Tk Open Systems

What Tk Open Systems does

Tk Open Systems Ltd. (trading as TkOS, tagline "Solutions for an open world®") is a privately held Israeli embedded Linux and microprocessor consulting firm incorporated in January 1996, headquartered in Jerusalem (Pierre Koenig 28, Talpiot) with a secondary office in Yokneam. The company specializes in Board Support Package (BSP) development, custom Linux kernel and device-tree engineering, board bring-up, and secure-boot solutions across ARM (32/64-bit), Xtensa, Blackfin, MIPS, PowerPC, and SuperH architectures, with recent project work on NXP i.MX6/7/8, Marvell Armada, Nvidia Tegra K1, Rockchip, Atmel/Microchip SAMA5D2, Allwinner, and Intel platforms. Its flagship differentiated capability is an Encrypted Boot Media solution built on NXP/Freescale's High Assurance Boot (HABv4) for i.MX SoCs, alongside mainline-Linux BSP delivery using U-Boot/BareBox, Buildroot, Yocto, and Docker. The company also maintains a public technical wiki (wiki.tkos.co.il) documenting completed projects.

TkOS operates a professional services model targeting enterprise customers in semiconductor (Samsung Semiconductor Israel R&D), automotive and ADAS (MobilEye, Ardix), medical device (Brainsway, QCore, Rachip/RaChip with FIPS 140-2 compliant Linux, RenalSense), industrial networking (RAD), military aviation (TandemG), satellite ground stations (Orbit Communications), hardware/SOM vendors (SolidRun), and select startups. Pricing is published and ranges from EU 55 to EU 80 per hour for consulting, with fixed-price projects carrying a 50-100% risk premium, hybrid (hourly-then-fixed) arrangements for less-defined scopes, monthly billing on hourly contracts, and fixed-price monthly support retainers; remote delivery is significantly cheaper than on-site. The firm employs approximately 25 salaried engineers plus 3-5 independent contractors in Israel and one contractor in Slovakia, with sales driven through direct senior-engineer engagement (CEO Jonathan Ben-Avraham, CTO Baruch Siach, Corporate VP Alan Yaniger), a partner ecosystem (SolidRun, Future Electronics, Eastronics, SightSys, PerTech, CatchMedia, RaChip, Siklu), and content marketing via the public wiki.

Name

Tk Open Systems

Legal name

Tk Open Systems Ltd.

Website

https://tkos.co.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tk Open Systems is a Jerusalem-based embedded Linux and microprocessor consulting firm (founded 1996, ~25 engineers) that develops Board Support Packages, custom kernels, board bring-ups, and HABv4-based encrypted boot solutions for enterprise customers across semiconductor, automotive, medical device, industrial, and military sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Embedded Systems Engineering Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Server Management, Orchestration & BMC/Remote Admin Systems (HDACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fault & Performance Monitoring (SNMP/Telemetry/APM for Networks) (HDAFAMAA), Hardware & Device Support (PC, Mobile, Peripherals) (BPAAACAB)

Keywords

• Embedded Linux consulting
• Board support packages
• Linux kernel development
• Board bring-up services
• Secure boot solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Jerusalem

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional services including processor selection, boot-chain development, kernel configuration, device drivers, and proof-of-concept projects. Also includes re-engineering for standards compliance, software infrastructure upgrades, end-of-life component replacements, and feature enhancements. Billed hourly (EU 55-80/hour), as fixed-price projects, or hybrid contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tk Open Systems is an embedded Linux and microprocessor consulting firm that develops Board Support Packages (BSPs), custom Linux kernels, device trees, and boot loaders (U-Boot, BareBox) for new embedded Linux designs. The company performs board bring-up work, builds custom root filesystems using Buildroot, Yocto, and Docker, and offers an Encrypted Media Solution using Freescale's HABv4 technology for secure boot on i.MX platforms. Services span processor selection, kernel configuration, device driver development, OTA upgrades, and end-of-life component replacement for ARM, Xtensa, Blackfin, MIPS, PowerPC, and SuperH architectures.

Product overview

Tk Open Systems is an embedded Linux and microprocessor consulting company providing Board Support Package (BSP) development services for new embedded Linux designs. The core offering consists of BSP development (including custom Linux kernels, device trees, and boot loaders) complemented by the Encrypted Boot Media security service for secure embedded deployments. The company builds custom root filesystems using Buildroot, Yocto, and Docker, and provides board bring-up services. A public wiki serves as a knowledge resource documenting completed projects and technical documentation. The portfolio spans from mainline BSP development to vendor BSP obsolescence consulting, addressing the full lifecycle of embedded Linux system development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board Support Packages (BSPs) Development of Linux BSPs for ARM, Xtensa, Blackfin, MIPS, PowerPC and SuperH architectures. Includes boot loader (U-Boot or BareBox), custom Linux kernel, device drivers, cross compiler toolchain, buildroot-generated filesystem, and Eclipse-based IDE with target debugger. Sold to enterprise customers building embedded Linux products.
• Encrypted Boot Media Solution Security solution using Freescale's High Assurance Boot (HABv4) encryption and authentication capabilities to provide fully encrypted boot media for embedded platforms using Freescale's i.MX system-on-chips. Protects boot loader and entire operating system against unauthorized OS images and updates.
• Mainline BSP Development Linux BSPs that bring systems up-to-date with latest stable Linux kernel, GCC compiler toolchain and filesystem libraries. Provides improved optimization, error detection, memory leak detection, and latest kernel features including updated device drivers, encrypted root filesystems and loadable module signatures.
• Vendor BSP Obsolescence Consulting Consulting services to address vendor BSP obsolescence issues when Linux BSPs become outdated within a year or two, lack new Linux features, or do not support selected flash, RAM or peripheral components.
• Custom Linux Kernel Development Build custom Linux kernels and device trees to solve specific problems for embedded Linux designs. Includes backports of later drivers or packages to earlier kernel versions.
• Board Bring-Up Services Complete board bring-up services including mainline Linux kernel development, Buildroot, Yocto and Docker-based root filesystem creation, and video driver customizations.

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SolidRuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHardware partner and customer. TkOS has completed multiple projects for SolidRun including Marvell 8040 and Armada BSPs, and i.MX8 bring-up. SolidRun provides hardware platforms while TkOS provides Linux BSP expertise and engineering support.
• Future ElectronicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal electronics component distributor. Partnership enables customer introductions through distributor channels for embedded Linux services.
• SightSysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partnership for embedded solutions market collaboration and technical expertise sharing.
• RaChipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in medical device space. TkOS has completed FIPS 140-2 compliant Linux OS project for Rachip.
• EastronicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIsraeli electronics component distributor and partner for market reach in Israel.
• ArdixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive sector partner. TkOS completed RK3288 infrared camera interface project for Ardix.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wind River Systems: Large embedded software incumbent (VxWorks, Wind River Linux) serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial with broader platform stacks. Adjacent competitor for high-end embedded engagements where TkOS may be displaced.
• Green Hills Software: RTOS and embedded security vendor (INTEGRITY RTOS). TkOS has even worked alongside Green Hills on TandemG projects; competes in safety-critical/safety-security embedded markets at higher price points.

Direct peers

• Witekio: France-based embedded software and IoT services firm with comparable BSP, Yocto, and board bring-up offerings. Comparable target verticals (automotive, medical, industrial) and similar size/positioning.
• Pengutronix: Germany-based embedded Linux consulting and BSP development firm. Closest international analogue to TkOS — same niche (board bring-up, mainline kernel, Yocto), similar size, and similar cross-architecture depth (i.MX, i.MX8, i.MX9, STM32, etc.).
• Konsulko Group: US-based embedded Linux consulting firm staffed by former Yocto Project maintainers. Direct peer in BSP, kernel, and open-source embedded engineering services with similar mainline-kernel philosophy.
• Timesys: US-based embedded Linux solutions provider offering BSP development, Yocto expertise, and long-term support contracts. Directly comparable services to TkOS, with a stronger productized/SaaS overlay (TimeStorm IDE, Vigiles CVE monitoring).
• Linutronix: German embedded Linux and real-time (PREEMPT_RT) consulting firm. Directly comparable to TkOS in offering BSP development, mainline kernel work, and real-time Linux — including boot loader and root filesystem services for industrial/automotive customers.
• EmbedIt Informatik: Swiss embedded Linux consulting firm focused on BSP, kernel, and driver development for industrial customers. Closely comparable specialty-services positioning with similar architecture breadth.
• Opersys: Canada-based embedded Linux training and consulting firm. Comparable services for board bring-up, BSP, and Android/Yocto work, with a similar small-team, founder-led structure.

Others

• SolidRun: Hardware partner (Core strategic) rather than competitor — SolidRun designs SoMs and carrier boards for which TkOS provides BSPs. Included as an ecosystem relationship that defines a major revenue stream for TkOS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

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 Tk Open Systems