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's real-time systems research and built one of the first real-time-enhanced embedded Linux distributions. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with roughly 60 employees, the company's long-running specialty is embedded Linux security patching and long-term maintenance tooling — a specific, underserved niche in a market where most vendors focus on initial development rather than the multi-year support tail. In December 2023, Lynx Software Technologies acquired Timesys; buyers evaluating the company now should confirm directly which legacy Timesys processes and personnel remain in place post-acquisition, since that kind of transition is exactly the sort of thing a procurement team should verify rather than assume.
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 patching and multi-year maintenance 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 |
|---|---|
| +Explicit specialty in the multi-year maintenance tail (security patching, CVE monitoring) that most embedded vendors treat as an afterthought | -Acquired by Lynx Software Technologies in December 2023 — confirm directly which legacy Timesys team and processes are still active before committing |
| +Carnegie Mellon-linked founding team gives the company real-time Linux research credibility dating to the mid-1990s | -Team size (~60) caps capacity for large concurrent programs relative to bigger engineering firms |
| +Long operating history (since 1996) means extensive documentation and tooling maturity | -No public pricing or minimum engagement figures for pre-qualification |
Timesys vs alternatives
How Timesys compares to the other top Embedded Software Development companies.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemberg Solutions | CTOs needing one team across hardware, firmware, and... | Owns electrical, firmware, Linux, FPGA, and cloud/edge AI in-house, backed by a certified hardware lab and named semiconductor partnerships | 4.8 | Full comparison |
| SYSGO | Aerospace, rail, and automotive teams needing SIL 4-certified... | Vendor of PikeOS, the first RTOS/hypervisor to achieve SIL 4 safety certification, now backed by Thales Group ownership | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Pengutronix | Teams needing verifiable, upstream-contributing Linux kernel expertise. | Directly verifiable upstream Linux kernel contributions (2,500+ changes across 4,000+ files in 2023 alone) — a depth signal that's independently checkable, not marketing copy | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| DornerWorks | Aerospace and defense programs needing FPGA and hypervisor... | Narrow, verifiable specialty in FPGA co-design and Xen hypervisor work for aerospace, defense, and medical reliability requirements | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Vector Informatik | Automotive teams standardizing ECU development on AUTOSAR tooling. | One of the primary commercial contributors to the AUTOSAR standard, pairing automotive embedded tooling with engineering services at 35+ years of history | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| emlix | Industrial and safety-critical clients needing Linux depth with... | Combines 20+ years of embedded Linux specialization with a 60+ engineer team large enough to run concurrent industrial programs | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Elektrobit | Automotive OEMs needing AUTOSAR and ECU software at... | Software running in 600M+ vehicles at production scale, backed by Continental's Tier 1 manufacturing relationships and standards expertise | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Bosch Engineering | OEMs wanting Bosch-grade process discipline for automotive and... | Wholly-owned Bosch Group engineering-services subsidiary bringing Bosch's manufacturing-grade process discipline to third-party embedded programs | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Enea | Buyers wanting a publicly-audited RTOS vendor with real-time... | Nasdaq Stockholm-listed RTOS vendor (Enea OSE) with public governance and audited financials, a trust signal private consultancies can't match | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Witekio | Device makers wanting chip-to-cloud coverage from one European... | Covers the full chip-to-cloud stack — BSP, Android/Linux/RTOS firmware, OTA/security, and Qt/Flutter app layers — under one French team | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Promwad | European buyers wanting hardware and firmware under one... | End-to-end European design house covering PCB, FPGA, embedded Linux, and manufacturing coordination under a single engagement | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Sirin Software | Semiconductor teams needing multi-protocol wireless firmware depth. | Named depth across six wireless protocols (Wi-Fi, BLE, Matter, UWB, NFC, LoRaWAN) spanning Linux, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, and ThreadX | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| MicroSys Electronics | Teams needing NXP-based SoM hardware paired with Linux... | NXP Gold Partner status with a near-50-year focus specifically on Arm Cortex System-on-Modules and their Linux BSPs | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| ByteSnap Design | UK/EU programs needing custom board design plus a... | ISO 9001-certified UK boutique with named multi-vendor semiconductor partnerships (STMicroelectronics, NXP, Microchip, Digi, Analog Devices) and dedicated design-rescue capability | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Klika Tech | AWS-committed architectures needing edge firmware and cloud integration... | AWS Premier Partner status specifically for edge-to-cloud IoT integration, reducing firmware/cloud interface risk on AWS-native architectures | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Integra Sources | Early-stage teams without in-house hardware engineering to manage... | Turnkey hardware-plus-firmware delivery from a single small team, removing the need for an in-house hardware/firmware vendor coordinator | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Softeq Development | Connected-product programs wanting hardware, firmware, and app layers... | Full-stack US firm covering PCB-to-device hardware, low-level firmware, and consumer application software under one roof | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| KPIT Technologies | Global OEM programs needing large-scale software-defined-vehicle engineering. | Publicly-listed, automotive-only embedded engineering at 12,000+ engineer scale, with a named Renault Group strategic partnership | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Tata Elxsi | Enterprises needing automotive embedded engineering alongside media/healthcare R&D. | Broad ER&D scale (13,000+ engineers, 16 countries) spanning automotive, media/telecom, and healthcare over 35+ years | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Data Respons | Nordic and multi-sector programs needing embedded engineering across... | Nearly 40-year Nordic embedded specialist spanning eight distinct sectors, now backed by Akkodis scale after two ownership transitions | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Wind River | Certifiable aerospace and industrial programs standardizing on VxWorks. | Maker of VxWorks, a certified RTOS deployed in commercial and military aircraft, now majority-owned by automotive Tier 1 supplier Aptiv | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Cyient | Aerospace and defense programs needing embedded avionics engineering... | Aerospace-focused embedded avionics practice (fly-by-wire, autopilot, collision avoidance) strengthened by the CERTON Software acquisition | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Intellias | Automotive programs wanting proven multi-brand navigation deployment experience. | Named production deployment: navigation technology used across 10+ global car brands and 10M+ vehicles, inside a broader IT outsourcing portfolio | 3.9 | 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 |
| GlobalLogic | Enterprises wanting embedded work inside a Hitachi-backed digital... | Hitachi Group-owned digital engineering scale with silicon and embedded hardware/software solutions plus a named Elektrobit automotive partnership | 3.8 | 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 | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| QuEST Global | Multi-vertical enterprises needing embedded engineering alongside broader R&D. | Very broad engineering-services scale (90+ delivery centers, 18+ countries) offering end-to-end silicon and embedded engineering directly to chipmakers | 3.8 | 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 | 3.7 | 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 | 3.7 | 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 | 3.7 | 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?
Programs needing long-term embedded Linux security patching and CVE tracking. 51–200 team size. Key consideration: Acquired by Lynx Software Technologies in December 2023 — confirm directly which legacy Timesys team and processes are still active before committing.
What are the best Timesys alternatives?
The best alternatives to Timesys depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Lemberg Solutions: owns electrical, firmware, linux, fpga, and cloud/edge ai in-house, backed by a certified hardware lab and named semiconductor partnerships
- SYSGO: vendor of pikeos, the first rtos/hypervisor to achieve sil 4 safety certification, now backed by thales group ownership
- Pengutronix: directly verifiable upstream linux kernel contributions (2,500+ changes across 4,000+ files in 2023 alone) — a depth signal that's independently checkable, not marketing copy
Compare Timesys with other Embedded Software Development companies
Timesys vs Lemberg Solutions Timesys vs SYSGO Timesys vs Pengutronix Timesys vs DornerWorks Timesys vs Vector Informatik Timesys vs emlix Timesys vs Elektrobit Timesys vs Bosch Engineering Timesys vs Enea Timesys vs Witekio Timesys vs Promwad Timesys vs Sirin Software Timesys vs MicroSys Electronics Timesys vs ByteSnap Design Timesys vs Klika Tech Timesys vs Integra Sources Timesys vs Softeq Development Timesys vs KPIT Technologies Timesys vs Tata Elxsi Timesys vs Data Respons Timesys vs Wind River Timesys vs Cyient Timesys vs Intellias Timesys vs N-iX Timesys vs GlobalLogic Timesys vs Luxoft Timesys vs QuEST Global Timesys vs Innowise Timesys vs Avenga Timesys vs Capgemini Engineering Timesys vs LTTS Timesys vs HCLTech
Verify all details directly with Timesys before making a decision.