What PROFIBUS & PROFINET International does

PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) is a Germany-headquartered, nonprofit industry association that owns and maintains seven open industrial communication standards — PROFIBUS, PROFINET, IO-Link, omlox, MTP, NOA, and SRCI — used across discrete manufacturing, process industries, robotics, and sensor/actuator segments. PI operates under the legal entity PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V. (PNO), registered as a German eingetragener Verein in Karlsruhe, with a governance model led by an Executive Board (Chairman Xaver Schmidt) and supported by 80 working groups staffed by more than 1,000 expert contributors. Its core technology stack enables real-time, deterministic, and interoperable communication between industrial devices from different vendors, supplemented by cybersecurity architecture guidance and a dedicated Cyber Security Incident Response Team.

PI sells access to this ecosystem primarily through membership fees paid by 1,850+ member companies, augmented by a diversified service revenue base: professional certification (Expert, Product, FDI-package, GSD signing), paid training programs (Certified PROFINET Installer, Engineer, Troubleshooting), software tools (PROFINET Community Stack, GSD Tools, SRCI-SDK, Test Tools), online services (Product Finder, IODDfinder, SRCI Vendor Map), and website banner advertising. Distribution is anchored by 23 Regional PI Associations worldwide, PI Training Centers (PITC), PI Test Labs (PITL), and PI Competence Centers (PICC), enabling localized adoption across global manufacturing geographies. Marketing and community engagement run through the profibus.com website, PROFINEWS newsletter, PROFITelevision on YouTube, LinkedIn, and an annual International PI Meeting (37th edition held in Seoul, May 2026).

The organization maintains ISO 27001-aligned information security and data protection management, and continuously evolves its standards portfolio — most recently with the 2025 IO-Link JSON Integration Specification and the PROFINET Design Guideline Security. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, consistent with PI's registered association structure and nonprofit governance by member companies rather than external shareholders.

Name

PROFIBUS & PROFINET International

Legal name

PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V.

Website

https://www.profibus.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) is a Germany-based nonprofit industry association that develops and maintains open industrial communication standards (PROFIBUS, PROFINET, IO-Link, omlox, MTP, NOA, SRCI) for 1,850+ member companies in discrete manufacturing, process, robotics, and sensor/actuator sectors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Karlsruhe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: PI supports its member companies through membership, providing access to documentation, certification programs, development tools, and networking opportunities. Specifications are delivered free of charge to all members.
2. Certification Services: Expert certification, product certification, FDI-package certification, and GSD signing services for member companies and products.
3. Training Programs: Certified training courses for PROFINET and PROFIBUS installation, engineering, and troubleshooting.
4. Software Tools: PROFINET Community Stack, GSD Tools, PROFINET Test Tools, and other software tools available for download.
5. Banner Advertising: Companies can place banners on the PI website with special conditions for banner advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PI develops and maintains open industrial communication standards (PROFIBUS, PROFINET, IO-Link, omlox, MTP, NOA, SRCI) used worldwide in factory, process, and robot automation. The organization sells memberships, certification programs, training, downloadable software tools (Community Stacks, Test Tools, GSD Tools), and online services such as Product Finder and IODDfinder to its member companies and certified product vendors.

Product overview

PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) offers an integrated portfolio of industrial communication standards, software tools, and certification services. The core offering centers on seven technology standards: PROFIBUS, PROFINET, IO-Link, omlox, MTP, NOA, and SRCI. Supporting these technologies, PI provides software products including the PROFINET and PROFIdrive Community Stacks, GSD Tools, FDI Tools & Components, PROFINET Test Tools, and SRCI-SDK. Online services include the Product Finder, ECLASS Product Finder, IODDfinder, and SRCI Vendor Map. PI also delivers professional services such as Expert Certification, Product Certification, GSD-Signing, FDI-Package Signing, Cyber Security Incident Response Team, and assignment of Ident Numbers, Vendor IDs, and PROFINET MAC Addresses. This comprehensive ecosystem enables manufacturers to develop, test, certify, and deploy interoperable industrial automation solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PI Membership Industry association membership program granting companies access to PI standards (PROFIBUS, PROFINET, IO-Link), working groups, downloads, and networking across the global PI ecosystem. Targeted at industrial automation vendors, system integrators, and end users.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1,850 member companies worldwide rely on PI standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Technology companies implementing PI standardscoreOthersPI works with member companies across the industrial automation ecosystem including major vendors like Siemens, and component manufacturers to develop, certify, and promote PI technologies. Members contribute to working groups and have access to specifications and certification services.
• Regional PI Associations (RPAs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner23 regional representative offices (RPAs) operate as strategic partners in their respective regions, promoting PI technologies, supporting members, and facilitating local adoption and implementation of PI standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ODVA: Global standards organization behind EtherNet/IP, CIP, and DeviceNet industrial networking protocols. Direct competitor to PROFINET with a similar member-driven model, conformance certification, and training programs.
• EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG): User organization that promotes the EtherCAT Industrial Ethernet protocol, a direct rival to PROFINET in discrete and process automation. Comparable operating model with member companies, certification, working groups, and regional representation.
• IO-Link Consortium: International consortium that develops and promotes the IO-Link point-to-point communication standard for sensors and actuators. PI is closely tied to IO-Link (which it stewards) but operates as an independent peer consortia for the same technology ecosystem.
• OPC Foundation: Industry consortium that develops the OPC UA interoperability standard for industrial M2M communication and OT/IT convergence. Direct comparable as a non-profit standards organization whose technologies compete with and complement PI's PROFINET portfolio in IIoT architectures.
• Sercos International: Organization that standardizes Sercos automation bus for real-time industrial communication. Comparable non-profit member-driven standards body competing in motion and machine-building segments where PROFINET also operates.
• FieldComm Group: Standards organization governing HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, and FDI for process automation. Comparable mission around industrial communication standards and certification, with overlapping process-industry membership.
• CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA): Organization promoting CC-Link IE and related industrial networking standards originating from Mitsubishi. Competes directly with PROFINET in Asian and global discrete-automation markets with comparable member and certification structures.

Emerging players

• Avnu Alliance: Industry consortium promoting deterministic networking standards including TSN and Milan AVB. Emerging competitor and complement to PROFINET in converged OT/IT and time-sensitive networking architectures relevant to Industry 4.0.

Broad incumbents

• Industrial Internet Consortium / Object Management Group: Industry organization advancing IIoT reference architectures, frameworks, and security guidance. Adjacent to PI in addressing industrial interoperability and security, with overlapping membership among large automation vendors.
• Modbus Organization: Long-standing non-profit promoting the Modbus communication protocol for industrial devices. Comparable as a legacy industrial communication standards steward with simple governance and broad installed base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/profitelevision
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/PROFIBUS-PROFINET-International-PI/519628184728851?ref=ts&fref=ts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pi-profibus-&-profinet-international-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 PROFIBUS & PROFINET International