Astera LED Technology

What Astera LED Technology does

Astera LED Technology GmbH is a German-headquartered designer and manufacturer of battery-powered, wireless LED lighting fixtures for the film, television, broadcast, live-events, and concert-touring industries. Founded in 2005 by Norbert Ernst (relocating operations to China in 2007), the company sells through Astera Manufacturing Limited in Shenzhen and Astera Distribution Limited in Hong Kong, employing approximately 400 people across three sites in Munich, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Its product portfolio spans tubes (Titan, Helios, Hyperion), bulbs (NYX, LunaBulb, SolaBulb), Fresnels (PlutoFresnel, LeoFresnel), spotlights (QuikBeam, QuikPunch, QuikSpot), wash and panel lights (HydraPanel, PixelBrick), and accessories, with the AsteraApp providing iOS/Android control.

The core technology centers on proprietary battery management (up to 20-hour runtime, 15+ years of in-house expertise), LumenRadio CRMX/W-DMX wireless DMX built into every fixture since 2015, IP65/IP55 weather-resistant housings, and digital color calibration across RGB/RGBMA engines. Astera sells and rents through a network of 50+ distributors and certified service centers in more than 50 countries, supplemented by direct quote inquiries via its website. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales and rental-fee transactions; no subscription, SaaS, or licensing revenue streams are disclosed. The customer base spans professional cinematographers, gaffers, lighting designers, rental houses, and event production companies, with documented film credits including Tron: Ares and Netflix's How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Astera operates as a privately held GmbH with no disclosed external funding rounds or institutional investors. Growth has been organic, supported by a near-doubling of Shenzhen production capacity to 10,000 m² in 2018/2019 and ongoing product launches, including the award-winning QuikBeam spotlight at NAB Show 2026. The company holds granted design, utility, and invention patents across China, the EU, Germany, the UK, and the US, alongside a broad product trademark portfolio.

Name

Astera LED Technology

Legal name

Astera LED Technology GmbH

Website

https://astera-led.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Astera LED Technology GmbH designs and manufactures battery-powered, wireless LED lighting fixtures for film, television, broadcast, live events, and concert touring, selling through 50+ distributors across more than 50 countries with approximately 400 employees based in Munich, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional LED Lighting

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Camera Lighting & Flash (Speedlights, Continuous Lights, LED Panels) (CRACAPAG), Lighting Controls & Building Integration (Drivers, sensors, dimming, lighting control panels, networked lighting) (IMAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Wireless LED lighting
• Battery-powered film lighting
• Professional event lighting
• Wireless DMX fixtures
• Portable cinema lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LED Lighting Fixtures Sales: Astera generates revenue through the sale of wireless LED lighting products including tubes, bulbs, spot lights, wash lights, soft lights, and accessories. Products are sold through a global dealer and distributor network.
2. Equipment Rental: Products are available for rent through rental companies and dealers, supporting temporary production needs for film, events, and concerts.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Astera LED Technology designs, manufactures and sells 100% wireless, battery-powered LED lighting fixtures—including tubes, bulbs, spotlights, wash lights, soft lights and Fresnels—for film, television, studio, events, concerts and touring productions. Each fixture integrates proprietary battery management, LumenRadio CRMX wireless DMX and IP-rated housings, and is operated through the AsteraApp mobile application. Products are sold outright and made available for rent through a global network of dealers, distributors and rental companies.

Product overview

Astera LED Technology GmbH is a German company specializing in 100% wireless, battery-powered LED lighting fixtures for the film, television, video, events, concerts, and touring industries. The product portfolio centers on wireless LED tubes (Titan Tube, Helios Tube, Hyperion Tube, AX1 PixelTube), bulbs (NYX Bulb, LunaBulb, SolaBulb), spot lights (QuikBeam, QuikPunch, QuikSpot, AX10 SpotMax, AX7 SpotLite), wash lights and uplights (AX5 TriplePAR, AX9 PowerPAR, AX2 PixelBar, PixelBrick), soft lights/Fresnels (PlutoFresnel, LeoFresnel, HydraPanel), and panels. Fixtures are controlled via the AsteraApp mobile application using built-in wireless DMX (CRMX by LumenRadio) and Bluetooth. The company offers a comprehensive ecosystem including controllers (ART7 AsteraBox CRMX), accessories (QuikBrick batteries, PowerBox, RuntimeExtender), kits, and the proprietary AsteraApp software for fixture management, color control, and effect programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Titan Tube Flagship wireless, battery-powered LED tube for film, studio, stage and events with built-in battery management and wireless DMX control.
• HydraPanel Small battery-powered, wireless-controllable LED panel for flexible film and studio illumination.
• PlutoFresnel Battery-powered RGBMA Fresnel equivalent to 300W Tungsten with wireless control and IP65 rating.
• QuikBeam Compact LED spotlight with 200W Tungsten power, 13º–60º Fresnel zoom, swappable QuikBrick batteries, and built-in PoE.
• QuikPunch Wireless spotlight with Fresnel lens, 13º–60º zoom, zero stray light, delivering 8,000 lux at 3 meters.
• QuikSpot Battery-driven uplight with precise zoomable Fresnel, functioning as a versatile, compact wireless spotlight.
• SolaBulb 50W PAR-bulb-equivalent, zoomable wireless LED luminaire for flexible lighting applications.
• Helios Tube
• Hyperion Tube
• NYX Bulb
• LunaBulb
• PixelBrick
• LeoFresnel Battery-powered RGBMA Fresnel equivalent to 400W Tungsten; wireless Fresnel spotlight.
• AX1 PixelTube Pixel-controlled LED tube for creative lighting effects in film and events.
• AX2 PixelBar Pixel-controlled LED bar available in 50cm and 100cm lengths for flexible lighting layouts.
• AX3 LightDrop Battery-powered LED downlight for film and event applications.
• AX5 TriplePAR Three-in-one PAR-style fixture combining multiple lighting functions in a single unit.
• AX7 SpotLite Compact spotlight fixture for film and event applications.
• AX9 PowerPAR High-power PAR fixture for demanding film and event lighting applications.
• AX10 SpotMax Maximum-output spotlight fixture for professional film and event applications.
• ART7 AsteraBox CRMX
• AsteraApp

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20 hours battery runtime on a single charge
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LumenRadiocoreTechnology or IntegrationAll Astera fixtures manufactured since 2015 contain a wireless DMX module by LumenRadio, enabling CRMX and W-DMX wireless control alongside other wireless fixtures. This is a core technology partnership embedded in all products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ARRI: German incumbent and dominant supplier of professional cinema lighting and camera systems. Directly comparable to Astera's cinema-lighting fixtures and increasingly overlapping in wireless LED product lines.
• Mole-Richardson: Long-established US manufacturer of incandescent and LED studio/location lighting for film and TV. Comparable in end use, with Astera representing a wireless-LED-native alternative to its traditional fixtures.
• Kino Flo: Pioneer of professional fluorescent and LED lighting for film and broadcast. Competes with Astera in studio/film panels (Celeb, FreeStyle) and shares the same cinematographer and gaffer customer base.

Direct peers

• LiteGear: US-based manufacturer of LED lighting for film and broadcast, including battery-powered LiteMat and LiteTile panels. Most direct competitor to Astera in wireless, battery-powered cinema lighting.
• Quasar Science: US manufacturer of LED tube lights (Q-LED, Rainbow) widely used on film sets. Closely comparable product form factor to Astera's Titan/Helios/Hyperion Tubes and overlapping customer base.
• Aputure: Manufacturer of LED lighting for filmmakers and content creators, including battery-powered lights (Amaran, MC Pro). Directly competes with Astera in portable, app-controlled LED lighting for film.
• Nanlite (Nanguang): Chinese-affiliated manufacturer of LED lights for photo, video and film. Comparable in app-controlled, battery-powered fixtures and competing on price-performance in the same cinematographer segment.

Emerging players

• Digital Sputnik: Smaller specialist in modular LED lighting systems for film. Comparable in wireless, modular, and app-controlled product philosophy but with narrower installed base than Astera.
• BB&S Lighting: Boutique manufacturer of professional LED lighting for film, broadcast and events. Comparable in B2B event/cinema customer profile, with partial product overlap in compact LED fixtures.

Others

• Rosco: Supplier of color filters, gobos and lighting fixtures for entertainment. Comparable end customer (gaffers, lighting designers) and color-science ecosystem; AsteraApp even integrates Rosco gel libraries, indicating functional adjacency rather than direct product overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/asteraledtechnology
• Xx.com/asteraglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asteraofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Astera LED Technology