Optonic

What Optonic does

Optonic GmbH is a privately-held German industrial machine vision company headquartered in Freiburg im Breisgau, formed on December 1, 2020 through the merger of isys vision GmbH (founded 1989 by Rainer Voigt sr., specializing in 2D image processing) and Ensenso GmbH (founded 2012 by Rainer Voigt, specializing in industrial 3D cameras). The company operates three differentiated but technically integrated product brands: Ensenso industrial 3D stereoscopic cameras for object detection, localization, and measurement (with viewing areas up to 8 cubic meters and resolution down to 0.1mm); isys vision turnkey 2D and 3D machine vision systems including proprietary Ivs and Ivs-C image-processing libraries for Windows and Linux, plus custom LED lighting solutions; and Mikado camera-guided robot control software (Find, Select, Control) enabling programming-free bin picking, depalletizing, and pick-and-place automation with native support for more than 12 major robot manufacturers including KUKA, FANUC, ABB, Universal Robots, and Yaskawa via OPC-UA/TCP-IP interfaces.

The business model is exclusively B2B with quote-based pricing on integrated solutions. Revenue streams mix hardware sales (Ensenso cameras, LarETH light controllers, custom lighting), one-time software licenses (isys vision software and libraries), recurring/maintenance elements (Mikado subscriptions, community forums), and professional services (application development, integration, commissioning, training). Distribution runs through regional sales managers covering DACH postal code territories, supplemented by a certified system integrator channel (HELDELE, Wieser, Staveb, EGS Automation) and an annual Bin Picking Forum used as flagship GTM event now entering its 4th year. Target verticals include automotive, electronics manufacturing, mechanical and plant engineering, logistics/intralogistics, pharmaceutical/life science, and system integrators. Enterprise customers evidenced in the portfolio include Audi, ZF, dormakaba, Cloos, ebm-papst, Dürr, IMA Schelling, Schuster Maschinenbau, and EGS Automation, alongside research deployments such as Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

Optonic is closely held by the Voigt family (Rainer Voigt sr. and Rainer Voigt as owners/CEOs) alongside CEO Johannes Schade. The company maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification including Gamp5-compliant pharmaceutical documentation, GDPR-compliant operations, and a stated philosophy of "Become great by staying small" consistent with a family-cultured Mittelstand business rather than a venture-scaling organization.

Name

Optonic

Legal name

Optonic GmbH

Website

https://optonic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Optonic GmbH is a privately-held German industrial machine vision company providing 2D/3D cameras (Ensenso), turnkey vision systems (isys vision), and programming-free camera-guided robot control software (Mikado) for bin picking and automation across automotive, electronics, machinery, logistics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, primarily in the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machine Vision Systems

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Machine Vision & Industrial Imaging Systems (IMAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Motion Control Components (Servos, Drives, Motors, Encoders) (IMAHAHAG), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF), Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Industrial machine vision
• 3D stereo cameras
• Bin picking software
• Camera-guided robotics
• Machine vision systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 3D Camera Hardware Sales: Sale of Ensenso industrial 3D stereoscopic cameras including C series, N series (N31, N36, N41, N46), B series. Camera systems represent a significant portion of revenue as the primary product brand.
2. Machine Vision Systems and Software: Turnkey 2D and 3D image processing systems including isys vision control software. Includes proprietary libraries (Ivs, Ivs-C) and integration with market-standard libraries like MvTec Halcon and OpenCV.
3. Camera-Guided Robotics Software (Mikado): Mikado product family including Find, Select, and Control software for camera-guided robotics and bin picking applications.
4. Custom Lighting Solutions: Custom-manufactured illumination systems including LED panels, coaxial illuminators, ring lights, and light controllers. Manufactured in-house with short lead times for custom solutions.
5. Professional Services: Application development, system integration, commissioning support, and training services. ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management for pharmaceutical industry documentation (Gamp5, IQ/OQ).
6. Training and Education: Free Mikado integrator training programs conducted at headquarters in Freiburg, plus customer-specific support and application development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Optonic provides industrial 2D and 3D machine vision and camera-guided robotics solutions for factory automation. Its portfolio spans Ensenso 3D stereo cameras, isys vision turnkey 2D/3D image processing systems with proprietary software libraries and custom lighting, and Mikado programming-free robot control software for bin picking, pick-and-place, and depalletizing. Products are sold direct and through certified system integrators to automotive, electronics, machinery, logistics, and pharmaceutical manufacturers across the DACH region.

Product overview

Optonic is an industrial machine vision and robotics company formed in December 2020 through the merger of isys vision and Ensenso. The company operates three core business units offering distinct but complementary products: (1) Ensenso 3D cameras providing industrial stereo vision for object detection, localization, and measurement; (2) isysvision delivering complete 2D/3D machine vision solutions combining cameras, proprietary Ivs/Ivs-C software libraries, custom lighting, and machine control integration; and (3) Mikado camera-guided robot control software family (Find, Select, Control) for bin picking, depalletizing, and pick-and-place automation. The portfolio ranges from standalone components (3D cameras, lighting) through integrated turnkey systems to full software platforms with integrated path planning supporting 12+ robot manufacturers. Target industries include automotive, electronics manufacturing, machinery/plant engineering, logistics, pharmaceuticals, and furniture manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ensenso: Industrial 3D stereo cameras for vision applications, offering solutions from high-resolution small viewing areas up to 8 cubic meter volume coverage with flexibility and speed.
• isys vision
• Mikado

Products and services

• Ensenso 3D Stereo Cameras Industrial 3D stereo vision cameras for object detection, localization, and measurement in factory automation. Available in C, N (N31, N36, N41, N46), and B series, supporting viewing areas up to 8 cubic meters with resolutions down to 0.1mm. Designed for integrators and end manufacturers in bin picking, quality inspection, and 3D measurement applications.
• isys vision Machine Vision Systems Turnkey 2D and 3D image processing systems combining cameras, optics, lighting, and proprietary Ivs/Ivs-C software libraries for industrial inspection, measurement, quality control, and machine control. Deployed in over 10,000 machines worldwide, serving electronics manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical, and general automation. Custom complete solutions can include application-specific hardware and software integration.
• Mikado Camera-Guided Robotics Software Camera-guided robot control software family for 3D pick-and-place, bin picking, and depalletizing, sold as Mikado Find (entry-level CAD-based detection), Mikado Select (mid-range with parameter storage and sequence programming), and Mikado Control (full-featured with collision checking, virtual simulation, and integrated robot path planning). Programming-free intuitive setup supports 12+ robot manufacturers including KUKA, FANUC, ABB, Stäubli, Doosan, Kassow, Omron, Nachi, Universal Robots, Techman, Mitsubishi, and Yaskawa via OPC-UA/TCP-IP.
• isys vision Industrial Lighting Solutions Custom-manufactured LED illumination systems for industrial machine vision, including flat light panels, coaxial illuminators, ring lights, and illuminated reference marks. Available in white, red, IR, and blue with proprietary rear coating and lateral reflection zone technology, and customizable form factors for machine integration. Sold as part of the isys vision turnkey system offering.
• Custom Industrial Machine Vision Solutions Bespoke integrated machine vision and machine control solutions combining isys vision software framework, cameras, lighting, and proprietary hardware for specific customer applications in electronics manufacturing, automotive, and pharmaceutical production. Includes application development, commissioning, Gamp5-compliant pharmaceutical documentation (IQ/OQ), and ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management.
• LarETH Light Controller Standalone light controller with web interface featuring 8 channels in a compact DIN rail housing, designed for controlling isys vision illumination units in machine vision applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bin picking cycle times of 3-7 seconds depending on application complexity
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DRV (German Robotics Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2023Optonic became a member of the German Robotics Association to discuss robotics topics, share insights on user needs, and contribute to advancing automation in Germany. Participation in industry dialogue and standards development.
• EGS AutomationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 10 August 2022Joint exhibitor at Automatica 2022 with Mikado bin picking demonstrator. Partnership for trade show presence and solution demonstration.
• Fruitcore RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 2 November 2020Integration of Fruitcore's HORST robot with Optonic's Mikado Find software for 3D position detection of CAD parts. Southern German partnership combining robotics hardware with vision software for cost-effective automation.
• Work-Life Robotik InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOptonic is a founder and active member of the Work-Life Robotik Institute foundation. The partnership focuses on shaping education, research, and transfer in the field of cobotics. Optonic contributes to advancing collaborative robotics knowledge and workforce development.
• IMA Schelling GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoint development of automated furniture plate handling solution using Optonic's 3D vision and image processing technology integrated into IMA Schelling's production machines. Partnership for complex automation challenges requiring custom vision solutions.
• HELDELE Automation GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHELDELE developed a standard bin picking cell using Optonic's Mikado Control and Ensenso C series cameras combined with Kassow 7-axis cobot and Bosch Rexroth ctrlX automation platform. Long-term partnership for turnkey automation solutions.
• Schuster MaschinenbaucoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoint development of fully autonomous production line for shaft manufacturing using Mikado and Handlingtech systems. Demonstrates Industry 4.0 concepts with bin picking for manufacturing automation.
• Staveb Automation AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSwiss solution partner demonstrating Mikado Find with HORST robot at in-house exhibitions. Offers flexible and space-saving machine assembly solutions using bin picking technology.
• HandlingtechminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in autonomous production line project with Schuster Maschinenbau. Contributes material handling expertise to integrated automation solutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Keyence Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of industrial sensors, machine vision systems, and measuring instruments. Comparable because it offers integrated 2D/3D vision plus lighting plus software bundles sold B2B to factory automation customers — overlapping directly with Optonic's isys vision and Ensenso product lines.
• Basler AG: German industrial camera manufacturer offering 2D and 3D vision components and software for factory automation. Comparable because of geographic overlap (Germany/DACH), overlapping customer base in machine builders, and direct product overlap with Optonic's Ensenso camera and isys vision turnkey offerings.
• Cognex Corporation: Global leader in machine vision systems, software, and 2D/3D sensors for industrial automation. Directly comparable to Optonic because both sell industrial vision hardware and software into bin picking, inspection, and robot guidance use cases for automotive and electronics manufacturers.
• MVTec Software GmbH: German provider of HALCON and MERLIC machine vision software used by integrators and OEMs for industrial inspection and 3D vision. Directly comparable because Optonic explicitly integrates with MvTec Halcon, positioning the two as software-stack peers serving the same vision integrator channel.
• Photoneo: Slovak/Czech 3D vision company providing industrial 3D cameras and bin picking software for robotics automation. Highly comparable because Photoneo targets the same camera-guided robotics, bin picking, and depalletizing use cases as Optonic's Mikado and Ensenso products.
• Zivid AS: Norwegian manufacturer of industrial 3D color cameras for robotic vision, bin picking, and industrial automation. Comparable because Zivid's 3D cameras compete directly with Ensenso, particularly in high-resolution small-field and robot-mounted configurations.

Broad incumbents

• ifm electronic: German manufacturer of industrial sensors, machine vision systems, and IO-Link connectivity for factory automation. Comparable because ifm's 3D vision and object detection products compete with Ensenso cameras in automotive and mechanical engineering applications, particularly in DACH.
• SICK AG: Large German manufacturer of industrial sensors and machine vision systems for factory, logistics, and process automation. Comparable because SICK's 2D/3D vision portfolio competes with Optonic across bin picking, quality inspection, and robotic guidance, though SICK's offering is part of a much broader sensor portfolio.

Emerging players

• Mech-Mind Robotics: Chinese provider of industrial 3D cameras and AI-powered robot vision software for bin picking, depalletizing, and machine tending. Comparable because Mech-Mind competes head-to-head with Optonic in 3D vision-guided robotics, especially in cost-sensitive automotive and logistics applications.

Regional players

• Stemmer Imaging AG: European machine vision technology provider distributing components, software, and integrated vision systems across multiple industries. Comparable because Stemmer operates in the same DACH vision integrator channel as Optonic and bundles cameras, lighting, and software for industrial inspection applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/optonic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isys-vision-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Optonic