What HEAP Engineering GmbH does

HEAP Engineering GmbH is a Vienna-based industrial IoT software company founded in 2018 that builds the hopit platform — an edge-to-cloud connectivity stack for industrial equipment. Its core product, hopit Edge, is IIoT gateway software that turns a standard PC into an industrial edge device, linking PLCs from Beckhoff, Siemens, and B&R to local dashboards and cloud services such as Azure IoT Hub, MQTT brokers, and Grafana via protocols including OPC UA, ADS, S7, and Modbus TCP. The platform is extended by hopit Stream (machine-to-cloud data streaming into a central data lake with ready-to-use dashboards) and hopit Operate (industrial DevOps for device provisioning, software versioning, and remote management at scale). HEAP's flagship deployment connects 200 production lines for Wienerberger across 28 countries, with additional work on smart test-bench automation for HOERBIGER Wien GmbH.

The company earns revenue through two motion types. The first is subscription/recurring licensing of the hopit software, supported by a freemium trial download of hopit Edge. The second is professional services for bespoke automation, machine connectivity, and machine-insights projects, which historically was the entire business before the platform was productized. The go-to-market combines a self-serve content-led funnel (technical blog, SEO, product documentation at docs.hopit.at, case studies) with direct enterprise sales via website contact form and Microsoft Outlook booking, targeting industrial manufacturers in the DACH region and broader Europe.

Operationally HEAP remains very small: it has only 5 employees, is privately held, shows no external funding or parent company, and is led by three co-founders (Lukas Pechhacker, Gerald Ebmer as co-CEOs, and Andreas Hirtenlehner as Managing Director). The absence of disclosed partnerships, patents, certifications, or awards means the platform's commercial footprint to date is supported by a narrow set of named enterprise logos, with revenue concentration risk a defining feature of the current business profile.

Name

HEAP Engineering GmbH

Legal name

HEAP Engineering GmbH

Website

https://heap-engineering.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HEAP Engineering GmbH is a Vienna-based industrial IoT software company that builds the hopit platform — edge-to-cloud gateway and management software connecting Beckhoff, Siemens, and B&R PLCs to Azure, MQTT, and on-premises dashboards for industrial manufacturers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial IoT Platform / Industrial Automation Software

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Edge Computing & Gateways (IMAIAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Edge Orchestration & Management Platforms (Provisioning, Fleet Mgmt) (HDABAOAF)

Keywords

• Industrial IoT platform
• Machine connectivity solutions
• Edge gateway software
• PLC cloud integration
• Industrial automation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. hopit Platform Licensing: Revenue from licensing hopit Edge, hopit Stream, and hopit Operate software products. Edge gateway software available as free trial; full deployment generates licensing revenue.
2. Industrial IoT Engineering Services: Custom engineering services for automation, embedded systems, and IoT implementations. Started as core business in 2018, evolved to include platform development.
3. Cloud Integration Services: Implementation and integration services connecting PLCs to cloud platforms (Azure IoT Hub, MQTT brokers) as part of machine connectivity solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HEAP Engineering GmbH develops and sells the "hopit" Industrial IoT platform, consisting of hopit Edge (IIoT gateway software that turns any PC into an industrial edge device connecting Beckhoff, Siemens, and B&R PLCs to local dashboards and cloud services), hopit Stream (machine-to-cloud connectivity with real-time data streaming), and hopit Operate (software rollout and management at scale via an Industrial DevOps pipeline). The company also delivers custom engineering services for automation, machine connectivity, and machine insights/monitoring in industrial manufacturing environments.

Product overview

HEAP Engineering GmbH offers hopit, a complete and scalable Industrial IoT platform consisting of three main products: hopit Edge (IIoT gateway software that turns any PC into an edge device for connecting PLCs to cloud/local systems), hopit Stream (cloud connectivity module for streaming real-time machine data to data lakes), and hopit Operate (software rollout and management module for device provisioning and Industrial DevOps). The company also provides engineering services in Automation (Beckhoff TwinCAT 3), Machine Connectivity, and Machine Insights/Monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• hopit: Industrial IoT platform for managing machine parks over the entire life cycle, including hopit Stream (machine-to-cloud connectivity and real-time data streaming) and hopit Operate (software rollout and management at scale).
• hopit Edge

Products and services

• hopit Edge IIoT gateway software that turns any PC into an industrial Edge Device, enabling connections from Beckhoff, Siemens, or B&R PLCs to local dashboards and cloud services (Azure IoT Hub, MQTT Brokers). Includes integrated Device Twin for remote management and scalable configuration without programming knowledge.
• hopit Stream Cloud connectivity module of the hopit platform that connects machines to the cloud, streams real-time data to a central data lake, and provides ready-to-use dashboards for data integration from machines of various vendors.
• hopit Operate Software rollout and management module of the hopit platform covering device provisioning, software versioning, real-world unit tests, and the Industrial DevOps pipeline for managing distributed machinery at scale.
• Automation Services Automation and control engineering services focused on PLC programming with Beckhoff TwinCAT 3, including real-time software development, automation and control engineering for industrial processes, and sensor and actuator integration.
• Machine Connectivity Services Customized industrial IoT solutions for machine connectivity providing scalable, intelligent, and connected production environments with support for Siemens S7, Beckhoff ADS, Modbus TCP, Azure IoT Hub, and other industrial protocols.
• Machine Insights Services IoT solutions for real-time monitoring of industrial machines, performance data collection, and early detection of critical conditions, including real-time analytics, dashboards, and alerts to increase productivity and reduce downtime.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200 production lines connected for Wienerberger, scaling to 200+ sites
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature8 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eurotech: Italian-headquartered industrial edge hardware/software vendor with Everyware IoT platform. Comparable product surface (edge gateways + cloud + device management) and European industrial customer base.
• HMS Networks: Swedish-headquartered specialist in industrial communication and IIoT (Anybus, Ewon). Highly comparable: similar multi-protocol edge connectivity focus, European industrial customer base, and PLC-to-cloud gateway products overlapping hopit Edge.
• Hilscher: German industrial communication specialist with netFIELD and edge gateway offerings. Comparable as a DACH-based multi-protocol (PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, MQTT) IIoT gateway vendor targeting factory automation.
• Softing Industrial: Munich-based provider of industrial connectivity products (gateways, OPC UA, MQTT, edge controllers). Comparable in customer overlap, DACH focus, and PLC-to-cloud interoperability positioning versus hopit Edge.

Emerging players

• Litmus Automation: Edge data platform (Litmus Edge) for industrial connectivity, data collection, and device management. Comparable product scope at slightly more mature scale, with overlap in OT/IT integration.
• ADLINK Technology: Industrial edge computing hardware and software vendor with Vortex Edge and DXS solutions. Competes at the edge gateway/hardware layer adjacent to hopit Edge.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens (Industrial Edge / Insights Hub): Broad incumbent offering Industrial Edge and Insights Hub (MindSphere) for Siemens PLC customers. Competes on bundling and native integration; HEAP differentiates via multi-vendor support.
• PTC (ThingWorx): Established IIoT platform (ThingWorx) with device connectivity, dashboards, and device management. Broader portfolio including CAD/PLM, but directly overlaps hopit Stream/Operate in industrial analytics and fleet management.
• Beckhoff Automation: TwinCAT 3 PLC vendor whose ecosystem HEAP builds on. While partner-like today, Beckhoff's own TwinCAT Analytics/IoT productization represents the most direct competitive threat to hopit's specialization.
• Microsoft (Azure IoT Edge / IoT Hub): Hyperscaler cloud + edge IoT platform that HEAP integrates with (Azure IoT Hub). Represents both a partner and competitive threat as Microsoft pushes deeper into industrial edge.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heap-engineering-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 HEAP Engineering GmbH