Savoir-faire Linux
Savoir-faire Linux is a Montreal-headquartered open source integrator with ~60 consultants across Montreal and Rennes, delivering embedded systems, cybersecurity, Edge AI, and digital substation engineering services to approximately 500 enterprise clients in energy, industrial, aerospace, healthcare, and government verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersQuebec, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Savoir-faire Linux does
Savoir-faire Linux is a privately held open source systems integrator founded in 1999 and headquartered in Montreal, with a second engineering office in Rennes, France, and a team of approximately 60 free-software specialists across two continents. The firm delivers professional services spanning the full embedded product lifecycle — board support packages, bootloader, kernel and firmware development, long-term maintenance, and cybersecurity compliance against IEC 62443 and UL 2900 — alongside specialized offerings in LF Energy SEAPATH-based digital substation virtualization (IEC 61850), Edge AI engineering (computer vision, NPU/GPU optimization, predictive maintenance), and Agentic AI integration (RAG/Memory, multi-agent orchestration, and AAIF standards contributions). Beyond services, the company develops Jami, a free peer-to-peer communication platform, and operates an Emploi-Québec-approved training center in Montreal covering Linux, Yocto, Zephyr, SEAPATH, cybersecurity, Python, and other open source stacks.
The business operates on a quote-based professional services model with multi-year enterprise contracts, complemented by certified training revenue. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with channel leverage through open source foundation memberships (Linux Foundation, LF Energy, Yocto, Zephyr, AAIF) and the firm's position as the largest Red Hat Ready Partner in Canada. Customer concentration is dispersed across roughly 500 enterprise clients in energy (Schneider Electric, RTE), industrial (ABB, Wabtec), aerospace (CMC Electronics), healthcare (Turn Medical, Think Surgical), robotics (Kinova, Exotec), financial services (Desjardins), and government (Canadian Space Agency, STM). Strategic posture combines vertical diversification, maintainer-level open source participation, and incremental expansion into applied AI service lines without disclosed external funding.
Savoir-faire Linux firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Savoir-faire Linux
- Legal name
- Savoir-faire Linux
- Website
- https://savoirfairelinux.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Savoir-faire Linux is a Montreal-headquartered open source integrator with ~60 consultants across Montreal and Rennes, delivering embedded systems, cybersecurity, Edge AI, and digital substation engineering services to approximately 500 enterprise clients in energy, industrial, aerospace, healthcare, and government verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Savoir-faire Linux industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Open Source Technology Services and Integration
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CI/CD Pipeline Engineering & Automation (BPAEAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- PLC, HMI & SCADA Automation (EDAOAHAD), DevOps, SRE & Platform Engineering (CI/CD, IaC, Containers) (EDABAFAC)
Keywords
Where Savoir-faire Linux is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Quebec
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Savoir-faire Linux business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Services: Consulting, development, integration and technical support services for open source technologies. The company delivers projects of all sizes addressing technical challenges through innovation.
- Training Services: High-level Open Source training through approved training center. Training center is approved by Emploi-Québec (approval: 0052023). Courses are eligible under Law on skills and include certifications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom professional services engagements |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Savoir-faire Linux product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Savoir-faire Linux is an open source technology integrator that delivers consulting, engineering, integration, and training services for embedded systems, connected devices, cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation projects. The company operates a team of certified open source consultants based in Montreal and Rennes, executing projects from ideation to market. It also produces Jami, a free peer-to-peer communication software, and co-creates the LF Energy SEAPATH project for digital substation virtualization.
Product overview
Savoir-faire Linux offers a portfolio of open source technology services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Connected Devices and Product Engineering for embedded systems development, Cybersecurity services for embedded systems compliance (IEC 62443, UL 2900), LF Energy SEAPATH engineering services for digital substation virtualization, Edge AI integration for computer vision and predictive analytics, Agentic AI for autonomous workflow orchestration, and Knowledge Economy and Training programs covering Linux, Yocto, Zephyr, and other open source technologies. Additionally, the company produces Jami, a free peer-to-peer communication software. These services are delivered by a team of approximately 60 experts in Montreal and Rennes, leveraging open source technologies and community contributions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Jami: A free and universal communication software developed by Savoir-faire Linux that respects user freedom and privacy.
Products and services
- Connected Devices and Product Engineering
Quantifiable outcome
- 500 clients worldwide
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Savoir-faire Linux
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Savoir-faire Linux technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature4 records
Savoir-faire Linux partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, emerging and supporting.
- Zephyr ProjectcoreSavoir-faire Linux joined the Zephyr Project ecosystem as a Silver member, contributing to the open-source real-time operating system (RTOS) for embedded devices. The project supports over 900 boards with contributions from nearly 800 developers.
- Yocto ProjectcoreSilver member of the Yocto Project, a Linux Foundation collaborative open source project that produces tools and processes enabling creation of Linux distributions for embedded and IoT software independent of hardware architecture.
- LF Energy SEAPATHcoreCo-creator and principal contributor to the LF Energy SEAPATH project - an open source software platform for IEC 61850 Digital Substation Automation Systems. Savoir-faire Linux provides engineering services and shapes project direction.
- Linux FoundationcoreSilver member of the Linux Foundation, supporting standardization and protection of Linux while gaining early access to ecosystem developments.
- LF EnergycoreGeneral member of LF Energy, an open source foundation focused on power systems sector, building shared digital investments for energy transformation.
- Red HatstrategicAdvanced partner of Red Hat - the most important and recognized open-source IT solution company and first GNU/Linux distributor. Savoir-faire Linux is the largest Red Hat Ready partner in Canada.
- Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF)emergingSilver member of AAIF, developing and building upon industry standards for agentic AI systems. Savoir-faire Linux actively contributes to standards like AGENTS.md, Skills, and MCP.
- Technologic SystemssupportingPartnership with Technologic Systems providing embedded computing solutions including field-proven industrial COTS and custom embedded systems for rugged environments.
- ToradexsupportingProven Partner of Toradex, specializing in ARM-based computer modules for embedded market with highly configurable hardware and software.
- STMicroelectronicssupportingAuthorized partner of STMicroelectronics with 46,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies enabling smarter mobility and IoT/5G deployment.
- NXP SemiconductorssupportingRegistered partner of NXP, a global semiconductor company creating solutions for secure connections in a smarter world.
- PHYTEC AmericasupportingPartnership with PHYTEC America, a leading provider in System on Modules (SOM) industry enabling customers to design, develop, and bring complex products to market efficiently.
- DebiansupportingActive contributor and supporter of Debian, a free operating system with nearly 43,500 software packages available on a global network.
- Python Software FoundationsupportingActive supporter and contributor to Python programming language community, one of the most famous programming languages.
- Free Software FoundationsupportingEngaged supporter of the Free Software Foundation, a non-profit promoting free software and defending users.
- DrupalsupportingActive contributor to Drupal, an open source CMS supporting millions of websites and web applications worldwide.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Savoir-faire Linux competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wind River Systems: Long-established embedded RTOS (VxWorks) and embedded Linux vendor serving aerospace, industrial, and automotive. Comparable as a broader incumbent competing for embedded/IoT engineering budgets that SFL also targets.
- Red Hat: The world's largest open source enterprise software company and parent of the Fedora/RHEL ecosystem. SFL is Red Hat's largest Ready partner in Canada, making Red Hat both an upstream dependency and a broader market incumbent whose services overlap with SFL's open source consulting.
- BlackBerry QNX: Safety-certified embedded RTOS platform serving automotive, industrial, and medical. Comparable as a larger incumbent providing embedded operating systems and integration services in many of SFL's target verticals.
- Canonical: Commercial sponsor of Ubuntu and a major provider of embedded Linux, IoT, and cloud open source services. Comparable because both companies monetize Linux-based open source via consulting, support, and training across enterprise and embedded.
- Lynx Software Technologies: Provider of safety- and security-critical RTOS and hypervisor products for embedded systems. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same embedded/IoT OS ecosystem and customer base.
Direct peers
- Timesys: Embedded Linux and Yocto services company offering BSPs, long-term support, and security maintenance. Direct competitor in providing commercial Linux/Yocto engineering services to industrial and IoT OEMs.
- Witekio: France-based (Lyon) embedded systems and IoT software integrator with deep Yocto, Linux, and connectivity expertise. Highly comparable to SFL's Connected Devices and Edge AI practices and a direct European competitor in embedded open source consulting.
- MontaVista Software: Commercial embedded Linux distribution and support vendor (now part of Qorvo). Comparable to SFL in serving industrial/IoT customers needing long-term Linux support, BSPs, and professional services around an embedded Linux stack.
- Konsulko Group: Embedded Linux consulting firm led by long-time Yocto/AOSP contributors offering engineering, training, and BSP services. Directly comparable to SFL's Yocto/Zephyr/Linux kernel embedded engineering work for industrial and IoT clients.
- Codethink: UK-based open source software consultancy working on embedded Linux, real-time systems, and safety-critical platforms. Highly comparable niche systems integrator with a similar model of senior-engineer-driven open source delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Savoir-faire Linux social profiles
Digital presenceSavoir-faire Linux compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Savoir-faire Linux financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Savoir-faire Linux leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Savoir-faire Linux funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Savoir-faire Linux M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Savoir-faire Linux
What does Savoir-faire Linux do?
Savoir-faire Linux is an open source technology integrator that delivers consulting, engineering, integration, and training services for embedded systems, connected devices, cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation projects. The company operates a team of certified open source consultants based in Montreal and Rennes, executing projects from ideation to market. It also produces Jami, a free peer-to-peer communication software, and co-creates the LF Energy SEAPATH project for digital substation virtualization.
Is Savoir-faire Linux a public or private company?
Savoir-faire Linux is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Savoir-faire Linux founded?
Savoir-faire Linux was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Savoir-faire Linux based?
Savoir-faire Linux is headquartered in Quebec, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Savoir-faire Linux make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are training Services.
Who are Savoir-faire Linux's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wind River Systems, Red Hat, BlackBerry QNX, Canonical and Lynx Software Technologies. Direct peers are Timesys, Witekio, MontaVista Software, Konsulko Group and Codethink.
Does Savoir-faire Linux have an API?
No public API is recorded for Savoir-faire Linux.
What industry is Savoir-faire Linux in?
Savoir-faire Linux's product category is Open Source Technology Services and Integration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAKAB, CI/CD Pipeline Engineering & Automation, with a secondary code of EDAOAHAD, PLC, HMI & SCADA Automation. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7370.