Groundwerk

Groundwerk is a German technology company that specializes in ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) solutions for civil engineering, environmental monitoring, and archaeological surveying. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, the firm develops modular sensor units that can be attached to drones, smartphones, or fixed platforms to capture subsurface imagery. Its product portfolio includes the GPR‑Lite, GPR‑Pro, and the Groundwerk Mobile System, each designed for different levels of field deployment, from portable handheld units to integrated UAV payloads.

The company offers a cloud‑based analytics platform called Groundwerk Insight that processes raw radar data, generates high‑resolution maps, and provides automated defect detection for infrastructure such as pipelines, cables, and utility corridors. Groundwerk Insight is compatible with standard GIS software and supports open‑source data formats to facilitate collaboration among engineering teams and research institutions.

Groundwerk has partnered with municipal governments, construction firms, and universities across Europe for pilot projects that assess soil stability, locate buried utilities, and document archaeological sites. In 2019 the GPR‑Alpha model received the German Engineering Award for Innovation in Surveying Equipment. The company also provides training workshops and technical consultancy to help partners adopt GPR technology and comply with national safety regulations.

With a workforce of approximately 70 employees, Groundwerk maintains a research‑and‑development laboratory in Munich and a distribution network that covers Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. While the company remains privately held, it has secured investment from several venture funds focused on sustainable infrastructure technologies. Groundwerk continues to expand its product line and software capabilities to meet growing demands for non‑invasive subsurface mapping in the built environment and natural resource management.