software products for geographic representation.
• DGS (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sonnenenergie)supportingOthersGerman Solar Energy Association. Valentin Software is a member of DGS.
• BSW (Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft)supportingOthersGerman Solar Industry Association. Valentin Software is a member.
• BWP (Bundesverband Wärmepumpe)supportingOthersGerman Heat Pump Association. Valentin Software is a member.
• ISES (International Solar Energy Society)supportingOthersInternational Solar Energy Society. Valentin Software is a member.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PVsyst: Swiss developer of PV*SOL's most direct competitor: PVsyst is the long-standing global standard for detailed photovoltaic system yield simulation, used by engineers and researchers for the same professional planning workflows that PV*SOL targets.
• Vela Solaris: Swiss developer of Polysun, the most direct competitor to T*SOL and GeoT*SOL, providing dynamic simulation for solar thermal, photovoltaic, and heat pump systems used by engineers and installers worldwide.
• Aurora Solar: US-based cloud platform for solar PV design, shading analysis, and proposal generation. Overlaps directly with PV*SOL premium's 3D visualization, shading and yield simulation, but adds an end-to-end sales workflow layer.
• OpenSolar: Free, cloud-based solar design and proposal software targeting the same installer and planner personas that PV*SOL serves, with built-in 3D modeling, yield simulation, and customer-facing proposals.
• Energy Toolbase: US-based software platform for solar+storage system design, simulation and financial modeling, directly competing with PV*SOL premium for commercial-scale PV and battery storage planning workflows.
• PVcomplete: US-based solar PV design and engineering platform targeting commercial and utility-scale projects, competing with PV*SOL premium for detailed module layout, shading and yield analysis.
• RatedPower: Spain-based cloud platform for utility-scale and C&I solar PV plant design and engineering, competing with PV*SOL premium on automated layout, yield simulation and BoP optimization.
• PVcase: Lithuania-based solar design software company offering CAD-integrated PV layout and yield tools for utility and C&I projects, overlapping with PV*SOL premium's detailed system planning capabilities.
• HOMER Energy (by UL): UL's HOMER platform provides microgrid and distributed energy system modeling and optimization, serving similar engineering and planning use cases as Valentin Software's portfolio across PV, storage and heat-pump-enabled systems.

Regional players

• Hottgenroth: German building energy and HVAC design software vendor with overlapping solar thermal and heat pump planning tools, competing with T*SOL and GeoT*SOL primarily in the German-speaking market.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ValentinSoftware
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/valentin-software-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Valentin Software