What ETU Software does

ETU Software GmbH is a Cologne-based German software vendor specializing in building engineering, HVAC planning, energy consulting, and renewable energy planning software for the German-speaking market. The company operates as part of the Hottgenroth Gruppe alongside Hottgenroth Software AG and Hottgenroth Software GmbH & Co. KG and sells an integrated suite of approximately 30 software products under brands including ETU-Planer, HottCAD, Energieberater, EE-Berater, Optimus, Kaufmann, and PV-Planer. Its primary customers are German SMBs in HVAC trades, energy consulting, electrical trades, and chimney sweep services, with additional reach into the Austrian and Swiss markets.

The core technical platform is centered on HottCAD, an integrated 2D/3D CAD module that replaces standalone CAD tools and feeds building geometry into specialized calculation modules for energy certification, hydraulic simulation, thermal bridge analysis, and dynamic building simulation. The stack includes regulatory compliance modules tied to German and EU standards (GEG, DIN V 18599, DIN EN ISO 10211, VDI 4645, DIN 1946-6, DVGW-TRGI 2018, 1. BlmSchV), BIM interoperability via IFC with import support from Revit and Allplan, and an AI computer-vision module (Hott-KI) for automated building capture from photographs. Products are delivered as perpetual desktop licenses, recurring maintenance contracts (Nutzungsverträge), cloud-based SaaS (E-Kaufmann), and a set of mobile field-service apps.

Revenue is generated from a mix of one-time software license sales (EUR 199 to EUR 6,999 per product, with bundle tiers up to ETU-Planer Gold at EUR 6,999), recurring maintenance subscriptions (EUR 19 to EUR 329 per month for software updates and current manufacturer data), cloud subscriptions, training and e-learning, and field-service mobile apps. Distribution combines direct online sales via shop.etu.de and shop.etu.at with sales-led consultation for larger deals. The company is privately held, founder/family-led under Managing Director Karl-Heinz Hottgenroth, ISO 9001 certified, and self-reports "more than 200 employees" across offices in Cologne, Wernigerode, Magdeburg, and Flammersfeld. No external venture capital or private equity ownership has been disclosed, and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

ETU Software

Legal name

ETU Software GmbH

Website

https://etu.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ETU Software GmbH is a Cologne-based German vendor of integrated CAD, energy consulting, HVAC planning, and business management software for SMB trades, energy consultants, and chimney sweeps in the German, Austrian and Swiss markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Engineering Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Building Software Platforms (IWMS/CAFM Integration, Digital Twin, Command Center) (BPABAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes) (EDAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Building energy software
• HVAC planning software
• Energy efficiency consulting
• CAD building design
• Photovoltaic system planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: One-time purchase of software licenses for desktop applications. Perpetual licenses available with optional maintenance contracts.
2. Maintenance/Pflegeverträge Contracts: Annual or monthly subscription contracts (Nutzungsverträge) providing software updates, current manufacturer data, and technical support.
3. Cloud Services (E-Kaufmann): Monthly subscription for cloud-based software solutions like E-Kaufmann for business process optimization.
4. Training and Education: E-Learning packages, seminar packages, and training courses for software education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ETU Software GmbH develops and sells specialized engineering software for building services, HVAC planning, energy consulting, and electrical design in the German market. The portfolio combines a proprietary CAD platform (HottCAD), energy certification tools, thermal bridge and building simulation modules, photovoltaic and heat pump planning tools, and trade-business management software (Kaufmann). Offerings are packaged as tiered "ETU-Planer" bundles targeting energy consultants, HVAC planners, electrical designers, chimney sweeps, and trades businesses.

Product overview

ETU Software (Hottgenroth/ETU) offers a comprehensive portfolio of specialized software solutions for building design, energy efficiency, HVAC planning, electrical systems, and business management. The core platform consists of integrated CAD capabilities (HottCAD) combined with specialized planning modules. The ETU-Planer product line provides tiered complete solutions (Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, PLUS, Paket E) for different user needs. Key product families include: HottCAD for integrated CAD/building capture; Hott-KI for AI-powered building scanning; energy consulting products (Energieberater, EE-Berater) for GEG compliance and certification; building simulation tools (ETU-Simulation, Sommerlicher Wärmeschutz); HVAC planning (Optimus, TGA modules, Klima-Check, Lüftungskonzepte); renewable energy planning (PV-Planer, PV-Berater, Wärmepumpen-Planer, GetSolar Professional); thermal bridge analysis (HS PSI-THERM, Hott-Therm); electrical planning (HottCAD E); business management (Kaufmann, E-Kaufmann); and mobile applications for field service. Products support file formats including PDF, DWG, DXF, Word, Excel and integrate with Google Maps, Allplan, and Revit for enhanced functionality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ETU-Planer: Complete solution software for building planning combining multiple modules for HVAC, energy consulting, and technical building equipment.
• HottCAD
• HottConnect
• Kaufmann
• Optimus
• SimpleMeasure
• Hott-KI
• EE-Berater
• Energieberater
• PV-Planer
• ECO-CAD
• ECO-Pass
• HS PSI-THERM
• GetSolar Professional
• Klima-Check
• Lüftungskonzept
• Luftverbund
• EuroKAM Futura
• Abgas-App
• Fibu
• E-Kaufmann

Products and services

• ETU-Planer (comprehensive bundle packages)
• HottCAD

Quantifiable outcome

• Integrated CAD eliminates need for separate software
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Autodesk (Revit / AutoCAD): Global CAD/BIM incumbent whose Revit and AutoCAD products are explicitly supported as import sources in ETU's EE-Berater; competes at the general-purpose CAD/BIM layer though not in ETU's specialized HVAC/energy niches.
• Trimble (MEP / Building Construction): Global construction and building software provider with MEP/HVAC-adjacent tools (StabiCAD, Plumb, etc.); broader portfolio serving general contractors and engineers, partial overlap with ETU's HVAC and electrical planning positioning.
• RIB Software (now part of Schneider Electric): German-headquartered construction software provider with tendering and project management solutions that partially overlap ETU's LV/AVA tendering module; broader AEC focus rather than ETU's building engineering specialization.
• Nemetschek Group (Allplan): Major European AEC software publisher whose Allplan architectural platform is explicitly integrated with ETU's EE-Berater; serves architects and planners across a much broader portfolio than ETU's niche focus on building services engineering.

Direct peers

• Solar-Computer GmbH: Germany-based provider of PV and solar planning software plus energy consulting tools; comparable niche customer base of German energy consultants and trades, with product overlap in PV yield calculation and energy certification workflows.
• Valentin Software (PV*SOL): German-headquartered developer of PV*SOL and other energy/planning software for solar and energy systems; directly overlaps ETU's PV-Planer, PV-Berater, GetSolar Professional offerings with similar target customers (PV planners, energy consultants) and Germany-centered regulatory alignment.
• Hottgenroth Software AG: Sister company within the same Hottgenroth Gruppe; offers overlapping building engineering and energy efficiency software (HottCAD, Energieberater) on the same technology stack, serving similar German SMB and engineering customers. Listed in the company_history narrative as operating alongside ETU Software GmbH.

Emerging players

• DIAL GmbH: German lighting simulation and building performance software provider (DIALux, DIALux evo); overlaps with ETU's building simulation and energy performance analysis niche at a more focused depth.
• Graphisoft (ArchiCAD): BIM/architectural design platform owner whose ArchiCAD tool has product and IFC interoperability overlap with ETU's CAD/IFC-Schnittstelle, addressing adjacent architect-segment users rather than HVAC specialists.

Regional players

• Linear GmbH: German-based building automation and HVAC controls company with software/engineering services overlap; comparable Germany-centric focus on building technology but more oriented to controls hardware than ETU's design/CAD layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.de/hsetu

Compliance1 record

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 ETU Software