Timesys
Veteran embedded Linux specialist now operating under Lynx Software Technologies
Founded 1996 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | 51–200 employees
embedded-linuxcybersecurityembedded-consultingfirmware-development
What is Timesys?
Timesys Corporation was founded in 1996 by principals associated with Carnegie Mellon University and built one of the first real-time-enhanced embedded Linux distributions. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with roughly 60 employees, Timesys built a long-running specialty in embedded Linux security, engineering services, and long-term maintenance tooling. In December 2023 the company was acquired by Lynx Software Technologies, and buyers evaluating Timesys today should confirm current organizational structure and service continuity directly, since acquisitions of this kind typically bring some integration transition period.
Timesys works primarily with clients in Industrial IoT, Medical devices, Networking, Consumer Electronics sectors. Its primary differentiator is: Nearly three-decade specialization in embedded Linux security and long-term-support tooling, now under Lynx Software Technologies.
Timesys tech stack and services
Embedded Linux (Yocto)C/C++Linux kernel security patchingCVE monitoring tooling
| Service area |
|---|
| Embedded Linux |
| Cybersecurity |
| Embedded Consulting |
| Firmware Development |
Timesys pricing
Short answer: Timesys uses a engineering services, tooling licenses pricing approach. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed; a discovery call is required.
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering services | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
| Tooling/licensing | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
Timesys does not publish a public rate card. Contact them directly via their website to get project-specific pricing.
Timesys pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Nearly 30 years of embedded Linux specialization, among the longest track records on this list | -Acquired by Lynx Software Technologies in December 2023 — buyers should confirm current service continuity and organizational structure directly, since post-acquisition integration periods can affect delivery |
| +Named expertise in embedded Linux security patching and long-term maintenance, an underserved niche most generalists don't cover deeply | -Team size (~60) limits capacity for very large concurrent programs |
| +Founding team's Carnegie Mellon research background underpins its real-time Linux heritage | -Public pricing and minimum engagement are not disclosed |
Timesys vs alternatives
How Timesys compares to the other top Embedded Software companies.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemberg Solutions | Full-stack embedded builds needing hardware through cloud in... | 360° engineering across electrical, firmware, Linux, FPGA, and cloud under one roof with a certified in-house hardware lab | 4.8 | Full comparison |
| eInfochips | Enterprise clients wanting embedded engineering backed by Arrow's... | Component sourcing and supply-chain access via parent company Arrow Electronics, paired with a 30-year product engineering track record | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| DMC, Inc. | Manufacturers needing embedded work bundled with factory automation. | Combines embedded systems engineering with manufacturing and test automation under one US-based team | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Integra Sources | Startups wanting one team for both hardware and... | Turnkey hardware-plus-firmware delivery from a single small team, avoiding the coordination overhead of separate vendors | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Innowise | Buyers wanting embedded work bundled with broader software... | Large-scale IT outsourcing capacity with an IoT/embedded delivery line inside a much broader software portfolio | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Avenga | Enterprises wanting IoT engineering inside a broad digital... | Broad software, data, and IoT portfolio backed by scale from consolidating multiple acquired firms since 2017 | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| ByteSnap Design | UK/EU clients needing custom electronic board design paired... | ISO 9001-certified UK boutique with named partnerships across STMicroelectronics, NXP, Microchip, Digi, and Analog Devices | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| LTTS | Large enterprises needing embedded engineering with public-company governance. | Publicly-listed engineering R&D scale (23,800+ engineers) backed by the L&T Group, spanning embedded, automotive, and industrial IoT | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| DornerWorks | Aerospace, defense, and medical programs needing safety-critical embedded... | Deep specialization in high-reliability aerospace, defense, and medical embedded systems, including FPGA and hypervisor work | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Sirin Software | Semiconductor and IoT teams needing deep wireless protocol... | Named specialization in wireless stacks (Wi-Fi, BLE, Matter, UWB, NFC, LoRaWAN) across Linux, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, and ThreadX | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Promwad | European clients wanting hardware, firmware, and FPGA from... | End-to-end European design house covering PCB, FPGA, embedded Linux, and manufacturing coordination in one contracted partner | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| emlix | Industrial and safety-critical clients needing deep embedded Linux... | Over two decades of pure-play embedded Linux specialization serving 350+ customers in German industrial and safety-critical sectors | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Pengutronix | Teams needing genuine upstream Linux kernel expertise, not... | Developers directly contribute upstream to the Linux kernel (2,500+ changes across 4,000+ files in 2023 alone), a depth signal few consultancies can match | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Elektrobit | Automotive OEMs needing AUTOSAR and ECU software at... | Automotive-only embedded software specialist with software running in 600M+ vehicles, backed by Continental's manufacturing scale | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Vector Informatik | Automotive teams standardizing on AUTOSAR tooling and ECU... | One of the primary commercial forces behind the AUTOSAR standard, combining automotive embedded tooling with engineering services | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| KPIT Technologies | Global automotive OEMs needing software-defined vehicle engineering at... | Publicly-listed, automotive-only embedded engineering at 12,000+ engineer scale, specializing in software-defined vehicle architectures | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Tata Elxsi | Enterprises needing embedded engineering alongside media or healthcare... | Broad ER&D scale spanning automotive, media/telecom, and healthcare, with 35+ years of engineering R&D history | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Capgemini Engineering | Global enterprises needing embedded work inside a broad... | One of the largest global engineering consultancies by headcount, with embedded/electronics as one of many technical domains covered | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Cyient | Aerospace and defense programs needing embedded avionics engineering... | Aerospace-focused embedded avionics practice (fly-by-wire, autopilot, collision avoidance) backed by acquisitions like CERTON Software | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| QuEST Global | Multi-vertical enterprises needing embedded engineering alongside broader R&D. | Very broad engineering-services scale (90+ delivery centers, 18+ countries) with embedded/silicon engineering as one capability among many verticals | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Wind River | Safety-critical aerospace and industrial programs standardizing on VxWorks. | Maker of VxWorks, a certified RTOS deployed in commercial and military aircraft, with over 40 years of real-time systems history | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| GlobalLogic | Enterprises wanting embedded work inside a broader Hitachi-backed... | Hitachi-owned digital engineering scale with silicon and embedded hardware/software solutions plus a named Elektrobit automotive partnership | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Luxoft | Automotive OEMs needing infotainment and digital cockpit software... | Automotive software systems integrator with software in 50M+ vehicles, partnering with 8 of the 10 largest vehicle manufacturers, now under DXC Technology | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Data Respons | Nordic and European clients needing embedded work across... | Nordic embedded specialist with nearly 40 years of history across eight distinct industry sectors, now backed by Akkodis' scale | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Klika Tech | Teams needing edge-to-cloud IoT systems with AWS-native integration. | AWS Premier Partner specializing specifically in edge-to-cloud IoT integration, backed by a documented STMicroelectronics partnership | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Intellias | Automotive clients needing navigation and connected-vehicle software at... | Named automotive navigation technology deployed across 10+ car brands and 10M+ vehicles, inside a broader IT outsourcing portfolio | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| N-iX | Enterprises wanting embedded/IoT work bundled with broader cloud... | 15+ years of dedicated IoT and embedded solutions experience inside a broader custom software engineering portfolio | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| HCLTech | Global enterprises wanting embedded engineering as part of... | Embedded engineering delivered by the Engineering & R&D Services business unit inside one of the world's largest IT services companies | 3.7 | Full comparison |
Timesys FAQ
What is Timesys?
Veteran embedded Linux specialist now operating under Lynx Software Technologies
How much does Timesys charge?
Timesys uses engineering services, tooling licenses pricing. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does Timesys use?
Timesys works with Embedded Linux (Yocto), C/C++, Linux kernel security patching, CVE monitoring tooling. Primary industries served include Industrial IoT, Medical devices, Networking, Consumer Electronics.
Is Timesys right for enterprise?
Teams needing embedded Linux security and long-term maintenance expertise. 51–200 team size. Key consideration: Acquired by Lynx Software Technologies in December 2023 — buyers should confirm current service continuity and organizational structure directly, since post-acquisition integration periods can affect delivery.
What are the best Timesys alternatives?
The best alternatives to Timesys depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Lemberg Solutions: 360° engineering across electrical, firmware, linux, fpga, and cloud under one roof with a certified in-house hardware lab
- eInfochips: component sourcing and supply-chain access via parent company arrow electronics, paired with a 30-year product engineering track record
- DMC, Inc.: combines embedded systems engineering with manufacturing and test automation under one us-based team
Compare Timesys with other Embedded Software companies
Timesys vs Lemberg Solutions Timesys vs eInfochips Timesys vs DMC, Inc. Timesys vs Integra Sources Timesys vs Innowise Timesys vs Avenga Timesys vs ByteSnap Design Timesys vs LTTS Timesys vs DornerWorks Timesys vs Sirin Software Timesys vs Promwad Timesys vs emlix Timesys vs Pengutronix Timesys vs Elektrobit Timesys vs Vector Informatik Timesys vs KPIT Technologies Timesys vs Tata Elxsi Timesys vs Capgemini Engineering Timesys vs Cyient Timesys vs QuEST Global Timesys vs Wind River Timesys vs GlobalLogic Timesys vs Luxoft Timesys vs Data Respons Timesys vs Klika Tech Timesys vs Intellias Timesys vs N-iX Timesys vs HCLTech
Verify all details directly with Timesys before making a decision.