Photinus

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.

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

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

• Solar LED lighting
• Outdoor solar luminaires
• Street lighting systems
• Off-grid pathway illumination
• Cycle path lighting solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dornbirn

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad 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

• Xx.com/photinusAT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiYFdn755L1xbG3N3fqzmjg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/photinus.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/photinus
• Instagraminstagram.com/photinus.at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Photinus