Septentrio

About Septentrio

Septentrio designs and manufactures multi-frequency, multi-constellation GPS/GNSS positioning technology for industrial applications. The company was founded in January 2000 by engineer Peter Grognard as a spin-off from Imec, a Belgian microelectronics research institute, to commercialize satellite navigation technology. Antoon De Proft has been the CEO since January 2014.

The company's core business involves providing GNSS receiver boards and modules for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to integrate into their own systems. It develops its own chipsets, hardware, firmware, and algorithms, prioritizing measurement reliability and precision. Its products deliver centimeter-level positioning and are known for their performance and resilience in challenging environments, such as areas with heavy scintillation or jamming. These solutions are utilized in safety-critical applications and critical infrastructure worldwide. Key markets include marine, construction, mining, robotics, logistics, survey and mapping, precision agriculture, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In January 2025, the Swedish technology company Hexagon AB announced it would acquire Septentrio, a transaction that was completed in March 2025. Septentrio now operates as part of Hexagon's Autonomous Solutions division but maintains its business model of supplying GNSS technology to its OEM customer base. In 2024, the company generated revenues exceeding €50 million. Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, Septentrio has a global presence with offices in the USA, Finland, Japan, China, and Korea.