Linx Consulting

What Linx Consulting does

Linx Consulting Inc. is a privately held Massachusetts-incorporated boutique consulting firm founded in 2008 that serves as a specialist electronic materials consultant to the semiconductor, display, photovoltaic, MEMS, energy, and nanotechnology industries. The firm develops subscription-based industry analysis reports covering advanced thin films, atomic layer etch (ALE), cleaning and surface preparation, CMP technologies and specialty abrasives, patterning materials, bulk wet chemicals, specialty gases, and mask markets, each grounded in 100+ primary field interviews per edition and proprietary device-architecture models layered on Semico-licensed wafer start forecasts. Linx also operates two econometric subscription services, the Econometric Semiconductor Forecast (ESF) and the Equipment Econometric Forecast (EEF), built in alliance with Hilltop Economics and validated to capture over 98% of long-run variation in semiconductors.

The firm earns revenue through three streams: (i) subscription industry analysis reports and econometric forecasting services sold via direct quote-based sales with company-wide enterprise licenses; (ii) custom consulting projects spanning M&A due diligence, competitive intelligence, market forecasting, cost-of-ownership analyses, and technology assessment; and (iii) conference management for SPCC, ESGS, and BIC plus workshops, monetized through attendee registrations and multi-tier sponsorships ranging from $4,500 (Bronze) to $12,000 (Networking Session). The firm is led by Managing Partners Mark Thirsk and Mike Corbett, Managing Director Asia Andy Tuan (Taipei), and Sales and Marketing Associate Audrey Parton, supported by a global consultant and analyst network. In 2024, SEMI acquired Linx's market reports and conferences business, with those assets now distributed through the SEMI store and SEMI's discovery platform while Linx continues to operate its consulting and forecasting service line.

Name

Linx Consulting

Legal name

Linx Consulting Inc.

Website

https://linx-consulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Linx Consulting is a boutique electronic materials consulting firm serving semiconductor, display, photovoltaic, MEMS, energy, and nanotechnology industries with industry analysis reports, econometric forecasting services (ESF/EEF), custom consulting, and industry conferences. Reports and conferences were acquired by SEMI in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Materials Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Process Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAF), M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side) (BPAHADAC), Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Electronic materials consulting
• Semiconductor market research
• Materials demand forecasting
• Wafer fab consumables analysis
• Industry intelligence subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mendon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industry Analysis Reports: Linx publishes detailed industry analysis reports covering advanced semiconductor wafer fab and PV cell consumables, including technology and market outlooks. Reports are approximately 200 pages delivered in PowerPoint and Excel format with company-wide license. Reports are now sold through the SEMI store following acquisition.
2. Custom Consulting Services: Custom consulting projects including M&A/Due Diligence, Diversification and Expansion, Competitive Intelligence, Market Analysis, Market Forecasting and Modeling, Cost of Ownership Analyses, and Technology Assessment and Commercialization.
3. Conference Management: Linx manages semiconductor industry conferences including SPCC (Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference), ESGS (Electronic Specialty Gas & Systems Conference), and BIC (Business Interface Conference). Revenue generated through attendee registrations, sponsorships at multiple tiers (Platinum $10,000, Gold $8,000, Silver $6,000, Bronze $4,500), and exhibitor fees.
4. Econometric Semiconductor Forecast (ESF): Quarterly forecasts with monthly updates providing semiconductor production forecasts in Million Square Inches (MSI) of silicon processed, based on advanced econometric forecasting models developed with Hilltop Economics founder Duncan Meldrum.
5. Equipment Econometric Forecast (EEF): Forecasting service for semiconductor equipment sales over 5 years by quarter, combining macroeconomic data with semiconductor industry factors, complementing the ESF service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Linx Consulting provides industry analysis reports (~200 pages, PowerPoint and Excel), subscription-based forecasting services, and custom consulting engagements to electronic materials suppliers and semiconductor device manufacturers. Offerings cover advanced thin films, atomic layer etch, CMP technologies and specialty abrasives, cleaning and surface preparation, patterning materials, mask market analysis, bulk wet chemicals, and electronic specialty gases. The firm also organizes industry conferences (SPCC, ESGS, BIC) and a metrology workshop, with reports and events now distributed through SEMI following SEMI's acquisition of the market reports and conferences business.

Product overview

Linx Consulting is a premier electronic materials consultant to the semiconductor, display, photovoltaic, MEMS, energy, and nanotechnology industries. The company offers a portfolio of industry analysis reports covering advanced thin films, atomic layer etching (ALE), cleaning and surface preparation, CMP technologies and abrasives, specialty gases, bulk wet chemicals, patterning materials, and mask market analysis. They also provide subscription forecasting services including the Econometric Semiconductor Forecast (ESF) and Equipment Econometric Forecasting Service (EEF). Additionally, Linx manages industry conferences including the Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference (SPCC), Electronic Specialty Gas & Systems Conference (ESGS), and Business Interface Conference (BIC), as well as custom consulting services for strategic and tactical decision-making. Linx's market reports and conferences have been acquired by SEMI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Linx Conferences: A division established in 2018 to manage the conference end of the business, including SPCC, ESGS, and Business Interface Conference

Products and services

• Advanced Thin Films Report Multi-hundred-page analysis of advanced thin film deposition processes and materials used in FEOL and interconnect applications (ALD, MOCVD, FCVD, Gapfill/SOD, electroplating), with multi-year forecasts and company-wide license, targeted at semiconductor materials suppliers and fab decision-makers.
• ALE Technologies and Markets Report Industry analysis report covering atomic layer etch (ALE) technology background, motivation, and forecasts for dielectric and metal applications in memory and logic devices, targeted at semiconductor materials and equipment stakeholders.
• Advanced Cleaning & Surface Preparation Report Twelfth-edition industry analysis report covering cleaning technologies, formulation trends, and surface preparation for semiconductor manufacturing, including emerging areas such as cobalt, ceria, and tungsten PCMP cleans, targeted at chemicals suppliers and fab customers.
• CMP Specialty Abrasives Report Fifth-edition industry analysis report on specialty abrasives for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), including colloidal silica, fumed silica, ceria, and alumina, with demand forecasts and emerging applications for materials suppliers and fab customers.
• CMP Technologies and Markets Report Thirteenth-edition report covering CMP applications, slurry and pad market growth, and forecasts for copper, barrier, tungsten, cobalt, and emerging memory technologies, intended for CMP consumables suppliers and semiconductor fab customers.
• Econometric Semiconductor Forecast (ESF) Subscription-based demand-driven forecasting service providing quarterly semiconductor production forecasts (with monthly updates) in Million Square Inches of silicon processed, built on econometric macroeconomic modeling with documented high long-run accuracy, for semiconductor industry executives and strategic planners.
• Equipment Econometric Forecasting Service (EEF) Subscription service forecasting semiconductor equipment sales over five years by quarter using a Fab Equipment Model combining more than 50 contemporaneous data series (global real GDP, investment/consumption components, technology goods demand, semiconductor industry factors), targeting equipment makers and semiconductor industry strategists.
• Bulk Wet Chemical Report Seventh-edition industry analysis report covering bulk wet process chemicals (sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, HF, nitric acid, HCl, phosphoric acid, ammonium, IPA) with multi-year market projections, for wet chemical suppliers and semiconductor manufacturers.
• Mask Market Analysis Industry analysis report covering the mask fabrication process, supply chain economics, mask costs, EUV mask fabrication, and five-year demand forecasts with supplier analysis, targeted at photomask suppliers, semiconductor fabs, and equipment makers.
• Patterning Materials Forecast and Market Share Service Annual subscription service covering spin-on patterning materials (photoresists, ARCs, TARCs, top coats, immersion materials, multi-level patterning materials) with five-year forecasts and supplier market share analysis, for photoresist suppliers and semiconductor fabs.
• Electronic Specialty Gas Service Comprehensive annual service covering 71 electronic specialty gas product groups and 5 bulk gases for semiconductor, LCD, LED, and PV applications with five-year volume and value forecasts, targeted at gas suppliers and semiconductor fabs.
• Surface Preparation and Cleaning Conference (SPCC) Annual conference dedicated to cleaning and surface preparation for semiconductor manufacturing, covering front-end, back-end, equipment, materials, metrology, and wafer cleaning technologies, delivering attendee registrations, sponsor packages, and exhibitor revenue.
• Electronic Specialty Gas & Systems Conference (ESGS) Annual conference focused on market and technology trends and drivers for electronic gases (bulk, rare, specialty) for end-users, producers, and equipment suppliers, generating revenue through attendee registrations and tiered sponsorships (Platinum $10,000, Gold $8,000, Silver $6,000, Bronze $4,500, Networking Session $12,000).
• Business Interface Conference (BIC) One-day conference reviewing macroeconomic and structural trends within the semiconductor industry, with emphasis on geopolitical influences, technical segment trends, and regional capacity, for semiconductor industry executives and strategic planners.
• Advanced Analytical Measurement & Metrology Workshop Workshop addressing challenges of advanced analytical measurement and metrology for semiconductor manufacturing, covering defectivity challenges and novel analytical techniques, for fab engineering and metrology specialists.
• Custom Consulting Services Bespoke consulting engagements covering M&A and due diligence, diversification and expansion, competitive intelligence, market analysis, market forecasting and modeling, cost of ownership analyses, and technology assessment and commercialization, scoped and priced per client engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Econometric forecasting model captures >98% of the long-run variation in semiconductors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hilltop Economics LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHilltop Economics LLC, founded by Duncan Meldrum, PhD, was formed as a strategic alliance to focus on business economic research and forecasting projects. Meldrum has over thirty years of experience in economics application to forecasting and business analysis, first as chief economist for Air Products and Chemicals, then as director of the Center for Forecasting and Modeling at IHS Global Insight. He developed the econometric forecasting model used in Linx's Econometric Semiconductor Forecast (ESF) and Equipment Econometric Forecast (EEF) services. The collaboration has produced forecasting methodologies with average one-quarter-ahead errors of -1.0% and eight-quarter-ahead errors of -0.3%.
• Semico Research CorpcoreTechnology or IntegrationLinx uses Semico Research Corp's wafer start forecasts by device type and technology node as a foundational input for their unique forecast models for manufacturing unit operations, material demand and market trends. Semico forecasts are combined with Linx's detailed device architecture models. A company-wide license for Semico data is required for subscribers of the Equipment Econometric Forecast service.
• SEMIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEMI acquired Linx Consulting's market reports and conferences to combine Linx's trusted semiconductor and electronics materials reports and events with SEMI's global reach and expertise. Reports are now sold through the SEMI store (store-us.semi.org). The ESGS 2025 conference registration is managed through SEMI's discovery platform (discover.semi.org). This partnership is designed to provide unparalleled market insights and connections to SEMI members and the broader semiconductor industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Frost & Sullivan: Global growth consulting firm with deep coverage of chemicals, materials, and electronics. Overlaps with Linx's industrial process chemicals, specialty gases, and electronic materials advisory work.

Broad incumbents

• SEMI: Global semiconductor manufacturing trade association that acquired Linx's reports and conferences business. Operates the broadest portfolio of industry analysis, events, and standards in the semiconductor ecosystem, and now houses Linx's market intelligence products.
• Gartner: Global IT research and advisory firm with a sizeable semiconductor and electronics practice. Serves overlapping enterprise customers with broader forecasting and advisory services.
• McKinsey & Company (Semiconductors Practice): Top-tier strategy consultancy with an active semiconductor and advanced electronics practice. Competes for high-end strategic advisory, M&A diligence, and industry study engagements that overlap Linx's custom services.
• IDC: Global market intelligence firm covering semiconductors, electronics, and materials. Competes at the subscription-forecasting layer that overlaps with Linx's ESF and EEF services.
• SEMI (as competing analyst) — actually covered above: SEMI World's Fab Forecast and end-market reports overlap with Linx's ESF/EEF and materials coverage, and the two organizations are now formally linked via the acquisition.
• S&P Global / IHS Markit: Provides macroeconomic and industrial forecasting (including electronics supply chain indices) that competes with Linx/Hilltop econometric models. Offers broader data scale and institutional distribution.

Direct peers

• IC Insights: Specialized semiconductor market research firm providing forecasts, supplier rankings, and trend analysis. Competes directly with Linx's ESF/EEF subscription forecasting services and materials coverage.
• Yole Group: Publishes market research and technology reports across semiconductor materials, equipment, and advanced packaging. Closely mirrors Linx's model of deep-dive technical market analysis sold to semiconductor industry participants.
• TechInsights: Provides technology and IP analysis, reverse engineering, and market intelligence for the semiconductor industry. Comparable to Linx in serving fab operators, equipment makers, and materials suppliers with deep technical market research.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Linx Consulting