Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lobaro GmbH (4.0/5) edges ahead of EmLogic AS (4.0/5) overall. Lobaro GmbH is the better choice for LoRaWAN and low-power wide-area network firmware for industrial IoT. EmLogic AS is the stronger option for zephyr RTOS firmware development and migration. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lobaro GmbH | EmLogic AS |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2021 |
| HQ | Hamburg, Germany | Norway |
| Team size | 15 | Not published |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status with deep LPWAN protocol experience | Founding team with prior embedded-company-building experience concentrated specifically on Zephyr RTOS |
| Pricing model | Project-based IoT firmware and platform engagements | Project-based embedded design engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | LoRa, LoRaWAN, Sigfox | Zephyr RTOS, FPGA, C |
| Industries served | Industrial IoT, Utility metering, Environmental monitoring | Industrial, IoT hardware |
Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS: overview
Lobaro GmbH
Lobaro GmbH was founded in Hamburg in 2012 by Tobias Rohde and has grown to around 15 people, a design partner of Nordic Semiconductor and a member of the LoRa Alliance. The company's stated work covers IoT sensors, gateways, and the firmware, backend, and platform software that runs them, with specific protocol experience in LoRa, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, LTE, and wireless M-Bus for industrial metering and monitoring applications. That protocol depth in low-power wide-area networking is a narrower but deeper specialty than the general IoT connectivity claims many larger firms make.
EmLogic AS
EmLogic AS was founded on January 1, 2021 by Michal Koziel, Snorre Meland, Sven Ivar Mørch, and Espen Tallaksen, each with prior experience founding similar embedded companies, and operates as part of the TechSeed group in Norway. The firm specializes in embedded software, FPGA, and hardware design, with particular depth in Zephyr RTOS, the Linux Foundation-hosted real-time operating system that has become a de facto industry standard for secure, low-power connected devices. Its recency as a company means a shorter public track record than most competitors, offset by founders who each carry prior embedded-industry company-building experience.
Services and capabilities: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Capability | Lobaro GmbH | EmLogic AS |
|---|---|---|
| RTOS firmware development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bare-metal & driver development | ✗ | ✓ |
| Secure boot / OTA firmware updates | ✗ | ✗ |
| MCU & platform migration | ✗ | ✗ |
| Connectivity & IoT protocols | ✓ | ✗ |
| Functional safety / compliance | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded AI / on-device inference | ✗ | ✗ |
| Firmware GUI development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design / board bring-up | ✓ | ✓ |
| Staff augmentation | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Framework / platform | Lobaro GmbH | EmLogic AS |
|---|---|---|
| FreeRTOS | N/A | N/A |
| Zephyr | N/A | ✓ |
| STM32 | N/A | N/A |
| ARM Cortex-M | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| BLE | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA | N/A | N/A |
| Secure Boot | N/A | N/A |
| AWS IoT | N/A | N/A |
| RISC-V | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Criterion | Lobaro GmbH | EmLogic AS |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based IoT firmware and platform development | Project-based embedded design |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Dimension | Lobaro GmbH | EmLogic AS |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Industrial IoT, Utility metering, Environmental monitoring | Industrial, IoT hardware |
| Best use cases | LoRaWAN sensor and gateway firmware for an industrial monitoring deployment, Wireless M-Bus firmware for a utility metering product | Migration of existing firmware from a legacy RTOS to Zephyr, New product firmware built natively on Zephyr RTOS |
| Typical project type | Project-based IoT firmware and platform development | Project-based embedded design |
Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS: pros and cons
| Lobaro GmbH | |
|---|---|
| + | LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status verify its low-power wide-area networking credentials |
| + | Protocol depth spans LoRa, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, LTE, and wireless M-Bus, a specific set most generalist firmware vendors don't cover together |
| + | 13 years of operating history with a consistent focus on industrial IoT sensor and gateway firmware |
| + | Received public innovation funding through IFB Hamburg's InnoRampUp programme, an independently verifiable signal of institutional confidence |
| - | A team of around 15 people is small relative to industrial IoT programs requiring firmware across many product lines at once |
| - | LPWAN protocol focus is a narrower fit for firmware projects centered on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular broadband instead |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| EmLogic AS | |
|---|---|
| + | Zephyr RTOS specialization targets the real-time operating system the Linux Foundation and much of the industry now treat as the de facto standard |
| + | All four founders bring prior experience founding similar embedded companies, not first-time entrepreneurship |
| + | FPGA and hardware design capability alongside firmware covers projects that need custom logic as well as MCU code |
| + | Part of the TechSeed group in Norway, giving it access to a broader company-building network |
| - | Founded in 2021, giving it the shortest public operating history of any company on this list |
| - | Public team size and detailed case study history are not yet published |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
Who should choose Lobaro GmbH?
A typical fit: LoRaWAN sensor and gateway firmware for an industrial monitoring deployment.
LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status with deep LPWAN protocol experience. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial IoT, Utility metering, Environmental monitoring.
Who should choose EmLogic AS?
A typical fit: migration of existing firmware from a legacy RTOS to Zephyr.
Founding team with prior embedded-company-building experience concentrated specifically on Zephyr RTOS. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial, IoT hardware.
Decision matrix: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lobaro GmbH (Not published) vs EmLogic AS (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lobaro GmbH |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
| Use case | Lobaro GmbH fit | EmLogic AS fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| LoRaWAN sensor and gateway firmware for an industrial monitoring deployment | Strong | Limited | Lobaro GmbH |
| Wireless M-Bus firmware for a utility metering product | Strong | Limited | Lobaro GmbH |
| Migration of existing firmware from a legacy RTOS to Zephyr | Limited | Strong | EmLogic AS |
| New product firmware built natively on Zephyr RTOS | Limited | Strong | EmLogic AS |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS
Lobaro GmbH (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status with deep LPWAN protocol experience.
EmLogic AS (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need new product firmware built natively on Zephyr RTOS. If your situation matches that, EmLogic AS is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lobaro GmbH vs EmLogic AS FAQ
Is Lobaro GmbH better than EmLogic AS?
Lobaro GmbH (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lobaro GmbH's strongest advantage: LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status verify its low-power wide-area networking credentials. EmLogic AS's strongest advantage: zephyr RTOS specialization targets the real-time operating system the Linux Foundation and much of the industry now treat as the de facto standard.
How do Lobaro GmbH and EmLogic AS differ in pricing?
Lobaro GmbH uses project-based iot firmware and platform engagements pricing. EmLogic AS uses project-based embedded design engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lobaro GmbH or EmLogic AS?
Lobaro GmbH is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Lobaro GmbH and EmLogic AS?
Lobaro GmbH's primary differentiator is: LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status with deep LPWAN protocol experience. EmLogic AS's primary differentiator is: founding team with prior embedded-company-building experience concentrated specifically on Zephyr RTOS. They also differ in team size (15 vs Not published), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Industrial IoT, Utility metering vs Industrial, IoT hardware).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.