Texplained
Texplained is a French private company specializing in integrated circuit reverse engineering and data extraction, serving governments, law enforcement, semiconductor firms, and aerospace/defense integrators through proprietary ChipJuice software, Le Lab analysis services, and hands-on training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersValbonne, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Texplained does
Texplained SARL is a French specialized services and software company founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sophia-Antipolis, Valbonne, France. It focuses on integrated circuit (IC) reverse engineering and data extraction for high-stakes security use cases, combining physical lab work — depackaging, delayering, SEM and optical imaging, micro-probing, laser fault injection (LFI), and electromagnetic fault injection (EMFI) — with proprietary software that converts chip imagery into netlists, GDSII, and other architectural representations. The core software product is ChipJuice, which incorporates a patented methodology for IC analysis and uses machine learning to automate standard cell library detection; the company also developed ARES, an internal tool for processing large volumes of SEM imagery.
Texplained monetizes through four streams: (1) professional services delivered from Le Lab covering digital forensics, IC security evaluation, supply chain verification, IP infringement investigation, and obsolescence management; (2) ChipJuice perpetual software licenses with annual maintenance and a 30-day free trial; (3) training programs across in-lab 4-day sessions in Sophia-Antipolis, on-premises custom programs, conference-based sessions (including Codegate 2026 in Seoul), and self-paced online courses starting at EUR 600; and (4) a small online storefront selling SEM/optical images and e-learning. Buyers are governments, law enforcement agencies (LEAs), chip makers, evaluation laboratories, aerospace and defense integrators, and technology companies — a deliberately narrow, security-sensitive customer set served via direct sales, conference presence (Hardwear.io, Black Hat, REcon, Codegate), and self-serve software purchasing. The company participates in EU-funded research consortia EXFILES (2020-2023) and ORSHIN (2022-2025) and operates as a founder-led SARL with fewer than ten employees and no disclosed external funding.
Texplained firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Texplained
- Legal name
- TEXPLAINED SARL
- Website
- https://texplained.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Texplained is a French private company specializing in integrated circuit reverse engineering and data extraction, serving governments, law enforcement, semiconductor firms, and aerospace/defense integrators through proprietary ChipJuice software, Le Lab analysis services, and hands-on training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Texplained is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valbonne
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Texplained business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- IC Reverse Engineering Services: End-to-end IC reverse engineering and data extraction services covering sample preparation, micro-probing, full reverse engineering, and in-depth IC analysis for security evaluation, obsolescence management, supply chain verification, and digital forensics.
- ChipJuice Software Licensing: Permanent license purchase with annual maintenance. Perpetual license model with first year maintenance included, renewable annually.
- Training Programs: Revenue from hands-on in-lab trainings (4-day programs), online/self-paced courses, on-premises customized sessions, and conference-based trainings. Online courses priced starting at 600 EUR.
- Store - Imaging and Resources: Online store selling optical images, SEM images, and e-learning courses to researchers and professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Online Training - Three Modules |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | 4-Day Hands-On Lab Training |
| Other | Multi-year contract | On-Premises Customized Training |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Conference-Based Training |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | ChipJuice Perpetual License |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Texplained product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Texplained delivers integrated circuit (IC) reverse engineering and data extraction through its patented ChipJuice software, its Le Lab R&D facility equipped for depackaging, delayering, SEM imaging, micro-probing, and fault injection, and a suite of professional services. The company sells ChipJuice as a perpetual software license and provides end-to-end IC analysis services covering digital forensics, hardware security evaluation, supply chain verification, IC obsolescence management, and IP infringement investigation, alongside specialized training programs.
Product overview
Texplained offers a comprehensive portfolio centered on IC Reverse Engineering and Data Extraction. The core product is ChipJuice, a patented software platform for IC analysis that processes SEM imagery and automates netlist extraction and standard cell library detection. This is complemented by Le Lab, their R&D laboratory providing physical IC analysis services (depackaging, delayering, imaging), and a suite of professional services including IC Security Evaluation, Obsolescence Management, Supply Chain Verification, IP Infringement Investigation, and Digital Forensics. Training programs (hands-on, online, and conference-based) support skill development in IC hacking techniques.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ChipJuice: Proprietary software for IC reverse engineering and data extraction with patented methodology, offering features like logical/physical tracing, STD cells detection, GDSII creation, and netlist export.
- Le Lab
- Le Lab
Products and services
- ChipJuice A patented, user-friendly software for Integrated Circuit reverse engineering and analysis. Features include Logical Tracing, Physical Tracing, STD Cells Detection, GDSII Creation, Netlist Export, and automated standard cell library detection using machine learning. Sold as a perpetual license with annual maintenance, available to chip makers, evaluation labs, security professionals, and academia.
- IC Security Trainings Specialized hands-on training covering the entire hardware-hacking workflow, from sample preparation and micro-probing to circumventing countermeasures and practical reverse engineering. Delivered in three formats: online self-paced modules (starting at 600 EUR), 4-day in-lab sessions in Sophia-Antipolis, France, and conference-based sessions such as Codegate 2026 in Seoul. Custom on-premises sessions are also available for teams.
- Data Extraction Services (Le Lab)
- IC Security Evaluation End-to-end IC security analysis providing imaging, reverse engineering of chip internals, vulnerability identification, and attack testing. Delivers detailed Risk Assessment reports with images, netlists, and insights into weaknesses and attack methods for chip buyers, chip makers, and security professionals.
- IC Obsolescence Management Reverse-engineers chip internal hardware (GDSII, Netlist, RTL), recovers datasheets, extracts embedded code, and enables replacement through emulation on modern targets. Supports critical systems requiring decades of operation that outlast commercial chip lifecycles, primarily for aerospace and defense integrators.
- Supply Chain Verification Compares original GDSII design with factory samples to detect potential hardware backdoors and tampering introduced during outsourced manufacturing. Provides IC buyers and integrators with enhanced hardware security and supply chain confidence.
- IP Infringement Investigation Analyzes suspected ICs, comparing core functionality and layout against client IP. Provides detailed technical reports to support litigation and protect semiconductor innovations, including counterfeits, clones, and genuine product comparisons (e.g., printer cartridge IP cases).
- Digital Forensics Advanced methods and tools to extract information from device secure elements or ROM code on application processors. Enables extraction of evidence from advanced secure and encrypted devices for law enforcement agencies and forensic investigations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Enables recovery of clear ROM and Flash data from encrypted non-volatile memories (NVMs)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Texplained
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Texplained technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Texplained partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NXP SemiconductorsminorNXP is mentioned as a co-presenter at the ORSHIN Summer School 2025 in Crete, Greece. Texplained joined NXP and EURECOM in exploring topics like secure lifecycle management, verifiable open-source hardware, and cryptographic protocols.
- EURECOMminorEURECOM (European Research Center for Security and Privacy in Information Society) is mentioned as co-presenter at ORSHIN Summer School 2025 alongside Texplained and NXP.
- ORSHIN ConsortiumcoreORSHIN (Open-source ReSilient Hardware and software for Internet of thiNgs) is a European-funded project (2022-2025) focused on creating secure network devices based on open-source components. Texplained contributes hardware security design and evaluation expertise, introducing frameworks integrating high-level attack scenarios and open-source principles within the semiconductor industry. Activities include modifying Security Assessment Standards for Open-Source Hardware, designing 'secure by design' countermeasures, and creating IC Supply Chain Verification solutions.
- EXFILES ConsortiumcoreEXFILES (Extract Forensic Information for LEAs from Encrypted SmartPhones) is a major European project (2020-2023) developing tools and protocols for law enforcement agencies to extract data from encrypted mobile devices. Texplained leads the hardware approach, developing methods for extracting essential information for decryption using software exploitation, hardware methods, and combined techniques. Focus on ethical/legal research aspects and training for next-generation forensic experts.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Texplained competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- NCC Group: NCC Group is a large, publicly-listed cybersecurity services firm whose hardware security practice overlaps with Texplained's IC evaluation work, though most of its revenue comes from broader IT and application security testing.
- Rambus: Rambus, through its Cryptography Research division, sells hardware security IP and test platforms and provides chip-level security consulting — adjacent to Texplained's reverse engineering work but oriented toward IP and countermeasures rather than forensic RE.
- Keysight Technologies: Keysight manufactures the electronic test and measurement instruments (oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, bench tools) that Texplained-class labs depend on, and increasingly bundles security/validation software relevant to chip security evaluation.
Direct peers
- TechInsights: TechInsights (formerly Chipworks) performs IC teardowns and reverse engineering for competitive intelligence, IP, and supply-chain analysis. It is the largest commercial IC reverse-engineering competitor and shares Texplained's core competency of turning chip internals into netlists and GDSII outputs.
- IOActive: IOActive is a global security consultancy with a dedicated hardware/embedded security practice covering chip analysis, smart card attacks, and embedded firmware reverse engineering — closely mirroring Texplained's services-and-research model.
- Secura: Secura is a Netherlands-based security firm with hardware and IoT security offerings, including chip-level assessment, side-channel testing, and supply chain audits — a comparable services-led model serving similar European enterprise and government buyers.
- Riscure: Riscure is a Dutch-headquartered security lab specializing in hardware and embedded device security testing, side-channel analysis, and fault injection — a directly overlapping practice to Texplained's IC reverse engineering and security evaluation services.
- Cycura: Cycura is a specialized hardware and embedded security firm providing reverse engineering and vulnerability research services to critical infrastructure, medical, and industrial clients — competing directly with Texplained for the same scarce senior RE talent.
Others
- NXP Semiconductors: NXP is a major semiconductor customer and ecosystem partner for Texplained (co-presenter at ORSHIN Summer School 2025). While not a competitor, NXP represents the type of chip-maker buyer that anchors Texplained's evaluation and supply-chain verification pipeline.
Emerging players
- Attify: Attify focuses on IoT and hardware security training and tooling — overlapping with Texplained's training program and a younger, more education-led model targeting the same hardware-hacking community.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Texplained social profiles
Digital presenceTexplained compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Texplained financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Texplained leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Texplained funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Texplained 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 Texplained
What does Texplained do?
Texplained delivers integrated circuit (IC) reverse engineering and data extraction through its patented ChipJuice software, its Le Lab R&D facility equipped for depackaging, delayering, SEM imaging, micro-probing, and fault injection, and a suite of professional services. The company sells ChipJuice as a perpetual software license and provides end-to-end IC analysis services covering digital forensics, hardware security evaluation, supply chain verification, IC obsolescence management, and IP infringement investigation, alongside specialized training programs.
Is Texplained a public or private company?
Texplained is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Texplained founded?
Texplained was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Texplained based?
Texplained is headquartered in Valbonne, France, in the Europe region.
How does Texplained make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. IC Reverse Engineering Services are the primary driver. The others are chipJuice Software Licensing, training Programs and store - Imaging and Resources.
Who are Texplained's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are NCC Group, Rambus and Keysight Technologies. Direct peers are TechInsights, IOActive, Secura, Riscure and Cycura. NXP Semiconductors is listed as an others. Attify is listed as an emerging player.
Does Texplained have an API?
Yes. ChipJuice is fully scriptable, making it an ideal tool to tailor to specific requirements. The Q&A section confirms the software is scriptable via an API, enabling users to customize and automate workflows according to their needs.