5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)
5G-ACIA is a global, non-profit industry alliance (a Working Party of ZVEI e.V.) that serves as the central forum for shaping 5G standards, deployment frameworks, and testbed validation for industrial automation, serving OT companies, ICT vendors, mobile operators, and research institutions worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersFrankfurt am Main, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) does
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) is a non-profit global industry alliance and a Working Party of ZVEI e.V. (Electro and Digital Industry Association), headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The organization serves as the central forum for shaping 5G technology for the industrial domain, bringing together operational technology (OT) companies (Siemens, Bosch, ABB, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Festo, Trumpf) and information and communication technology (ICT) companies (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Qualcomm), mobile network operators (Verizon, NTT Docomo, Orange, China Mobile), research institutions (Fraunhofer IPT, DFKI, ITRI, Aalborg University), and standards bodies to jointly define requirements and influence 3GPP and ITU-R standardization for industrial 5G.
Its core deliverables include a portfolio of over 25 white papers covering Non-Public Networks (NPN), URLLC, TSN integration, OPC UA, edge computing, RedCap, ISAC, digital twins, and business value/ROI methodology; an Industrial 5G User Guide; an Industrial 5G Device Overview Database; endorsed testbeds for validating 5G capabilities in realistic scenarios (mmWave, TSN, PROFINET/PROFIsafe, robotics, positioning); the Demo Wall 3.0 device showcase; five working groups covering use cases, ecosystem and regulation, system architecture, liaisons and marketing, and industrial 5G in practice; and a global events program including Industrial 5G Days, plenary meetings, and presence at Hannover Messe and SPS trade fairs. The alliance holds MoUs with 20+ partner organizations across Europe, North America, and APAC, including 3GPP, GSMA, NGMN, GSA, MFA, OPC Foundation, 6G-IA, and one6G.
5G-ACIA does not sell commercial products or generate commercial revenue. It is funded through membership fees and ZVEI e.V.'s institutional resources, operating as a pre-competitive platform for industry collaboration. Governance is anchored by a Board led by the General Chair (Siemens) and General Vice Chair (Ericsson), with representatives from Nokia, Huawei, ABB, Moxa, NTT Docomo, Phoenix Contact, Rockwell Automation, Trumpf, Belden, Verizon, Mitsubishi Electric, AILINK, and Fraunhofer IPT. The organization employs approximately 22 staff (including a small office team) and is expanding its scope toward 6G evolution and private 5G network consolidation through new 2026 partnerships.
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)
- Legal name
- 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation, a Working Party of ZVEI e.V.
- Website
- https://5g-acia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 5G-ACIA is a global, non-profit industry alliance (a Working Party of ZVEI e.V.) that serves as the central forum for shaping 5G standards, deployment frameworks, and testbed validation for industrial automation, serving OT companies, ICT vendors, mobile operators, and research institutions worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial 5G Standardization Alliance
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial/OT Private Connectivity (Factory, Mining, Ports) (HDAIAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Edge-Integrated Private Connectivity (MEC + Private 5G/Wi‑Fi) (HDAIAGAE), Industrial Connectivity & Networks (5G/LPWAN/TSN/Industrial Ethernet) (IMAIAMAH)
Keywords
Where 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt am Main
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership contributions: 5G-ACIA is a working party of ZVEI e.V. and does not independently generate revenue. The organization is funded through membership fees and ZVEI's institutional resources. Its mission is to influence 5G standardization and promote industrial 5G adoption rather than to generate commercial revenue.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
5G-ACIA is a global non-profit industry alliance that brings together operational technology (OT) and information and communication technology (ICT) companies to shape 5G standardization, regulation, and deployment for industrial applications. The alliance delivers its mission through white papers, endorsed testbeds, showcases, an Industrial 5G User Guide, a device overview database, working groups, demo walls, and global events such as plenary meetings and Industrial 5G Days.
Product overview
5G-ACIA is a global alliance organization (a Working Party of ZVEI e.V.) that serves as the central forum for shaping 5G in the industrial domain. Rather than a single product, the organization offers a portfolio of services including: White Papers providing technical publications on industrial 5G topics; Testbeds for validating 5G capabilities in realistic industrial scenarios; Showcases demonstrating industrial 5G applications; Demo Wall 3.0 displaying industrial 5G ecosystem devices; an Industrial 5G Device Overview database; an Industrial 5G User Guide; Working Groups for collaborative standardization work; Events and Conferences including plenary meetings and trade fair participation; and Webinar Series for education. These services collectively support OT (operational technology) and ICT (information and communication technology) industries in deploying industrial 5G for factory automation, process automation, logistics, monitoring, predictive maintenance, and human-machine interfaces.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 5G-ACIA White Papers Technical publications providing deep-dive analysis of industrial 5G technological aspects for OT and ICT stakeholders. White papers cover topics including business value calculation, RedCap devices, machine vision, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), deterministic networking, OPC UA integration, Non-Public Networks (NPNs), 5G sidelink, industrial device architecture, edge computing, QoS for industrial automation, IIoT capabilities, service-level specifications, 6G evolution, digital twins, TSN integration, security aspects, and performance testing.
- 5G-ACIA Endorsed Testbeds Endorsed testbeds for evaluating and validating key 5G capabilities for industrial applications in realistic scenarios. Includes testbeds for mmWave applications, zero-touch production, TSN communication, international interoperability, PROFINET/PROFIsafe communication, material handling, positioning, ambient IoT, and industrial robotics, operated by member organizations including Fraunhofer IPT/Ericsson, Bosch/Ericsson, ABB/Ericsson, Huawei, and others.
- 5G-ACIA Showcases Industrial 5G demonstrations for various industry scenarios including human machine collaboration and logistics. Showcases include demonstrations by Verizon, Bosch/Nokia/Rohde&Schwarz, Fraunhofer IPT/Ericsson, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, Qualcomm, HMS/Ericsson, IDLab, AI-Link, Druid, NXP/HMS, Ericsson/Sick/KION/CCI, Fraunhofer IIS, and Huawei.
- 5G-ACIA Demo Wall 3.0 Interactive display of the latest Industrial 5G Ecosystem featuring market-available devices including routers, dongles, modules, and demonstration of applications. Showcases Industrial 5G Routers, FieldrouterFRRO505x, 5G devices, fieldbus communication over 5G, safety over 5G, Industrial 5G Radio Access Networks, and Industrial 5G Core Networks.
- Industrial 5G Device Overview Database Comprehensive database of 5G-enabled devices for industrial applications including industrial routers, outdoor units, sensors, ruggedized smartphones, and USB dongles. Provides filtering by device type, brand, SIM format, MIMO support, 5G-SA support, 5G NR bands, TSN support, RedCap support, and certifications.
- Industrial 5G User Guide Comprehensive guide providing consolidated information on different 5G topics in an easy-to-understand format for end users of industrial 5G solutions. Covers NPN deployment options, 5G architecture basics, use cases, frequency ranges, spectrum availability, national regulations, network operation topics, service provider operation, availability of technology, industrial Ethernet integration, wireless technology comparisons, security aspects, coexistence between networks, and network slicing.
- Working Groups Program Five specialized working groups addressing: (1) Use Cases and Requirements, (2) Ecosystem and Regulatory Framework, (3) System Architecture and Integration Aspects, (4) Liaisons and Marketing, and (5) Industrial 5G in Practice. Provides structured framework for industry collaboration on standardization and deployment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Productivity improvements up to +10% demonstrated through ROI evaluation methodology applied to AGV intralogistics use case
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and supporting.
- one6G Associationcoreone6G and 5G-ACIA are jointly organizing webinars on 6G use cases for industrial automation and strengthening cooperation for the future of industrial wireless communications.
- one6G Associationcoreone6G and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to strengthen the partnership for the future of industrial wireless communications, including joint webinars on 6G use cases for industrial automation.
- Alliance for Private NetworkscoreAlliance for Private Networks and 5G-ACIA signed a Letter of Intent to consolidate industrial 5G initiatives, aiming to advance Industrial IoT and accelerate global private 5G adoption.
- 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association)core5G-ACIA and 6G-IA signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation on industrial connectivity, aligning current 5G activities with future 6G developments for connected industries.
- TAICS (Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards)regionalTAICS and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU on advanced collaborative efforts in Industrial 5G standardization and market deployment, formalizing cooperation between Taiwan and the European industrial 5G ecosystem.
- MFA (MFA - The private networks association)coreMFA and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to foster cooperation and synergies and advance global 5G private wireless networks, driving adoption of 5G private networks in manufacturing.
- GSA (Global Mobile Suppliers Association)coreGSA and 5G-ACIA cooperate to support the advancement of 5G public and private mobile networks, combining GSA's market intelligence with 5G-ACIA's industrial expertise.
- CTIA CertificationsupportingCTIA Certification and 5G-ACIA signed a cooperation agreement to explore industrial 5G certification needs, supporting the development of certification standards for industrial 5G IoT devices.
- GCF (Global Certification Forum)supportingGCF and 5G-ACIA signed a cooperation agreement to explore industrial 5G certification needs, supporting the development of appropriate certification frameworks for industrial 5G devices and networks.
- GSMA (GSM Association)coreGSMA and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to foster cooperation and synergies on Industrial 5G, enabling deeper insight into industrial manufacturing needs and striving toward end-to-end Industrial 5G deployment.
- COAI and 5GIFregionalJoint web seminar organized with COAI (India) and 5GIF on next steps to accelerated digital-empowered industrial automation, extending 5G-ACIA's reach to the Indian market.
- AII (Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation)coreAII and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to foster close cooperation and drive the global Intelligent Manufacturing ecosystem using 5G. Jointly announced new testbeds to accelerate Industrial 5G deployment.
- VDMA WCM (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, Germany)coreVDMA WCM and 5G-ACIA issued a joint statement on cooperation on Industrial 5G, with both devoted to enabling a diverse, competitive, and secure 5G ecosystem for industry.
- 5G-ACIA Endorsed Testbeds (multiple)core5G-ACIA endorses testbeds operated by member organizations including Fraunhofer IPT/Ericsson (5G Industry Campus Europe), Bosch/Ericsson (5G-SMART), ABB/Ericsson (Industrial Robotics), Huawei (OpenLab Munich), and others for evaluation and validation of industrial 5G use cases.
- OPC FoundationcoreOPC Foundation and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to foster cooperation and synergies on OPC UA integration with 5G, serving Industry 4.0 markets with reliable and flexible communication by combining OPC UA's information modeling with 5G's connectivity.
- GTI (Global TD-LTE Initiative)regionalGTI and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to promote the integration of 5G and vertical industries and make Industrial 5G a reality.
- 5GMF (Fifth Generation Mobile Communications Promotion Forum, Japan)regional5GMF and 5G-ACIA signed an MoU to accelerate smart manufacturing through collaboration on 5G for industrial applications, leveraging 5GMF's regional presence in Japan.
- 5G Infrastructure Association (5G-IA)core5G-ACIA and 5G-IA signed an MoU in October 2020 to foster synergies on mobile radio communication enabled Industrial IoT. Both parties collaborate to advance the integration of 5G with vertical industries.
- ZVEI e.V. (Electro and Digital Industry Association)coreZVEI e.V. is the legal entity for 5G-ACIA, hosting the 5G-ACIA Office and providing platform infrastructure. ZVEI represents multiple high-tech companies and acts as a pacemaker for progress in research, technology, and standardization. 5G-ACIA was established within the scope of the ZVEI 5G Taskforce in 2016.
- 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)core3GPP is the primary standards development organization for 5G. 5G-ACIA contributes industrial requirements to 3GPP SA1 and other groups, ensuring that the specific needs of industrial use cases are addressed in 5G specifications.
- 6G ForumregionalInternational 6G forum collaborating with 5G-ACIA on the evolution from 5G toward 6G for industrial applications.
- 6GSNSIA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association)coreEuropean 6G initiative collaborating with 5G-ACIA on the transition from 5G to 6G for connected industries and automation.
- NGMN (Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance)coreNGMN Alliance collaborates with 5G-ACIA on mobile network requirements and deployment guidance for industrial 5G applications.
- IIC (Industrial Internet Consortium)coreIIC and 5G-ACIA collaborate on industrial internet and 5G connectivity frameworks, combining IIC's reference architectures with 5G-ACIA's cellular communication expertise.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GSA (Global Mobile Suppliers Association): Industry association representing mobile network equipment vendors and chipset makers. GSA and 5G-ACIA cooperate on 5G public and private mobile networks, making GSA a complementary vendor-side peer with significant member overlap (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei).
- NGMN Alliance (Next Generation Mobile Networks): Operator-led alliance defining requirements for next-generation mobile networks. NGMN collaborates with 5G-ACIA on mobile network requirements for industrial 5G, making it a complementary peer addressing the operator-requirements side while 5G-ACIA covers the OT-requirements side.
- GSMA: Global mobile operator industry association with broader telecom mandate. 5G-ACIA signed an MoU with GSMA in 2022 to align industrial manufacturing needs with broader 5G deployment; GSMA is a complementary (not competing) industry-association peer representing the operator side of the 5G ecosystem.
Emerging players
- OPC Foundation: Industry consortium behind OPC UA, the dominant industrial information-modeling standard that 5G-ACIA's OPC UA over 5G workstream explicitly integrates with. 5G-ACIA and OPC Foundation signed a Core MoU in 2021, making OPC Foundation a technology-stack peer rather than a competitor.
- 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association): European 6G initiative representing the operator and vendor ecosystem for next-generation networks. 5G-ACIA and 6G-IA signed an MoU in February 2026 to align 5G-ACIA's industrial agenda with European 6G R&D, making 6G-IA a strategic 6G-pipeline peer.
- one6G Association: European-led industry initiative driving 6G research and adoption. 5G-ACIA and one6G signed an MoU in 2026 and jointly organize webinars on 6G industrial automation use cases, making one6G the closest direct peer for 5G-ACIA's emerging 6G evolution workstream.
Direct peers
- 5G Infrastructure Association (5G-IA): European 5G PPP organization representing the telecom industry's 5G research and deployment agenda. 5G-ACIA and 5G-IA signed an MoU in October 2020 to coordinate on mobile-radio-enabled Industrial IoT, making them direct counterpart alliances operating on adjacent sides of the same OT-ICT divide.
- MFA (The private networks association): Industry association focused specifically on private cellular networks, which directly overlaps with 5G-ACIA's Non-Public Network agenda. 5G-ACIA and MFA signed an MoU in January 2023 to jointly advance global private wireless, making them the closest direct peer in mission and membership.
- IIC (Industrial Internet Consortium): Industrial Internet Consortium drives reference architectures for the industrial internet, with overlapping membership and complementary mandates to 5G-ACIA. Both organizations collaborate on industrial 5G frameworks, and IIC's IIRA architecture serves adjacent standardization functions for industrial connectivity.
Regional players
- onGo Alliance: US-based alliance promoting shared and private wireless networks using CBRS spectrum for enterprise and industrial applications. onGo Alliance and 5G-ACIA are global partner organizations with overlapping industrial-private-network mandates and complementary spectrum approaches (CBRS vs. dedicated 5G NPN).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) social profiles
Digital presence5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles27 records
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)
What does 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) do?
5G-ACIA is a global non-profit industry alliance that brings together operational technology (OT) and information and communication technology (ICT) companies to shape 5G standardization, regulation, and deployment for industrial applications. The alliance delivers its mission through white papers, endorsed testbeds, showcases, an Industrial 5G User Guide, a device overview database, working groups, demo walls, and global events such as plenary meetings and Industrial 5G Days.
Is 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) a public or private company?
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) founded?
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) based?
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership contributions.
Who are 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GSA (Global Mobile Suppliers Association), NGMN Alliance (Next Generation Mobile Networks) and GSMA. Emerging players are OPC Foundation, 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association) and one6G Association. Direct peers are 5G Infrastructure Association (5G-IA), MFA (The private networks association) and IIC (Industrial Internet Consortium). onGo Alliance is listed as a regional player.
Does 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) have an API?
No public API is recorded for 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA).
What industry is 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA) in?
5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)'s product category is Industrial 5G Standardization Alliance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAGAD, Industrial/OT Private Connectivity (Factory, Mining, Ports), with a secondary code of HDAIAGAE, Edge-Integrated Private Connectivity (MEC + Private 5G/Wi‑Fi). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 3576.