For 10 years Kernkonzept has been offering professional service around the open-source software L4Re. Time to celebrate and time for a look back!
In the beginning there were 3 IT students from TU Dresden who wanted to do everything differently: Alexander Warg and Adam Lackorzynski took the Fiasco microkernel developed by Dr. Michael Hohmuth and turned it into a lean, flexible microkernel of the latest generation with capabilities, including runtime environment and micro apps. Soon not only IT experts but OEM manufacturers were interested in the promising open-source software.
2012-2014: Our founding years
The rest, as they say, is history: In 2012, Adam and Alex founded the start-up Kernkonzept together with Michael. Just one year later, they were able to hire their first employee: Matthias is still working as a Customer Success Engineer for Kernkonzept today.
In the same year, the young company recorded its first major success: The Simko3 phone, the reason for founding the company, was accredited by the BSI. This was the starting signal for marketing the L4Re Operating System as an officially recognized security software.
Kernkonzept’s next major customer was Imagination, whose MIPS architecture incorporated L4Re. In the same year, Kernkonzept moved into its offices on Buchenstraße, having previously operated out of rooms at the TU Dresden. Soon Steffen and Jean (our L4 developer from the beginning) joined the team and the company consolidated.
2015-2019: We are growing solid roots…
The BSI approval for the SDoT Security Gateway 6 of our customer infodas was followed by the beginning of a cooperation with Elektrobit, a software supplier for the automotive industry, which continues to this day. Since 2018, Kernkonzept has been active with the L4Re Operating System in the European Processor Initiative (EPI) and thus part of an international research community dedicated to European digital sovereignty; a goal we ourselves actively pursue with numerous other research activities.
2020: … and taking wings!
The increasing economic success is reflected in steady growth and recognition in the industry: In 2019, we more than doubled our office space on Buchenstraße, and space is already becoming scarce again. In 2020, we presented ourselves for the first time with our own booth at the renowned embeddedworld Exhibition in Nuremberg, the leading trade fair for embedded systems.
In just ten years, our start-up has become a solid, owner-managed company that works on an equal footing with international partners and customers. This was only made possible thanks to our people. Our team of operating system engineers has formed around the L4Re microkernel.
Thus, the name of our company is both a motto and a guiding principle for us: Kernkonzept stands for focused L4Re competence. Each of us gets up in the morning with the motivation to make L4Re a little bit better. This is how we create customized solutions with a quality we are proud of.
