What HW Group does

HW Group s.r.o. is a privately held Czech limited liability company founded in 1997 and headquartered in Prague, operating as an electronics hardware and embedded systems distributor with an integrated Czech-language content and community platform. The company's product portfolio centers on Ethernet connectivity modules (Charon I, EZL-200F SSL serial-to-Ethernet converter), USB-based test and measurement equipment (USBscope50 oscilloscope), RFID identification systems, LCD character displays, USB/RS232 converters, LabJack UE9 expansion cards, NEC microcontroller programmers, and DIN-rail relays. Many products are proprietary designs with custom firmware, while others are sourced components retailed through the company's online store at obchod.hw.cz.

HW Group monetizes through unit-priced, one-time purchases denominated in Czech Korunas, with example prices around 215 CZK for LCD displays and 550 CZK for microcontrollers, indicating a high-volume, low-ticket transactional model. Distribution is direct via the company's own e-commerce storefront, supplemented by an information website (hw-group.com / hw.cz), an automation portal (automatizace.hw.cz), a business directory (dir.hw.cz), and a job board (jobs.hw.cz) — effectively positioning the firm as a niche Czech electronics hub rather than a pure e-commerce retailer. The target customer base spans electronics engineers, hardware hobbyists, and industrial automation professionals primarily within the Czech domestic market.

The business is small-scale, with 11–50 employees and no disclosed revenue, funding rounds, partnerships, M&A activity, patents, or regulatory actions. Operations are led by COO Jiri Slaby, and the company has remained privately held with no institutional investors identified in the source material. Pricing examples and product mix suggest a modest per-transaction revenue profile, though actual revenue is not disclosed. The dated nature of the indexed content (predominantly 2005) limits visibility into the company's current scale and growth direction.

Name

HW Group

Legal name

HW Group s.r.o.

Website

https://hw-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HW Group s.r.o. is a privately held Czech electronics distributor selling Ethernet modules, oscilloscopes, RFID systems, displays, and development tools via its obchod.hw.cz store, serving Czech electronics engineers, hobbyists, and automation professionals with an integrated content and community platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Components Distribution

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344), Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419), Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429)

SIC

Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Wholesale-Hardware (5072)

akta.pro primary industry

Electronic Components (Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors) Retail (CRACAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electronics Components & OEM/ODM Sourcing Marketplaces (CRAFAHAM), Semiconductors, ICs & Microcontrollers Retail (CRACAKAB), Big-Box Electronics Parts/Components & DIY Maker Retail (CRACAAAL)

Keywords

• Electronic components distribution
• Embedded systems hardware
• Ethernet networking modules
• Test and measurement equipment
• RFID identification systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HW Group distributes and retails electronic components and embedded systems hardware through its online store (obchod.hw.cz), including USB digital oscilloscopes, Ethernet communication modules, RFID readers and transponders, LCD character displays, microcontroller programmers, USB/RS232 converters, and DIN-rail relays. The offering is complemented by an extensive library of Czech-language technical articles, an automation portal, a business directory, and a job board that together serve as a knowledge and sourcing hub for electronics developers.

Product overview

HW Group operates as an electronics hardware and Ethernet technology portal, distributing electronic components and embedded systems products. The product portfolio includes USB-based test and measurement equipment (USBscope50 oscilloscope), Ethernet communication modules (Charon I, EZL-200F SSL converter), RFID identification systems (readers and transponders), LCD character displays, and various electronic components. The company operates an online store (obchod.hw.cz) alongside technical documentation and industry articles, serving electronics engineers and developers in the Czech Republic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USBscope50 Digital Oscilloscope Miniature single-channel digital sampling oscilloscope with bandwidth up to 75MHz, connectable to a computer via USB port, accepting standard measurement probes; multiple units can be aggregated for multi-channel use. Targeted at electronics engineers and developers for hardware debugging and signal testing.
• Charon I Ethernet Module
• EZL-200F SSL Serial-to-Ethernet Converter
• RFID Reader ID-12 Picomax
• RFID Identification Keychain KF 4100
• LCD Character Displays (EL1602A/B, SC1602 series)
• USB/RS232 Converter UCAB232S
• LabJack UE9 Expansion Cards (CB15, CB37)
• NEC Microcontroller Programmer PG-FPL-EE
• DIN Rail Relays (Single and Double Pole)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Farnell / element14: Premier Farnell operates element14, a broad-line electronics distributor serving engineers in Europe. Overlaps with HW Group on semiconductors, development boards, and test equipment sold to professional engineering customers.
• Mouser Electronics: Global authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components with extensive European fulfillment. Competes head-on with HW Group's distribution business for OEM design engineers across the same product categories.
• Digi-Key Electronics: Global electronic components distributor with a massive catalog of parts, modules, and development tools. Competes with HW Group for the same electronics engineer and industrial automation customers in Europe via cross-border shipping.

Regional players

• Conrad Electronic: Major European electronic components and tools retailer headquartered in Germany. Comparable in product breadth (components, test equipment, automation) and Central European geographic footprint, though serving a much larger German-speaking market.

Emerging players

• Adafruit Industries: Open-source hardware company selling electronics components, tools, and learning resources to makers and engineers. Shares HW Group's combination of proprietary modules plus educational content, but with a US/global audience and stronger digital brand.
• SparkFun Electronics: US-based open-source hardware retailer focused on DIY makers and educators. Comparable in product catalog (microcontrollers, sensors, RFID, displays) and educational content strategy, though operating at much larger scale and primarily in North America.

Direct peers

• GM Electronic: Czech electronic components and consumer electronics retailer. Direct regional competitor to HW Group's obchod.hw.cz, serving the same Czech Republic engineering and hobbyist customer base with overlapping product categories.
• Botland: Czech/Polish online electronics retailer specializing in components, modules, and development tools for makers and engineers. Directly comparable in geography, customer base (Czech/Slovak electronics community), and product mix to HW Group's obchod.hw.cz.
• Transfer Multisort Elektronik (TME): Polish electronic components distributor with a multi-language e-commerce platform serving Central/Eastern European engineers. Operates a very similar catalog-plus-content-plus-distribution model to HW Group with comparable customer segments (engineers, OEMs, hobbyists).

Others

• LabJack Corporation: Manufacturer of USB-based data acquisition and measurement hardware (including the UE9 referenced in HW Group's product list). Adjacent as a supplier whose products HW Group distributes, and relevant as a comparable specialty hardware maker serving engineers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/group_hw

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 HW Group