PENTA
PENTA d.o.o. is a Croatian IT engineering firm founded in 1990 that designs, manufactures, and integrates proprietary automatic identification systems for public transportation, parking, time-and-attendance, and access control. It serves enterprise and government customers across Southeastern Europe via regional subsidiaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPula, Croatia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What PENTA does
PENTA d.o.o. is a privately held Croatian IT engineering firm founded in 1990 and headquartered in Pula, with wholly-owned subsidiaries in Belgrade, Skopje, and Podgorica serving Southeastern European markets. The company designs, manufactures, and integrates proprietary automatic identification systems spanning four core platforms: BusCARD (e-ticketing and fleet surveillance for public transport), SuperPARK (parking control and payment for closed-type facilities), REGIS (time-and-attendance with biometric and RFID identification), and ePASS (access control and ticketing for stadiums, cultural institutions, and nature parks). Its technology stack combines in-house hardware production (RFID readers, ticket vending machines, ANPR/LPR camera systems, barriers, mobile terminals, biometric terminals) with proprietary software and backend systems, supported by ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001 certifications.
PENTA operates a sales-led B2B system-integration model with hardware sales, software licensing, professional services, and managed integration services as four revenue streams. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition is conducted through direct enterprise sales, on-site presentations, regional subsidiaries, EU-funded R&D consortia, and participation at international trade fairs (Intertraffic Amsterdam, InnoTrans Berlin, Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona). Customer segments are diversified across public transportation operators, parking facility operators, enterprise HR/security departments, sports and cultural venues, government institutions, and tourism operators, with deployed solutions serving more than 1 million end users across Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Montenegro. Distribution is enhanced through a partnership with Tisak providing approximately 1,200 retail kiosk locations for eKarta transit ticket sales.
The company is privately held with registered share capital of HRK 199,400 and a leadership team led by CEO Mladen Pamić. Growth is supported by an unusually active EU grant pipeline, with at least 10 completed or ongoing EU-funded projects (including H2020 AMANDA, SPARK SENSE, SMART ECO PARKING, SUNSAFE IoT, IVD patch, BusCARD 4.0 IoT, FeelBack IoT, CLIMATE FRIENDLY CAMP, and PENTA SMART MOBILITY) representing several million euros in project value and EU co-financing. The company has four registered trademarks plus a patent on its Stop&Go mobile barrier, and recently demonstrated a functional prototype of the BusCARD 4.0 IoT Driver Control Computer targeting next-generation EMV open-loop fare collection in public transport.
PENTA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PENTA
- Legal name
- Penta Private Limited Liability Company For IT Engineering
- Website
- https://penta.hr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PENTA d.o.o. is a Croatian IT engineering firm founded in 1990 that designs, manufactures, and integrates proprietary automatic identification systems for public transportation, parking, time-and-attendance, and access control. It serves enterprise and government customers across Southeastern Europe via regional subsidiaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PENTA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automatic Identification Systems
- NAICS
- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Parking Access & Revenue Control Systems (PARCS) (Gates, Pay Stations, Ticketing) (TLAJAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Payments & Enforcement for Parking (Mobile Pay, LPR/ANPR, Citation Mgmt) (TLAJAIAE), Smart Card & Closed-Loop Fare Media Systems (THAIAMAC), Access Control Systems (Residential Controllers, Readers & Credentials) (HSAHAEAC), Micromobility Parking / Docking Infrastructure Providers (THADAGAN)
Keywords
Where PENTA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pula
- HQ country
- Croatia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
PENTA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of proprietary hardware equipment including RFID contactless card readers/writers, parking entry/exit stations, ticket vending machines, contactless ticket validators, barriers, bollards, mobile terminals, and other identification equipment.
- Software Licensing & Development: Advanced software designed and developed for automatic identification, as well as custom software solutions tailored to customer requirements. Includes system software, back-office applications, and cloud solutions.
- Professional Services: Information system design and development, IT consulting, IT equipment servicing, customer training, system support, and IT systems maintenance services.
- System Integration Services: Complete system integration combining computer equipment (hardware), software, and business organization. Includes installation, testing, delivery, user training, and trial/full production deployment.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
PENTA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PENTA designs, develops, and deploys automatic identification systems combining proprietary hardware and software for public transport e-ticketing, parking management, time & attendance, and access control. Core platforms include BusCARD (e-ticketing), SuperPARK (parking), REGIS (time & attendance), and ePASS (access control), delivered as turnkey solutions including RFID/biometric/ANPR hardware, embedded software, and lifecycle services.
Product overview
PENTA offers a modular platform of automatic identification and smart mobility solutions consisting of core products and add-on components. The main product lines include: BusCARD (integrated e-ticketing system for public transport), SuperPARK (parking management and billing system), REGIS (time and attendance tracking), and ePASS (access control and ticketing). These core systems are supported by specialized sub-products including parking barriers, bollards, ticket machines (PARKTICKER), video surveillance, vehicle license plate recognition (SPARK Video Access), GSM access control, mobile terminals, and biometric terminals. The company also provides complementary services including IS development, IT consulting, equipment servicing, and customer training. Solutions serve transport operators, parking facilities, public venues (stadiums, cultural institutions), and businesses requiring time/access management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BusCARD: Integrated IT system for issuing, payment and ticket control with vehicle movement surveillance in public passenger transportation
- SuperPARK
- ePASS
- Go2Bike
- SPARK Video Access
- REGIS
- Driver Control Computer (DCC)
Products and services
- BusCARD
- SuperPARK Automated parking management system for closed and open parking facilities, including entry/exit terminals, payment machines, license plate recognition, and real-time occupancy monitoring.
- REGIS Time and attendance system using biometric and RFID identification for workforce management, including shift scheduling, overtime calculation, and absence tracking.
- ePASS Access control system for buildings and restricted areas using biometric, RFID, and PIN identification, with visitor management and event logging.
- Mobile Terminals Handheld mobile devices for ticket inspection on buses and in-the-field verification of passes, supporting QR/barcode and contactless card reading.
- SPARK Video Access Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR/LPR) system using video analytics for vehicle identification, access control, and parking enforcement.
- Go2Bike Bike Sharing Systems Public bike sharing platform including stations, bike locking mechanisms, and back-office software for rental management and billing.
- eKarta Ticket Sales Retail-channel ticket sales service allowing customers to purchase public transport tickets at partner retail outlets such as Tisak kiosks.
- Stop&Go Mobile Barrier Portable, battery-powered parking barrier device that lowers automatically to reserve a parking space, designed for personal or shared parking spots.
- PARKTICKER Self-service parking ticket vending machine supporting cash, card, SMS, and mobile payments for parking facilities.
- Self-Service Kiosk Self-service terminal for ticket purchase, top-up, and information access, deployed across transport and cultural venues.
- IS Development Services Custom development of information systems tailored to client specifications, including design, programming, testing, and deployment.
- IT Consulting Services IT consulting including feasibility studies, system design, technology selection, and project management for clients implementing identification and mobility solutions.
- IT Equipment Servicing Repair and maintenance services for IT and identification equipment, including diagnostic, parts replacement, and recalibration.
- System Support Ongoing operational support including help desk, remote diagnostics, and on-site intervention for deployed PENTA systems.
- IT Systems Maintenance Scheduled and corrective maintenance of installed information systems, including software updates, hardware inspection, and performance tuning.
- Customer Training Training programs for client operators, administrators, and end users covering system operation, administration, and basic troubleshooting.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million users served across Croatia and neighboring countries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use PENTA
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
PENTA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
PENTA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Istrian University of Applied Sciences (Istarsko veleučilište)coreAcademic partner in BusCARD 4.0 IoT project for driver control computer development.
- DS&S d.o.o.coreIndustrial partner in BusCARD 4.0 IoT project consortium for driver control computer development.
- EINEL d.o.o.coreIndustrial partner in BusCARD 4.0 IoT project consortium for electronic components integration.
- SUPERIUS d.o.o.coreIndustrial partner in BusCARD 4.0 IoT project consortium contributing expertise for the all-in-one driver control computer.
- GLAVOTOK d.o.o.minorBeneficiary/lead partner in CLIMATE FRIENDLY CAMP project with PENTA providing IT engineering expertise.
- Juraj Dobrila University of PulacoreAcademic partner in SUNSAFE IoT project for smart beach umbrella development. Contributes research expertise.
- SENSUM d.o.o.corePartner in SMART ECO PARKING project and multiple other EU projects. Provides complementary expertise in smart city solutions.
- 3 E PROJEKTI d.o.o.corePartner in SMART ECO PARKING consortium providing environmental and sustainability expertise.
- ECORYS HRVATSKA d.o.o.minorProject integrator for SMART ECO PARKING providing market representation and added value in target markets.
- Special Hospital for Surgery MedicominorProject holder for IVD patch medical device project, with PENTA as IT/software development partner for the complementary software solution.
- CERTH (Centre for Research and Technology Hellas)coreProject Coordinator of the Horizon 2020 AMANDA project. Greece-based research institute leading a consortium of 7 European partners developing autonomous multisensing card technology.
- IMEC (Belgium)coreResearch partner in H2020 AMANDA project focusing on microelectronics and nanotechnology expertise for the autonomous sensor card development.
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)coreAcademic partner in H2020 AMANDA project providing research expertise in sensor technologies.
- Microdul (Switzerland)coreTechnology partner in H2020 AMANDA project contributing electronics and battery expertise for the autonomous sensor card.
- Lightricity (UK)corePartner in H2020 AMANDA contributing photovoltaic technology expertise for solar cell integration in the autonomous card.
- Ilika (UK)corePartner in H2020 AMANDA providing solid-state battery technology for the autonomous sensor card power system.
- Faculty of Transport Sciences of the University of ZagrebcorePartner in the SPARK SENSE EU-funded project. Ensures exchange of experience and knowledge between the scientific sector and entrepreneurship. The faculty provides academic expertise for the parking reservation system development.
- Erste Card ClubminorPayment processing partner for EMV contactless payment integration in transport ticketing systems.
- HT - Hrvatski TelekomminorTelecommunications partner for connectivity solutions and potentially SMS payment integration.
- Infoart GrupaminorRegional IT partner for distribution and integration of solutions.
- TisakminorRetail distribution partner providing 1,200+ kiosk locations across Croatia for ticket sales (eKarta service).
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PENTA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- INIT GmbH: German-headquartered system integrator for public transit (ticketing, real-time passenger information, fleet management) serving European operators. Closely comparable to PENTA in offering integrated transit fare collection with hardware + software stack, though operating at larger scale across Western Europe.
- Nedap: Dutch specialist in long-range identification (RFID), vehicle detection, and access control. Overlaps with PENTA's RFID-based automatic identification products across parking (SuperPARK), transit (BusCARD), and access control (ePASS/REGIS).
- Flowbird (formerly Parkeon): France-based supplier of parking payment terminals and transit ticketing systems. PENTA's SuperPARK + BusCARD portfolio directly parallels Flowbird's combined parking-and-transit proposition, making it a relevant comparable for a vertically integrated regional player.
Emerging players
- Masabi: UK-based specialist in mobile ticketing and open-loop fare payment for transit. Comparable to PENTA as an emerging player focused on the EMV/open-loop shift that BusCARD 4.0 IoT is also targeting, though with a software-only model versus PENTA's integrated hardware approach.
- Quercus Technologies: Spanish specialist in license plate recognition (LPR) and computer vision for parking and access control. Comparable to PENTA's SPARK Video Access product line as a focused LPR/ANPR player serving parking operators.
Broad incumbents
- SKIDATA: Austrian/German leader in parking access and revenue control systems globally. Direct overlap with PENTA's SuperPARK offering including PARCS hardware, LPR, and digital payment options, though SKIDATA operates at multinational scale.
- Cubic Transportation Systems: Global transit fare collection and traffic management incumbent. PENTA's BusCARD e-ticketing and upcoming EMV open-loop Driver Control Computer (BusCARD 4.0) target the same operator pain points Cubic addresses with its NextWave platform.
- Scheidt & Bachmann: Established German manufacturer of parking access systems and transit fare collection solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent in both PENTA's parking (SuperPARK) and transit (BusCARD) product categories, but with much larger global footprint and scale.
- dormakaba: Global access control and workforce management solutions provider (formed from Dorma + Kaba merger). Directly comparable to PENTA's ePASS access control and REGIS time & attendance product lines, but operating globally at significantly larger scale.
Regional players
- Asseco Central Europe: Largest IT systems integrator in Central and Eastern Europe with deep public-sector and transport presence. Comparable as a regional IT system integrator covering CEE markets, including transit IT work in countries adjacent to PENTA's footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PENTA social profiles
Digital presencePENTA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
PENTA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PENTA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PENTA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
PENTA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PENTA 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 PENTA
What does PENTA do?
PENTA designs, develops, and deploys automatic identification systems combining proprietary hardware and software for public transport e-ticketing, parking management, time & attendance, and access control. Core platforms include BusCARD (e-ticketing), SuperPARK (parking), REGIS (time & attendance), and ePASS (access control), delivered as turnkey solutions including RFID/biometric/ANPR hardware, embedded software, and lifecycle services.
Is PENTA a public or private company?
PENTA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PENTA founded?
PENTA was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PENTA based?
PENTA is headquartered in Pula, Croatia, in the Europe region.
How does PENTA make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Licensing & Development, professional Services and system Integration Services.
Who are PENTA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are INIT GmbH, Nedap and Flowbird (formerly Parkeon). Emerging players are Masabi and Quercus Technologies. Broad incumbents are SKIDATA, Cubic Transportation Systems, Scheidt & Bachmann and dormakaba. Asseco Central Europe is listed as a regional player.
Does PENTA have an API?
No public API is recorded for PENTA.
What industry is PENTA in?
PENTA's product category is Automatic Identification Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAIAD, Parking Access & Revenue Control Systems (PARCS) (Gates, Pay Stations, Ticketing), with a secondary code of TLAJAIAE, Digital Payments & Enforcement for Parking (Mobile Pay, LPR/ANPR, Citation Mgmt). Its NAICS code is 334519 and its SIC code is 3829.