EmpirBus AB

What EmpirBus AB does

EmpirBus AB is a Swedish marine electronics company that designs and sells digital switching systems for boats and other marine vessels. The company has operated in the marine digital switching category for more than 20 years, building its product line around the NMEA 2000 networking protocol for centralized control, integration, and monitoring of onboard electronics.

The EmpirBus platform is anchored by the MCU v2 central processor, which coordinates the digital boat network, and is complemented by NMEA 2000 DC switching modules (Connect 50, NXT DCM), programmable switch console panels (SP8 and SP12), and the WDU v2 web server unit that delivers a graphical user interface on compatible helm displays. The system replaces traditional switches and fuses with a digital power distribution architecture, enabling LED lighting control, system monitoring, alerts, automated boat setups, and boating modes. Integration with Garmin chartplotters extends control into Garmin's broader marine electronics ecosystem, alongside related products such as Garmin Boat Switch, Garmin Spectra, TD 50, and OnDeck Hub.

EmpirBus generates revenue through sale of its hardware modules to boat manufacturers and aftermarket installers, but the company has no direct end-customer sales motion of its own. Distribution is handled exclusively by Garmin, which sells EmpirBus products through garmin.com and Garmin's worldwide authorized marine dealer and installer network, and which also provides sales engineering and support. The specific ownership and corporate relationship between EmpirBus AB and Garmin, as well as any independent financials, headcount, or funding history, are not disclosed in the source material.

Name

EmpirBus AB

Legal name

EmpirBus AB

Website

https://empirbus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EmpirBus AB is a Swedish marine electronics company that designs NMEA 2000-based digital switching systems (central processors, DC switching modules, switch panels, and web-based helm interfaces) for boat builders and installers, sold exclusively through Garmin's global marine distribution network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Digital Switching

NAICS

Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)

SIC

Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Marine Electrical Systems & Switchboards (IMAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting) (IMAJAGAF), Electrical, Automation & Navigation MRO (Power, Controls, Comms, ECDIS/Radar) (IMAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Marine digital switching
• Boat network systems
• NMEA 2000 integration
• Onboard electronics control
• Digital power distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Uddevalla

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Switching Hardware Sales: EmpirBus generates revenue through sale of digital switching hardware modules including central processors (MCU v2), switching modules (Connect 50, NXT DCM), switch panels (SP8, SP12), and interface units (WDU v2) to marine boat manufacturers and aftermarket installers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EmpirBus AB designs and supplies digital switching hardware for marine vessels, built on the NMEA 2000 networking protocol. The product line includes a central processor (MCU v2), DC switching modules (Connect 50, NXT DCM), programmable switch panels (SP8, SP12), and a web-based interface unit (WDU v2) that together enable centralized digital control, power distribution, and monitoring of onboard electronics. Products are sold to boat builders, marine installers, and end customers exclusively through Garmin's global sales, e-commerce, and authorized dealer network.

Product overview

EmpirBus AB is a marine digital switching platform providing centralized control and monitoring of onboard electronics across vessels of any size. The platform consists of the EmpirBus MCU v2 as the central processor coordinating the system, complemented by modules for NMEA 2000 digital power distribution (EmpirBus Connect 50, EmpirBus NXT DCM), programmable switching consoles (EmpirBus SP8 & SP12), and web-based graphical interface (EmpirBus WDU v2). Additional products include Garmin Boat Switch for chartplotter-based control, Garmin Spectra for LED lighting control, the TD 50 touchscreen display, and the OnDeck Hub for remote connectivity. The system leverages the NMEA 2000 network for reliable communication and has delivered reliable performance for over 20 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EmpirBus MCU v2 The central processor that drives and coordinates the EmpirBus digital boat network, enabling centralized control and monitoring of onboard electronics across NMEA 2000. Sold to marine OEMs, installers, and boat owners via Garmin.
• EmpirBus Connect 50 A compact, cost-efficient NMEA 2000 DC switching module that provides digital power distribution capability within the EmpirBus boat network. Sold to marine installers and OEMs via Garmin.
• EmpirBus NXT DCM A multi-circuit digital control module providing NMEA 2000 digital power distribution capability for EmpirBus boat integration systems. Used by marine OEMs and installers to expand controllable circuits on a vessel.
• EmpirBus SP8 & SP12 Switch Panels Programmable digital switching console panels providing a configurable helm interface for the EmpirBus power distribution system. Sold to boat owners and installers via Garmin's network.
• EmpirBus WDU v2 A web server unit that provides the graphical user interface for compatible helm displays within the EmpirBus boat network, enabling access to system controls, information, alerts, and automated boat setups.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GarmincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGarmin serves as the exclusive global distributor of EmpirBus digital switching products. Garmin sells, markets, and provides support for EmpirBus products including the MCU v2, Connect 50, NXT DCM, SP8/SP12 switch panels, and WDU v2 through Garmin's worldwide sales network and garmin.com e-commerce platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Yacht Devices: Yacht Devices produces NMEA 2000-based marine digital switching, monitoring, and interface devices for the cruising and yacht segments. It is a niche but technically overlapping competitor in the digital switching/monitoring category.
• Victron Energy: Victron Energy provides marine power electronics, battery monitoring, and increasingly digital switching/integration for hybrid and electric vessels. Its Cerbo GX and Venus OS overlap with EmpirBus's monitoring and control value proposition.
• Mastervolt (Power Products LLC): Mastervolt (now part of Power Products, alongside CZone) provides marine power electronics, battery management, and digital switching/power distribution. Its CZone platform is the closest direct competitor to EmpirBus.

Direct peers

• Maretron: Maretron specializes in NMEA 2000 vessel monitoring, sensors, and digital switching modules used in marine networks. Its product line overlaps technically with EmpirBus's NMEA 2000-based monitoring and switching modules.
• Blue Sea Systems: Blue Sea Systems manufactures marine electrical products including panels, switchgear, and circuit protection — both traditional and digital/monitoring variants — serving OEMs and the aftermarket alongside EmpirBus.
• CZone (Advanced Systems Group / Power Products LLC): CZone is the most direct competitor in marine digital switching, offering NMEA 2000-based digital control modules, switch panels, and monitoring systems for boats — directly overlapping with EmpirBus's MCU, DCM, and switch-panel product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Raymarine (Teledyne FLIR): Raymarine is a major marine electronics brand offering chartplotters, autopilots, and integrated vessel systems. Its broader portfolio competes with the Garmin/EmpirBus ecosystem at the helm, and Raymarine has invested in networked vessel control and NMEA 2000 integration.
• Navico (Simrad, Lowrance, B&G): Navico owns Simrad, Lowrance, and B&G — three of the largest recreational marine electronics brands — and offers networked vessel systems, lighting, and switching integrations that compete with the Garmin/EmpirBus digital switching bundle at the OEM level.
• Eaton (Marine Electrical Systems): Eaton is a large incumbent switchgear and electrical control manufacturer with marine and shipboard applications. While its scale and breadth differ, its switchboard and power distribution products compete in the same marine electrical specification layer as EmpirBus systems.
• Garmin (Marine Digital Switching): Garmin is both EmpirBus's exclusive distributor and a competitor via its own Garmin Boat Switch, Garmin Spectra LED controller, TD 50 display, and OnDeck Hub. As a broad marine electronics incumbent, Garmin offers overlapping switching capabilities bundled with chartplotters, sonar, and autopilots.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/garmin-sweden-technologies-ab

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 EmpirBus AB