Kernkonzept

What Kernkonzept does

Kernkonzept GmbH, founded in 2012 by Adam Lackorzynski, Dr. Michael Hohmuth, and Alexander Warg in Dresden, Germany, develops and maintains the open-source L4Re Operating System Framework — a microkernel-based OS and hypervisor platform targeting safety-critical and security-sensitive embedded systems. The technology stack is anchored on a minimal trusted computing base of approximately 30,000 lines of code with capability-based access control (Principle of Least Privilege), hardware-assisted virtualization, and an associated formal verification initiative. L4Re supports the full architectural spectrum from MPU-based ARMv8-R microcontrollers (Micro Hypervisor, launched 2023) through MMU-based multi-core SoCs (Hypervisor) and high-performance computing platforms, covering x86, ARM, MIPS, and RISC-V. The L4Re Secure Separation Kernel was BSI-approved for VS GEHEIM and NATO SECRET in 2024 and achieved Common Criteria EAL4+ certification in 2025, with EUCC re-certification in 2026; the framework moved from GPLv2 to MIT licensing in September 2025, removing downstream copyleft friction.

The company serves customers across high-assurance government and defense (Airbus Secure Exchange Gateway and FCAS-NTP; Infodas SDoT Security Gateway family; Genua vs-top and vs-diode), automotive and software-defined vehicles (Elektrobit EB corbos Hypervisor; JOYNEXT infotainment; joint cockpit-IVI demo with Telechips and Elektrobit at embedded world 2026), aerospace (Airbus flight trials aboard A400M in 2021 and 2022), secure cloud infrastructure (National Secure Cloud consortium with IABG, Infodas, Utimaco), medical electronics (SEMECO), and consumer IoT (Electrolux SteamPro). L4Re is embedded as foundational technology into products shipped by Elektrobit, Infodas, and Genua, generating indirect distribution alongside direct engagements.

Revenue is generated through services wrapped around the open-source L4Re framework rather than software license fees: system-architecture consulting and certification guidance (ISO 26262, ASIL, EAL4+), custom L4Re component and BSP/driver development, long-term support and maintenance contracts, and paid training (3-day on-site workshop at EUR 2,995 and 4-session remote workshop at EUR 1,495 per participant, both capped at 8 attendees). The go-to-market combines consultative enterprise field sales targeting engineering teams at OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, defense contractors, and government agencies, supplemented by an annual presence at embedded world in Nuremberg, an active GitHub and YouTube presence, and participation in 25+ Horizon Europe, BMBF, and Cyberagentur research consortia.

Name

Kernkonzept

Legal name

Kernkonzept GmbH

Website

https://kernkonzept.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kernkonzept develops the open-source L4Re microkernel operating system and hypervisor framework, serving automotive, defense, government, secure-cloud, and IoT customers that build safety-critical and security-certified embedded systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Embedded Virtualization Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Container Platforms & Orchestration (Kubernetes) (HDABADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid Cloud Platforms & Orchestration (HDABAMAA), Cloud Security for Containers & Kubernetes (KSPM/Kubernetes Security) (HDABAHAO)

Keywords

• Embedded virtualization software
• Microkernel operating systems
• Secure separation kernels
• Safety-critical hypervisors
• Automotive real-time OS

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. L4Re Framework Licensing: Open source L4Re framework licensed under MIT license. The company provides commercial support, customization, and services around the open-source product. Revenue comes from licensing professional services rather than the software itself.
2. Consulting Services: System architecture consulting, hardware-software co-design, security certification guidance (EAL4+, ISO 26262, ASIL). Engagements span from initial product conception through certification and accreditation processes.
3. Software Development: Custom L4Re component development, Board Support Package (BSP) development, driver development, and system engineering services. Specific expertise in safety-critical and real-time applications.
4. Support & Maintenance: Long-term support contracts including security patches for L4Re and Linux, stable version maintenance, and on-site support. Revenue generated through annual maintenance agreements.
5. Training & Workshops: Revenue from workshop fees for L4Re training programs. Both in-person (3-day workshop in Dresden) and remote (4-session online workshop) formats available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kernkonzept develops and maintains the open-source, microkernel-based L4Re Operating System Framework and Hypervisor for security- and safety-critical applications. The product family includes the L4Re Hypervisor for multi-core MMU systems, the L4Re Micro Hypervisor for MPU-based microcontrollers, and certified L4Re Secure Separation Kernel variants (BSI GEHEIM/NATO SECRET and Common Criteria EAL4+). The company monetizes through commercial consulting, custom software development, long-term support, and training workshops around the open-source framework.

Product overview

Kernkonzept develops and maintains the open-source, microkernel-based L4Re Operating System Framework and Hypervisor, which serves as both a real-time operating system and a virtualization platform. The product family centers on three core components: the L4Re Hypervisor for multi-core MMU-based systems (servers, automotive HPC platforms), the L4Re Micro Hypervisor for MPU-based embedded MCUs, and the L4Re Secure Separation Kernel variants (VS and CC) certified for high-assurance government and defense use up to GEHEIM/NATO SECRET and CC EAL4+. These are supported by Board Support Packages spanning x86, ARM, MIPS, and RISC-V architectures. Kernkonzept also offers commercial services including consulting, custom development, long-term support, and training workshops (in-person in Dresden and remote online). The L4Re framework uses a minimal Trusted Computing Base (TCB) of approximately 30,000 lines of code and provides capability-based access control, spatial and temporal isolation of virtual machines, and formal verification-ready design. Since September 2025, the framework is licensed under MIT (previously GPLv2).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• L4Re Operating System Framework

Quantifiable outcome

• TCB reduced to approximately 30,000 lines of code vs millions in competing solutions, significantly reducing certification effort
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TelechipscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Joint cockpit IVI demo at embedded world 2026. Demonstrated infotainment and safety-critical functions running simultaneously on Telechips' Dolphin5 platform using L4Re hypervisor and GPU virtualization.
• ElektrobitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Joint cockpit IVI demo at embedded world 2026. Elektrobit provides EB corbos Hypervisor built on L4Re. Partnership for automotive virtualization solutions targeting software-defined vehicles.
• UP2DATE4SDV ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Horizon Europe project (July 2025 - June 2028) enabling secure modular updates for software-defined vehicles. Kernkonzept provides hypervisor reference layer. Partners include DLR, IKERLAN, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, TTTech Auto, AVL, STMicroelectronics, Continental.
• SEQRET ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025EU lighthouse project for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for European telecom networks. Kernkonzept joined in summer 2025 to provide certifiable OS and hypervisor stack. Partners include KEEQUANT, Rohde & Schwarz, Smart Photonics, CESNET.
• MikroRZ ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Project (June 2025 - Dec 2027) developing secure hypervisor for data centers. L4Re provides secure virtualization for sovereign IT infrastructure in microkernel-based data centers. Partner: Barkhausen Institut.
• EvIT/Formula-V ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Cyberagentur project (Jan 2025 - Jan 2029) developing formal verification methods. Formula-V aims for a fully verified IoT hardware/software stack based on RISC-V and Rust. Partners: Barkhausen Institut, TU Dresden, Fraunhofer AISEC, Ferrous Systems, TU Berlin.
• SEMECO ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023BMBF-funded medical electronics research cluster (Phase 1: May 2023 - April 2026, Phase 2: May 2026 - May 2029). Kernkonzept contributes secure system architectures. Partners: TU Dresden, Barkhausen Institut, Infineon, Cyberus, Secunet.
• EMDRIVE ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023BMBF project on dynamic load distribution for autonomous driving with ASIL-D qualification. Kernkonzept implements dynamic work strategies in L4Re. Partners: Continental, Elektrobit, Siemens, KIT.
• MANNHEIM CeCas ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022BMBF project developing high-performance supercomputing platform for automobiles using FinFET processors. Kernkonzept provides virtualization and real-time OS expertise. Partners: Infineon, Bosch, ZF, KIT, Fraunhofer.
• VerSeCloud ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021KMU-innovativ project developing virtualization solution for classified government cloud. Kernkonzept extends L4Re Hypervisor for cloud use-cases and formally verifies security properties. Partners: University of Potsdam, Genua.
• secureAR ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2020BMBF project on augmented reality services for industrial manufacturing. L4Re runs secure OS on mobile platform for safety glasses with OLED display. Partners: Airbus, Fraunhofer FEP, Gestalt Robotics, Siemens.
• Jupiter ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019ESF-InnoTeam project developing certifiable modular OS platform for Smart Meter Gateway. L4Re provides strict separation of software components. Partners: TU Dresden, Teleconnect.
• European Processor Initiative (EPI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2018EU H2020 project developing high-performance low-energy processor with vector instructions and accelerators. Kernkonzept provides hypervisor layer for automotive eHPC platform.
• FastVPN ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cluster project for Industry 4.0 network infrastructure combining cryptography with virtualization separation. L4Re provides separation layer for gateway components. Partners: Netcom Connected Services, TU Dresden.
• EXPLOIDS ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2016BMBF project on privacy-preserving host intrusion detection. L4Re provides trusted microkernel OS with minimal TCB as platform for secure HIDS. Partners: quapona technologies, METOP, University of Leipzig, TU Dresden.
• MicroHPC ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2016ESF-InnoTeam project exploring heterogeneous systems for future HPC. L4Re provides secure real-time computing on supercomputer-class systems. Partner: TU Dresden.
• ArmcoreTechnology or IntegrationArm is a semiconductor and software development company headquartered in Cambridge, UK, specializing in ARM CPUs, System-on-a-Chip (SoC) infrastructure and software. Kernkonzept provides L4Re support for Arm-based platforms and collaborates on automotive virtualization solutions as demonstrated at embedded world 2026.
• NXP SemiconductorscoreTechnology or IntegrationNXP is the largest European semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, providing technologies for automotive, industrial, and communication infrastructure sectors. Kernkonzept L4Re supports NXP platforms including S32G automotive processors.
• Renesas ElectronicscoreTechnology or IntegrationRenesas is a semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and the world's largest producer of automotive semiconductors and microcontrollers. L4Re supports Renesas R-Car platforms for automotive IVI and safety systems.
• STMicroelectronicscoreTechnology or IntegrationSTMicroelectronics is the largest European semiconductor manufacturer and developer, a French-Italian company operating wafer factories worldwide. L4Re supports Stellar automotive platforms with Cortex-R52 processors.
• Avnet SilicaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean semiconductor specialist of Avnet Inc., one of the world's leading technology providers. Founded in 2001 with multiple locations in Germany.
• SOAFEE (Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry-led community of automotive OEMs, semiconductor vendors, cloud technology companies, and open-source software developers. Kernkonzept is a member of the SOAFEE Special Interest Group (SIG).
• Automotive Grade Linux (AGL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-industry project developing an open platform for the connected car. AGL is the only organization addressing all vehicle software from ADAS to autonomous driving.
• prpl FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation focused on enabling portable open-source software and virtualized architectures for next-generation data centers and devices. Kernkonzept has been a member since 2015.
• BitkomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman digital association representing more than 2,000 companies of the digital economy. Advocates for strong European digital policy and full integrated digital single market.
• APELL (Association Professionnelle Européenne du Logiciel Libre)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean association for open-source software uniting national OSS organizations in a European network since 2020.
• National Secure Cloud (NSC) ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative with IABG, Infodas, and Utimaco to enable secure and efficient use of VS-IT technologies. NSC provides modular Multi-Domain architecture with BSI-approved L4Re Secure Separation Kernel for dynamic instantiation of security domains.
• InfodascoreTechnology or IntegrationInfodas develops SDoT Security Gateway product family based on L4Re, BSI-approved up to German, EU, NATO SECRET. Kernkonzept provides open-source L4Re as secure execution platform with separation kernel requirements.
• GenuacoreTechnology or IntegrationGenua develops vs-top security laptop and vs-diode data diode using L4Re microkernel. vs-top approved for VS-NFD, vs-diode approved for NATO SECRET and EU SECRET. L4Re provides strict separation of internal domains.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wind River Systems: Wind River provides VxWorks RTOS and Wind River Helix Virtualization Platform, both safety-certified and used across automotive, avionics, and industrial safety-critical applications. Direct competitor in the certified real-time OS and embedded hypervisor category.
• Green Hills Software: Green Hills Software offers the INTEGRITY RTOS and INTEGRITY-178 tuMP multicore RTOS, certified to DO-178C and Common Criteria levels for avionics and defense. A direct peer in the safety- and security-critical microkernel/hypervisor space, particularly in aerospace and military programs.
• SYSGO: SYSGO offers PikeOS, a separation-kernel-based RTOS and hypervisor certified for safety (DO-178C, ISO 26262) and security (Common Criteria, German/EU classified) use cases. It is the closest direct competitor to L4Re in the European safety-critical embedded OS market, with overlapping automotive and defense customer segments.
• BlackBerry QNX: BlackBerry QNX provides safety-certified RTOS and hypervisor (QNX Hypervisor, QNX Neutrino RTOS) widely used in automotive cockpit and ADAS platforms. Direct competitor for automotive OEM virtualization wins, with a much larger installed base and global sales coverage.
• Lynx Software Technologies: Lynx Software offers the LynxOS-178 RTOS and LynxHypervisor, with safety and security certifications targeting avionics, defense, and industrial markets. A direct peer in the certified microkernel/hypervisor segment, particularly in North American defense programs.

Broad incumbents

• SUSE: SUSE is a major European enterprise Linux and container infrastructure provider (SUSE Linux Enterprise, Rancher) with growing activity in edge and industrial workloads. Broad incumbent competing in adjacent OS and orchestration layers rather than certified safety-critical microkernel territory.
• Red Hat: Red Hat provides RHEL and OpenShift as broad enterprise Linux and container platforms, with growing investment in edge and automotive (RHEL for Automotive). A broad incumbent competing in adjacent layers (OS, container, hybrid cloud orchestration) rather than as a direct microkernel-hypervisor specialist.

Others

• Elektrobit: Elektrobit builds automotive software including the EB Corbos Hypervisor that is built on L4Re. Both customer and technology integration partner, while also being a competitor in adjacent automotive middleware and OS services. Indirect commercial channel for Kernkonzept.
• Infodas: Infodas develops the SDoT Security Gateway product family built on L4Re's separation kernel, BSI-approved up to GEHEIM/NATO SECRET. Integration partner and indirect channel into German and EU public-sector classified networks.
• Genua: Genua is a German IT security provider using L4Re as the microkernel basis for its vs-top security laptop, vs-diode data diode, and other high-assurance products. Both an integration partner and indirect distribution channel into German federal and NATO SECRET deployments.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/kernkonzept
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjk-iT3pAmNKm5kmnjlgeVw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kernkonzept
• Xx.com/kernkonzept

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Kernkonzept