liNear
LINEAR GmbH (liNear) is a German software company that provides BIM engineering plugins for Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD, serving MEP and HVAC engineering firms with discipline-specific design, calculation, and coordination tools across the DACH region and selected international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersAachen, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What liNear does
LINEAR Gesellschaft für konstruktives Design mbH (liNear) is a privately held German software company headquartered in Aachen, founded in 1993, that builds BIM engineering software for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and HVAC design (TGA – Technische Gebäudeausrüstung). Its product portfolio is delivered as native plugins on top of Autodesk Revit and Autodesk AutoCAD (with CADinside as a third supported platform), and comprises discipline-specific modules for heating, cooling, ventilation, potable water, waste water, gas systems, electrical planning, and district heating — supplemented by building-analysis (LINEAR Building), void coordination (LINEAR Void Manager), license/administration (LINEAR Admin, LINEAR Enabler), and software deployment (LINEAR Installation Center) tooling. The 22-feature V26 release (November 2025) reflects an active development cadence driven in part through the LINEAR Idea Channel customer feedback mechanism.
The company monetizes through a hybrid licensing model — perpetual purchase or annual subscription/rental of single-user or network licenses — plus prepaid telephone support (mon–fri business hours), training services, and an e-learning platform. Distribution is direct in DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and channel-led internationally via authorized partners (up to 32% margin) and resellers (up to 9%) covering Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and the Middle East; a self-serve 30-day free trial and a Partner Store round out the GTM. Marketing is multi-channel — blog, content hub, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, email newsletter, and LINEAR LIVE events — targeting MEP/HVAC engineering firms, with seven languages supported (German, English, Dutch, Turkish, Russian, Polish).
LINEAR is founder-led, with Manfred Waluga retiring from operations in July 2025 and a five-member management team (Javier Castell Codesal, Jürgen Frantzen, Stephan Waluga, Christian Waluga, Gregor Meurers) now leading the firm. The company has no disclosed external investors, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no subsidiaries; its installed base exceeds 30,000 end users, supported by more than 70 manufacturer and industry partner libraries (e.g., Viessmann, Geberit, Vaillant, Bosch, Daikin, Danfoss, REHAU, Siemens). Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
liNear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- liNear
- Legal name
- LINEAR Gesellschaft für konstruktives Design mbH
- Website
- https://linear.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- LINEAR GmbH (liNear) is a German software company that provides BIM engineering plugins for Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD, serving MEP and HVAC engineering firms with discipline-specific design, calculation, and coordination tools across the DACH region and selected international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
liNear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- BIM MEP/HVAC Engineering Software
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)
Keywords
Where liNear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aachen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
liNear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Perpetual or subscription-based software licenses for MEP/HVAC design tools. Single and network license options available. Includes subscription model (Softwarepflege) that provides software updates and new releases.
- Support Services: Telephone support provided via time-based credit system during business hours (Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30 and 13:30-17:00 CET). Support hours must be prepaid.
- Training and E-Learning: Online training through LearnWorlds e-learning platform, knowledge bases for Revit and AutoCAD, and on-site training services.
- Student Licenses: Special licensing program for students and educational institutions (Schüler- und Hochschullizenzen)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Purchase or Rental licensing model with flexibility |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Partner Program Margins |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
liNear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
liNear (LINEAR Gesellschaft für konstruktives Design mbH) develops and sells BIM engineering software plugins for Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD that enable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) / HVAC design, including heating, cooling, ventilation, potable water, waste water, gas, electrical, and district heating network planning. The software combines construction, calculation, simulation, coordination, and collaboration capabilities inside the CAD environment with technical discipline-specific calculations and manufacturer component libraries.
Product overview
LINEAR is a BIM Engineering Software company offering a comprehensive MEP/HVAC planning solution. The product portfolio consists of two core product lines: LINEAR Solutions for Autodesk Revit and LINEAR Solutions for Autodesk AutoCAD. Both platforms provide discipline-specific modules for heating design (with heating load and pipe network calculation), cooling design (with cooling load and pipe network calculation), ventilation design (with air duct network calculation), potable water design (with pipe network calculation), waste water design (with pipe network calculation), gas system design (with pipe network calculation), and electrical planning. The product ecosystem also includes LINEAR Building for building analysis and demand calculations, LINEAR Void Manager for void coordination in BIM models, LINEAR Enabler for support and training, LINEAR Admin for license management, and the LINEAR Installation Center for software deployment. The software supports three CAD platforms: Autodesk Revit, Autodesk AutoCAD, and CADinside.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LINEAR Solutions for Autodesk Revit Plugin/add-on for Autodesk Revit that provides MEP and HVAC design capabilities including heating, cooling, ventilation, potable water, waste water, gas system, electrical planning, and BIM coordination tools for MEP engineers and design offices.
- LINEAR Solutions for Autodesk AutoCAD Plugin/add-on for Autodesk AutoCAD that provides MEP and HVAC design capabilities including heating, cooling, ventilation, potable water, waste water, gas system, and district heating design tools for engineers using AutoCAD.
- LINEAR Void Manager Standalone void management tool for BIM coordination, used to plan and manage voids and openings in BIM models to coordinate structural elements with MEP systems.
- LINEAR Building Standalone building analysis and design module for demand analysis, providing heating load calculation, cooling load calculation, and required air volume determination for MEP engineers.
- Training and E-Learning Online training through the LearnWorlds e-learning platform, knowledge bases for Revit and AutoCAD, and on-site training services for customers and partners adopting LINEAR software.
- Student and Educational Institution Licenses Special licensing program (Schüler- und Hochschullizenzen) providing students and educational institutions with discounted access to LINEAR software for teaching and learning purposes.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces designer labor costs by 40-60%
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use liNear
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
liNear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature12 records
liNear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GeoINOVA d.o.o. (Bosnia and Herzegovina)minorSales partner for Bosnia and Herzegovina region
- Arkance Systems (Belgium and Netherlands)coreRegional sales partner for Belgium and the Netherlands
- COMMUNITER AD DECUS (Croatia)minorSales partner for Croatia
- BIM sustavi (Croatia)minorSales partner for Croatia
- Mario De Chiaria (Netherlands)minorSales partner for Netherlands
- Arkance Systems (Poland)coreRegional sales partner for Poland with Warsaw office
- Focus Computers (Serbia)minorSales partner for Serbia
- PMO d.o.o. Beograd (Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro)minorRegional sales partner covering multiple Balkan countries
- Eren Şahin (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Middle East)minorSales partner for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Middle East region
- AutodeskcoreTechnology integration partner for Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD platforms. LINEAR makes Revit and AutoCAD into real MEP/HVAC tools.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
liNear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ACCA Software: ACCA Software provides BIM and MEP design tools (Edilclima, Solarius-PV, TerMus) with growing European presence. While broader in scope (energy, structural, plant design), it intersects with liNear on MEP and energy calculation workflows and is an emerging alternative in Southern Europe.
Direct peers
- Solar-Computer: Solar-Computer is a long-established German vendor of CAD and calculation software for HVAC, sanitation, and electrical trades. It overlaps with liNear on the heating/cooling/ventilation design workflow in Germany, serving engineering and contracting firms.
- StabiPLAN / StabiCAD (SDC Group): StabiPLAN/StabiCAD is a Dutch MEP CAD software vendor with deep presence in the Benelux MEP engineering market. It offers comparable heating, cooling, ventilation, and pipe-network calculation functionality integrated into AutoCAD/Revit, directly competing for the same engineering firm customers.
- Plancal (Trimble): Plancal nova is an MEP design software by Trimble covering heating, cooling, ventilation, plumbing, and electrical design. It competes directly with liNear in the European MEP engineering market and benefits from Trimble's broader construction technology platform.
- DDS-CAD: DDS-CAD provides MEP/HVAC design software integrated with Revit and AutoCAD, including heating, ventilation, sanitation, and electrical modules. Headquartered in Northern Europe, it competes directly with liNear in the DACH and Nordic MEP BIM market with comparable discipline coverage.
- Hottgenroth Software (MicroMepa / ETU): Hottgenroth is a German software vendor offering CAD and calculation tools for MEP trades (heating, sanitation, electrical), with strong presence in the German craft and engineering trades. It targets a partially overlapping but slightly more craft-focused segment than liNear.
- MagiCAD (Glodon): MagiCAD is a leading MEP BIM software suite for Revit and AutoCAD, offering heating, cooling, ventilation, sprinkler, and electrical design tools. It is the closest direct competitor to liNear, serving the same MEP engineering firms with similar Revit/AutoCAD add-on workflows across Europe and globally.
Broad incumbents
- Trimble MEP (MEPcontent / Stabicad for Revit): Trimble is a global construction-technology platform with multiple MEP-focused offerings (StabiCAD, Plancal, MEPcontent). It competes with liNear through broader portfolio breadth and global distribution, rather than through a single point solution.
- Bentley Systems (OpenBuildings): Bentley Systems is a broad AEC software incumbent whose OpenBuildings portfolio addresses building design, mechanical, and electrical workflows. It competes with liNear for large engineering and infrastructure-building projects where BIM interoperability matters, but at a much broader portfolio level.
- Autodesk (Revit MEP / Fabrication): Autodesk owns the Revit and AutoCAD platforms that liNear extends. Autodesk's own Revit MEP and Fabrication products represent a broad-incumbent alternative to liNear's add-on offerings, and platform-level changes by Autodesk directly affect liNear's competitive position.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
liNear social profiles
Digital presenceliNear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
liNear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
liNear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
liNear 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 liNear
What does liNear do?
liNear (LINEAR Gesellschaft für konstruktives Design mbH) develops and sells BIM engineering software plugins for Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD that enable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) / HVAC design, including heating, cooling, ventilation, potable water, waste water, gas, electrical, and district heating network planning. The software combines construction, calculation, simulation, coordination, and collaboration capabilities inside the CAD environment with technical discipline-specific calculations and manufacturer component libraries.
Is liNear a public or private company?
liNear is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was liNear founded?
liNear was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is liNear based?
liNear is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does liNear make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are support Services, training and E-Learning and student Licenses.
Who are liNear's main competitors?
ACCA Software is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Solar-Computer, StabiPLAN / StabiCAD (SDC Group), Plancal (Trimble), DDS-CAD, Hottgenroth Software (MicroMepa / ETU) and MagiCAD (Glodon). Broad incumbents are Trimble MEP (MEPcontent / Stabicad for Revit), Bentley Systems (OpenBuildings) and Autodesk (Revit MEP / Fabrication).
Does liNear have an API?
No public API is recorded for liNear.
What industry is liNear in?
liNear's product category is BIM MEP/HVAC Engineering Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAK, Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7372.