Plan GIS
planGIS GmbH is a privately held German geoinformation firm providing GIS-based environmental planning, immission protection, scouting, and consulting services, plus proprietary ArcGIS extensions, to wind/solar developers, municipalities and federal authorities in Germany and selected European markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLeer, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Plan GIS does
planGIS GmbH is a privately held German geoinformation and environmental planning firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in Leer, with a second office in Hannover opened in 2012 after acquiring GEO-NET's environmental planning unit. The company delivers GIS-based services and proprietary software to project developers, municipalities, and federal authorities in Germany, with selected international engagements in the Netherlands and Denmark. Its core offerings fall into four service lines: environmental planning and permitting support (FFH compatibility studies, landscape management plans, environmental impact assessments), immission protection (sound and shadow predictions, optical impact studies for wind projects), scouting and site assessment (potential analyses, micrositing, due diligence for wind, solar PV and Power-to-X projects), and GIS consulting plus geodata management (architecture setup, custom training, database solutions, web GIS hosting).
Underlying technology is built on a mix of established geospatial platforms — ESRI ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, GeoServer, UMN MapServer and TerriaJS — combined with proprietary extensions: KomMan and WebKomMan for compensation-area cadaster management and RasterMan for raster data catalogue administration, plus web-based systems such as the TrilaWatt Datenviewer (BAW Küstenportal) and the HyMoS information system. Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services (consulting, environmental assessments, permitting documentation), supplemented by one-time software licenses with support contracts for KomMan, WebKomMan and RasterMan. The company employs approximately 25 staff across two offices and is led by Managing Director Frank Simmering, with no external institutional investors.
Plan GIS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plan GIS
- Legal name
- planGIS GmbH
- Website
- https://plangis.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- planGIS GmbH is a privately held German geoinformation firm providing GIS-based environmental planning, immission protection, scouting, and consulting services, plus proprietary ArcGIS extensions, to wind/solar developers, municipalities and federal authorities in Germany and selected European markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plan GIS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- GIS Consulting and Environmental Planning Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Geospatial Data Management & Enterprise GIS (Geodatabases, Web GIS, Spatial Analytics) (EUAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK), Environmental Reporting, Dashboards & Regulatory Submittals (Automated Reports, e-Reporting) (EUAHAKAL), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD), Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)
Keywords
Where Plan GIS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leer
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Plan GIS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Environmental Planning Consulting Services: Professional services revenue from environmental impact assessments, nature conservation planning, landscape planning, noise and shadow predictions, and permitting support for construction and energy projects.
- GIS Consulting and Geodata Management: GIS consulting services including system architecture setup, database solutions, custom training (ArcGIS Desktop, QGIS), interface development, and geodata hosting.
- GIS Software Products (KomMan, WebKomMan, RasterMan): License and support revenue from proprietary GIS extensions for ESRI ArcGIS Desktop. Products are tailored to customer requirements but extendable and adaptable.
- Offshore Wind Services: Specialized GIS services for offshore wind projects including wind farm layout planning, cable route planning, GIS analyses, survey data analysis, and monitoring reporting for BSH.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Plan GIS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
planGIS GmbH provides GIS-based environmental planning consulting and proprietary GIS software products. Its core service portfolio includes environmental impact assessments, immission protection (sound and shadow predictions), scouting and micrositing for renewable energy projects (wind, solar, power-to-X), GIS consulting and geodata management, and specialized offshore windpark services. Complementing these services, planGIS develops and licenses GIS extensions (KomMan, WebKomMan, RasterMan) for ESRI ArcGIS and QGIS environments used to manage compensation area cadastres and raster data catalogues.
Product overview
planGIS offers a portfolio of GIS-based desktop software products (KomMan, WebKomMan, RasterMan) and comprehensive geoinformation/environmental planning services. KomMan and WebKomMan form a complementary pair for managing compensation area cadastres - KomMan as an ArcGIS Desktop extension for desktop-based management and WebKomMan as a web-based client for broader access. RasterMan provides raster data catalogue management for ArcGIS. Beyond software products, planGIS provides consulting, geodata management, environmental planning, immission protection, scouting/planning for renewable energy projects (wind, solar, hydrogen), and specialized offshore windpark GIS services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KomMan (Kompensationsflächenmanager) GIS-based extension for ESRI ArcGIS Desktop that captures, manages, and monitors area-based compensation and replacement measures. Enables creation and ongoing database-based management of compensation area cadastres for environmental planning and permitting.
- WebKomMan Web-based client/server extension providing browser-based access to compensation area cadastres created with KomMan. Consists of AreaManager (FlächenManager) and QueryManager (AbfrageManager) components for searching, displaying, and managing area information over the web.
- RasterMan (Rasterkatalogmanager) Extension for ESRI ArcGIS Desktop for managing database-based raster data catalogues. Provides functions to add/remove raster datasets, update paths, link external documents, and individually name/comment datasets.
- GIS-Consulting Consulting services covering GIS architecture setup, desktop and server GIS solutions, data management concepts, and customized training for ArcGIS Desktop and QGIS. Targeted at organizations that need to build or evolve their GIS capabilities.
- Geodatenmanagement (Geodata Management) GIS-based data management solutions including digital cartography, digitization, data conversion/migration, complex geodata analyses, map layouts, profile sections, 3D modeling, terrain models, and cable cadastres for clients managing spatial data assets.
- Scouting Services Comprehensive planning services for renewable energy projects including potential analyses, due diligence/project reviews, micrositing, site access and crane pad planning, landowner data procurement, aviation/military restriction assessment, and infrastructure analyses for wind, solar PV, and Power-to-X projects worldwide.
- Umweltplanung (Environmental Planning) Environmental assessment services including visibility analysis, landscape character analysis, mappings, special species protection reviews, FFH compatibility studies, landscape conservation planning (LBP), environmental impact studies (UVP), and approval planning for construction projects.
- Immissionsschutz (Immission Protection) Sound immission and shadow projection forecasts, optical impact assessments, and visualizations for wind energy and other projects to evaluate environmental impacts of planned installations on their surroundings.
- Offshore Windpark Services Specialized GIS services for offshore wind energy including wind farm layout planning, export and inter-array cable route planning, GIS analyses, bathymetric and survey data analysis, cartographic production, and monitoring reporting for BSH and other authorities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300 wind farm planning projects completed across all German federal states
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Plan GIS
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Plan GIS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Plan GIS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau (BAW)coreTrilaWatt project partner for Digital Hydromorphological Twin of the Trilateral Wadden Sea. BAW is project coordinator. planGIS responsible for IT infrastructure, data management, methods processing and network-transparent services including WPS interface implementation.
- smile consult GmbHcoreTrilaWatt project partner responsible for data processing and creation of data products for topography and sedimentology of the trilateral Wadden Sea.
- Wadden Sea ForumminorTrilaWatt project partner representing stakeholder interests in the Wadden Sea Region.
- GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbHcoreLong-standing partnership strengthened in 2012 when planGIS took over GEO-NET's environmental planning and climate protection business units including staff. Joint exhibition stands at Husum Wind. Collaboration on Wind Onshore Database development.
- Bundesverband Windenergie e.V. (BWE)minorIndustry association membership. With over 20,000 members, BWE is one of the world's largest renewable energy associations advocating for wind energy expansion in Germany.
- Ems-Achse e.V.minorRegional growth network with over 820 members including companies, municipalities, educational institutions, chambers and associations. Focuses on networking, lobbying, and securing skilled workforce for the Ems region.
- Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz (NLWKN) - Forschungsstelle KüstecoreHyMoS project client. NLWKN-FSK awarded planGIS contract to build hydromorphological and sedimentological information system for North Sea and Baltic Sea. Project serves as data pool for hydrology and morphology working group (Fach-AG HyMo) under Bund/Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft Nord- und Ostsee (BLANO).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Plan GIS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Terria (Ecosystem / open-source web mapping): Open-source web mapping framework already extended by planGIS for TrilaWatt. Could evolve alongside planGIS into a competing solution for digital-twin, geospatial analysis platforms in coastal and environmental domains.
Broad incumbents
- ESRI: The dominant GIS platform provider on which planGIS's KomMan, WebKomMan, and RasterMan extensions are built. ESRI is a relevant incumbent both as a platform dependency and as a potential competitor offering bundled GIS functionality.
- Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG: Large German engineering and consulting firm with a renewable energy practice covering wind, grid, and environmental planning. Comparable to planGIS at the broader portfolio level on renewable energy planning and permitting advisory.
- UL Solutions (Renewables / former DEWI): Provides wind energy measurement, certification, and consulting services. Comparable to planGIS on wind project due diligence and technical advisory, with a much broader institutional footprint.
- Ramboll (Ramboll Wind): Global engineering and environmental consultancy with a dedicated wind practice covering environmental impact assessment, permitting, and offshore wind planning. Comparable to planGIS in environmental planning and offshore wind advice.
- DNV (Energy Systems, Renewables): Global certification, advisory, and software provider for wind energy (Bladed, Site Assessment). Overlaps with planGIS's offshore wind planning, due diligence, and technical advisory services, though at larger scale and broader scope.
- Tractebel (ENGIE): Engineering consultancy with a strong offshore wind and environmental planning offering across Europe. Comparable to planGIS's offshore wind GIS and permitting capabilities, with a much larger institutional footprint.
Direct peers
- ENOVA Energieanlagen GmbH: German wind energy project developer with in-house planning, GIS, and environmental/permitting capabilities. Comparable to planGIS in the wind project planning and permitting workflow, though operating more as a developer than a pure consultancy.
- GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH: Long-standing German partner of planGIS with overlapping environmental planning, immission protection, and GIS services for wind energy. Their 2012 carve-out of environmental planning staff to planGIS makes them a near-direct comparable on capability and customer base.
- EWS Consulting GmbH: German specialist consultancy focused on Schallimmissionsschutz, Schattenwurf, and environmental planning for wind energy projects—directly overlapping with planGIS's Immissionsschutz and Umweltplanung service lines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Plan GIS social profiles
Digital presencePlan GIS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plan GIS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Plan GIS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plan GIS 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 Plan GIS
What does Plan GIS do?
planGIS GmbH provides GIS-based environmental planning consulting and proprietary GIS software products. Its core service portfolio includes environmental impact assessments, immission protection (sound and shadow predictions), scouting and micrositing for renewable energy projects (wind, solar, power-to-X), GIS consulting and geodata management, and specialized offshore windpark services. Complementing these services, planGIS develops and licenses GIS extensions (KomMan, WebKomMan, RasterMan) for ESRI ArcGIS and QGIS environments used to manage compensation area cadastres and raster data catalogues.
Is Plan GIS a public or private company?
Plan GIS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Plan GIS founded?
Plan GIS was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Plan GIS based?
Plan GIS is headquartered in Leer, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Plan GIS make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Environmental Planning Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are GIS Consulting and Geodata Management, GIS Software Products (KomMan, WebKomMan, RasterMan) and offshore Wind Services.
Who are Plan GIS's main competitors?
Terria (Ecosystem / open-source web mapping) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are ESRI, Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG, UL Solutions (Renewables / former DEWI), Ramboll (Ramboll Wind), DNV (Energy Systems, Renewables) and Tractebel (ENGIE). Direct peers are ENOVA Energieanlagen GmbH, GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH and EWS Consulting GmbH.
Does Plan GIS have an API?
Yes. Web Processing Services (WPS) - a standard that enables web GIS clients to execute geospatial analyses on servers. Implemented for the TrilaWatt digital twin data viewer, allowing users to create profiles and perform raster data difference calculations. The Parameter and Data Analyser (PANDA) tool chains analysis processes together, enabling users to specify parameter value ranges and calculate frequency of occurrence within the study area.
What industry is Plan GIS in?
Plan GIS's product category is GIS Consulting and Environmental Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAKAC, Geospatial Data Management & Enterprise GIS (Geodatabases, Web GIS, Spatial Analytics), with a secondary code of BPAMANAK, GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7370.