Photinus
Photinus GmbH & Co KG designs and manufactures solar-powered LED street and pathway luminaires for municipalities and public authorities across Europe and select international markets, selling through a regional partner and consultant network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDornbirn, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Photinus does
Photinus GmbH & Co KG is an Austrian designer and producer of solar-powered LED outdoor lighting, headquartered in Dornbirn, Austria. Founded in 2013, the company manufactures a portfolio of standalone luminaires (Merkur, Protos, Aron, Hera, Juno, Juno Plus, Mara, Athena, Titania, Luna, Uranus) intended for streets, cycle paths, residential areas, parking spaces, bus stops, monuments and other off-grid public spaces, together with add-on modules such as the Energy Tower, WLAN Tower, evacuation-point systems, smart mode controls, PIR and radar-based motion sensors, and the PILG (Photinus Intelligent Light Guard) demand-oriented lighting feature. The core technical proposition is an integrated package of photovoltaic module, battery storage, LED luminaire and intelligent controller engineered for northern climates using a 10:1 PV-to-LED performance ratio to deliver 3–9 days of autonomy (up to 18 days in smart mode) without grid connection.
The company's business model is hardware sales of solar LED lighting systems delivered through a selective network of regional partners and consultants in select countries, with advisory service as a key component of customer engagement. Photinus serves primarily municipalities and public authorities, with disclosed reference projects in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Bahrain, including a flagship 30 km cycle expressway in Hessen. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; revenue mechanics rely on project-based sales rather than subscriptions or recurring software revenue.
Photinus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Photinus
- Legal name
- Photinus GmbH & Co KG
- Website
- https://photinus-lighting.at
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Photinus GmbH & Co KG designs and manufactures solar-powered LED street and pathway luminaires for municipalities and public authorities across Europe and select international markets, selling through a regional partner and consultant network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Photinus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar LED Street Lighting
- NAICS
- Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems (BPABAGAC), Street Lighting & Area Lighting Electrical Infrastructure (IMAFAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Photinus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dornbirn
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Photinus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Solar LED Lighting Products: Sale of solar LED street lights, luminaires, and related outdoor solar lighting products for cycle paths, streets, sidewalks, parking areas, and other public spaces. Products are sold with various light performance levels (3-30W) and luminous flux (600-6000 lm).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Photinus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Photinus designs, develops, and manufactures solar-powered LED street and pathway luminaires for outdoor illumination. The product portfolio includes dedicated cycle-path and street lighting models, mobile and construction-site luminaires, monument and façade lighting, towers for pedestrian crossings, remote power, WLAN and evacuation points, and intelligent control options. Distribution is handled through a partner and consultant network in select European and international markets, with project-specific advisory included.
Product overview
Photinus is a solar LED lighting company offering a portfolio of solar-powered street, pathway, and specialty luminaires. The product line includes core solar LED lights (Merkur, Protos, Aron, Aron Duo, Hera, Juno, Juno Plus, Mara, Athena, Titania, Luna, Uranus) designed for streets, cycle paths, residential areas, parking spaces, bus stops, and special installations. These products work independently as standalone solar lighting units without requiring grid connection. Add-on modules extend functionality including Smart Mode Control for extended battery autonomy, PIR motion sensors for presence detection, radar detection for wider-area movement sensing, and specialized towers (Energy Tower, WLAN Tower, Mara Tower) for specific applications like remote power, connectivity, and pedestrian crossings. The company specializes in off-grid solar lighting solutions for outdoor illumination across European countries and select international markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Merkur Solar-powered LED luminaire for cycle paths, residential streets, and event venues, sold to municipalities and public-space operators.
- Protos Solar-powered LED luminaire for cycle paths, roundabouts, monuments, signs, and lock installations, sold to municipalities and infrastructure operators.
- Aron Solar-powered LED construction-site luminaire and car-park ticket-machine illuminator, available in mobile variants for temporary installations.
- Aron Duo Dual-head solar-powered LED construction-site luminaire for temporary illumination, sold to construction and event operators.
- Hera Solar-powered LED luminaire for monuments and special architectural features, sold to public authorities and cultural-property operators.
- Juno Solar-powered LED luminaire for cemetery lighting, government / National Guard facilities, and mobile event applications.
- Juno Plus Enhanced-performance solar-powered LED street and cycle-path luminaire for municipal and public-authority buyers.
- Mara Solar-powered LED luminaire for bicycle parking, bicycle service stations, and bus stop lighting, sold to public-authority and mobility-infrastructure buyers.
- Athena Solar-powered LED luminaire designed for snow environments, sold to municipalities operating in alpine and high-latitude locations.
- Titania Solar-powered LED luminaire for general outdoor lighting applications, sold to municipalities and public-authority buyers.
- Luna Solar-powered LED luminaire for outdoor pathway and cycle-path lighting, sold to municipalities and public-authority buyers.
- Uranus Solar-powered LED luminaire for street and pathway illumination, sold to municipalities and infrastructure operators.
- Energy Tower Standalone solar energy tower with vertical solar module, supplying off-grid power for remote installations such as forest huts and similar sites.
- WLAN Tower Solar-powered tower integrating WLAN connectivity for remote, off-grid locations, sold to public and private operators.
- Evacuation Point Solar-powered evacuation and assembly point lighting system providing emergency wayfinding illumination in public spaces.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3-9 days autonomy (up to 18 days in smart mode) without daylight
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Photinus
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Photinus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Photinus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Photinus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zumtobel Group: Austrian professional lighting group headquartered in Dornbirn on the same street (Dr.-Walter-Zumtobel-Straße) as Photinus. Offers Thorn and Zumtobel-brand outdoor lighting; while not primarily solar-focused, the proximity and brand heritage make it a logical broader-market incumbent comparable.
- Schréder: Belgian outdoor lighting specialist with strong European municipal presence and a growing portfolio of solar/connected street lighting solutions. Competes for the same municipal tenders as Photinus but with a broader conventional LED portfolio.
- Signify (Philips Lighting): Global lighting market leader offering connected LED street lighting and SunStay solar street luminaires. Larger portfolio and broader reach than Photinus, but its solar street products directly compete in the same municipal tenders.
Direct peers
- Carmanah Technologies: Canadian designer and manufacturer of solar-powered LED lighting for roadways, pathways, and transit applications. Comparable technology stack (integrated solar + battery + LED) and municipal customer focus, with deeper North American presence.
- SEPCO (Solar Electric Power Company): US-based manufacturer of solar LED street and area lighting with integrated PV, battery, and luminaire designs. Direct competitor in the solar street lighting category with municipal/government customer base and similar all-in-one product philosophy.
- Sol (Sol Inc / Sol Outdoor Lighting): US manufacturer specializing in commercial-grade solar LED outdoor lighting for parking lots, pathways, and streets. Direct product and customer overlap with Photinus in the integrated solar street lighting category.
- Sunna Design: French solar LED street lighting specialist focused on off-grid municipal and pathway applications across Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Highly comparable niche positioning, similar product architecture (integrated PV + battery + LED), and overlapping customer base (municipalities and public infrastructure projects).
- Greenshine New Energy: California-based solar street light manufacturer selling integrated solar LED luminaires to municipalities, parks, and parking lot operators. Comparable product category, customer type, and channel model.
Emerging players
- Sokana Solar: Smaller-scale solar street lighting manufacturer serving emerging markets with cost-competitive integrated luminaires. Comparable product but typically at lower price points and lower spec than Photinus, putting pressure on price-sensitive tenders.
- SunMaster Solar Lighting: Solar street and area lighting vendor with international project references in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Comparable product architecture and emerging-market municipal focus to Photinus, but smaller scale and less brand recognition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Photinus social profiles
Digital presencePhotinus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Photinus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Photinus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Photinus 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 Photinus
What does Photinus do?
Photinus designs, develops, and manufactures solar-powered LED street and pathway luminaires for outdoor illumination. The product portfolio includes dedicated cycle-path and street lighting models, mobile and construction-site luminaires, monument and façade lighting, towers for pedestrian crossings, remote power, WLAN and evacuation points, and intelligent control options. Distribution is handled through a partner and consultant network in select European and international markets, with project-specific advisory included.
Is Photinus a public or private company?
Photinus is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Photinus founded?
Photinus was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Photinus based?
Photinus is headquartered in Dornbirn, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Photinus make money?
One revenue line is on record: solar LED Lighting Products.
Who are Photinus's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zumtobel Group, Schréder and Signify (Philips Lighting). Direct peers are Carmanah Technologies, SEPCO (Solar Electric Power Company), Sol (Sol Inc / Sol Outdoor Lighting), Sunna Design and Greenshine New Energy. Emerging players are Sokana Solar and SunMaster Solar Lighting.
Does Photinus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Photinus.
What industry is Photinus in?
Photinus's product category is Solar LED Street Lighting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAB, Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior), with a secondary code of BPABAGAC, Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems. Its NAICS code is 33513 and its SIC code is 3640.