What Emsys Embedded Systems does

Emsys Embedded Systems GmbH is a privately held German engineering firm founded in December 1998 in Ilmenau by Dr.-Ing. Karsten Pahnke and Dr.-Ing. Steffen Arlt, with current leadership under CEO Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Schulze and Managing Director Dr.-Ing. Karsten Pahnke. The company focuses exclusively on serial-bus embedded technologies — USB, Gigabit Ethernet, and IEEE 1394 (FireWire) — supplying silicon-verified IP cores for ASIC and FPGA designs (Full-/Low-speed USB, Hi-Speed USB 2.0 with UTMI+ interface, IEEE 1394a/b link layers up to 800 Mbit/s, and a GMII Gigabit Ethernet core), a portable ANSI C/C++ USB stack (emcpp_usb) compliant with USB 3.0 and backward compatible to USB 2.0, and complementary hardware devices including the USB Unilink Interface 2.0 protocol converter and the Netz-Analyzer Flex/5 4G Cat.1 signal level meter for smart-meter rollout. The company also delivers embedded firmware, Windows kernel driver development (MBIM, NCM, CDC-ACM, filter drivers), USB compliance and WHQL testing services, and USB Academy training seminars.

The firm operates with a stated headcount of 1–10 employees, ISO 9001:2015 certification held since 2011, and a lean go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales with structured channel partnerships: Siemens Mobility distributes the Unilink Interface 2.0 to public-transport customers, Fraunhofer IIS / Fraunhofer CorePool distribute ASIC-grade IP cores to semiconductor clients, and Google Play distributes the Netz-Analyzer companion Android app. Reference customers include smartphone market leaders (USB stacks optimized for energy-efficient CDC-MBIM/NCM/ACM/Mass Storage/Audio/MTP/PTP/ADB), industrial camera vendors, and security-device OEMs. Revenue is generated through IP licensing (VHDL/Verilog source or netlists, simulation models, integration guidelines), hardware device sales, professional services (firmware and Windows kernel drivers), and paid training seminars, with all pricing handled via custom multi-year quotes.

The company is a member of mioty Alliance and CIPA, and was a longtime USB Implementers Forum member until 2024. Its strategic posture is that of a specialist boutique: deep protocol expertise, field-proven deliverables, and global enterprise reference projects, but with limited scale, undisclosed financials, no external funding, and concentration in a handful of anchor accounts.

Name

Emsys Embedded Systems

Legal name

emsys Embedded Systems GmbH

Website

https://www.emsys.de/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Emsys Embedded Systems GmbH is a privately held German boutique firm specializing in USB, Gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire protocol technology, supplying silicon-verified hardware IP cores, a portable USB software stack, and firmware/driver development services to semiconductor, smartphone, industrial camera, and public-transport OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Embedded Systems Software and Semiconductor IP

NAICS

Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Communications Equipment, Nec (3669)

akta.pro primary industry

Hardware/Chip Design IP Cores (Processor, Interface, Analog, Security) (HDAHAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) (IMAGAGAA), IP Enablement, Characterization & Porting Services (HDAHAFAI)

Keywords

• USB IP cores
• Embedded USB stacks
• Gigabit Ethernet IP
• FireWire IP cores
• Embedded software services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ilmenau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software IP Licensing: Sale of USB stacks (emcpp_usb) and hardware IP cores (USB, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 1394) as licenses for ASIC and FPGA designs. Deliverables include VHDL/Verilog source code or netlists, simulation models, test suites, and integration guidelines.
2. Hardware Device Sales: Sale of hardware products including USB Unilink Interface 2.0 and Netz-Analyzer signal level meters. Distribution through channel partners like Siemens Mobility.
3. Software Development Services: Embedded software development services for USB, Ethernet, FireWire applications. Includes firmware development, Windows kernel driver development, and integration support for major customers including smartphone manufacturers.
4. Training and Consulting: USB Academy training seminars covering USB protocol basics, firmware development, and specialized topics. Project assistance and expert consultation services. Can be conducted at emsys facilities or customer locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

emsys Embedded Systems designs and licenses proprietary hardware IP cores for USB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), and Gigabit Ethernet, and sells the portable emcpp_usb software stack for embedded Device, Host, and OTG applications. The company also produces hardware devices (Netz-Analyzer Flex/5 signal level meter, USB Unilink Interface 2.0) and provides embedded firmware, Windows kernel driver, and USB testing/consulting services to enterprise customers.

Product overview

Emsys Embedded Systems provides specialized embedded solutions centered on USB, Ethernet, and FireWire serial bus technologies. The product portfolio includes three main categories: (1) Hardware IP Cores - USB IP cores (Full-/Low-speed FHG_USB_DEV/EHC/OTGDRD and Hi-Speed FHG_USB2 series with UTMI+ interface), IEEE 1394 IP cores (FHG_1394A_LINK at 400 Mbit/s and FHG_1394B_LINK at 800 Mbit/s), and Gigabit Ethernet IP Core (FHG_GIGABIT_LINK supporting 10/100/1000 Mbit/s); (2) Software - emcpp_usb portable USB stack library supporting Device/Host/OTG for USB 3.0 with backward compatibility to USB 2.0 across multiple MCUs, DSPs, and OS platforms; (3) Devices - Netz-Analyzer Flex/5 signal level meter for smart meter rollout supporting 4G Cat.1, Wireless M-Bus, and LoRaWAN, and USB Unilink Interface 2.0 providing USB 2.0 Hi-Speed to Siemens Unilink connectivity. The company also offers USB consulting/training services (emsys Academy), Windows kernel driver development, USB testing services, and participates in research projects such as MultiSys for industrial image processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Netz-Analyzer: Signal level meter product line including Netz-Analyzer Flex/5 for mobile network testing and smart meter rollout support

Products and services

• FHG_USB_DEV IP Core USB 2.0 Function Controller IP core for Full- and Low-speed ASIC/FPGA designs, intended for semiconductor and embedded hardware teams integrating USB device functionality.
• FHG_USB_EHC IP Core USB Embedded Host Controller IP core for Full- and Low-speed ASIC/FPGA designs, targeting embedded hosts that need USB connectivity.
• FHG_USB_OTGDRD IP Core USB Dual-Role Device IP core with OTG support and HNP for Full- and Low-speed ASIC/FPGA implementations.
• FHG_USB2_DEV IP Core Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Device IP core with UTMI+ interface for ASIC/FPGA designs needing 480 Mbit/s device functionality.
• FHG_USB2_EHC IP Core Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Embedded Host Controller IP core with UTMI+ interface for ASIC/FPGA designs.
• FHG_USB2_OTGDRD IP Core Hi-Speed USB 2.0 OTG Dual-Role Device IP core for ASIC/FPGA implementations needing OTG functionality.
• FHG_1394A_LINK IP Core IEEE 1394a (FireWire) Link Layer IP core delivering up to 400 Mbit/s for ASIC/FPGA designs, with AMBA AHB readiness and 32-bit CRC support.
• FHG_1394B_LINK IP Core IEEE 1394b (FireWire) Link Layer IP core delivering up to 800 Mbit/s for ASIC/FPGA designs needing high-speed FireWire connectivity.
• Gigabit Ethernet IP Core (FHG_GIGABIT_LINK) Scalable IEEE 802.3 Gigabit Ethernet Controller IP core with GMII interface supporting 10/100/1000 Mbit/s for ASIC/FPGA designs, including hardware CRC generation and check.
• USB Unilink Interface 2.0 USB 2.0 Hi-Speed protocol converter providing a Siemens Unilink downstream connection via RJ45 or optical interface at 3.3 Mbps, bus powered, used by public transportation service applications. Distributed by Siemens Mobility.
• Netz-Analyzer Flex/5 Signal Level Meter 4G Cat.1 signal level meter with Wireless M-Bus and Bluetooth app interface for smart meter rollout, supporting 2G, LTE, LTE-M including Band 72 (450 MHz), NB-IoT, and LoRaWAN testing, with a smartphone app interface via Bluetooth and USB.
• emcpp_usb Embedded USB Stack Portable ANSI C/C++ embedded USB stack supporting Device, Host, OTG, and Dual-Role implementations, compliant to USB 3.0 with backward compatibility to USB 2.0, hardware/OS/processor independent, with optimized memory footprint for mobile applications.
• Windows Kernel Driver Development Services Windows kernel-mode driver development service covering WDF, UMDF, KMDF, NDIS, and WDM models and supporting network (MBIM, NCM, ECM, EEM), USB CDC-ACM, filter drivers, and WHQL certification for embedded device vendors.
• USB Testing Services USB device testing service offering USB Compliance Pre-Testing, WHQL Testing, and extended testing for USB Hi-Speed and Full-Speed devices, targeted at device manufacturers preparing for certification.
• emsys Academy USB Seminars USB protocol training seminars covering USB 2.0/3.0 basics, firmware development, and specialized classes such as USB Video, Still Image, PictBridge, and Printer device classes, delivered either at emsys or on-site at the customer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Aims to capture and process 200 Megapixel per second in MultiSys research project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• Siemens Mobility (Siemens AG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Siemens Mobility distributes the USB Unilink Interface 2.0 protocol converter. Development was performed by emsys Engineering & Consulting GmbH, Germany. Manufacturing by EPSa GmbH, Germany. Siemens Mobility handles global distribution to public transportation sector customers.
• EPSa GmbHcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2015EPSa GmbH, Germany handles manufacturing of the USB Unilink Interface 2.0 product. emsys performed product specification, firmware development, and host driver software implementation.
• Fraunhofer IIScoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS serves as ASIC implementation partner for emsys IP cores. USB IP cores for ASIC designs are distributed through Fraunhofer CorePool. Collaboration enables semiconductor companies to integrate emsys USB, Gigabit Ethernet, and IEEE 1394 cores into ASIC designs.
• USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partneremsys was a longtime member of the USB Implementers Forum until 2024, participating in pushing USB's success and market share. emsys products carry USB compliance certification. Membership enabled access to USB specifications and compliance testing resources.
• mioty AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partneremsys is a member of the mioty Alliance, which focuses on mioty low-power wide-area network technology for industrial IoT applications.
• CIPAminorStrategic or Co-development Partneremsys is a member of CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association), supporting the industrial camera and imaging systems market segment.
• AtlassiansupportingTechnology or Integrationemsys uses Atlassian toolchain for development processes including Jira for issue tracking, Bamboo for CI/CD, Crucible for code review, and Confluence for documentation. Standard tools not exclusive partnerships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Synopsys: Major EDA and semiconductor IP vendor offering DesignWare USB IP cores, controllers, and stacks. Competes with emsys in the USB IP core market for ASIC and FPGA designs, though at vastly larger scale and with a much broader IP portfolio.
• Cadence: Leading EDA and IP provider offering USB, Ethernet, and other connectivity IP cores for ASIC/FPGA designs. Directly competes with emsys in chip-design IP licensing, particularly for USB2.0/3.0 controllers and stacks.
• ASIX Electronics: Fabless semiconductor company specializing in USB-to-Ethernet, USB-to-serial, and embedded networking controllers. Closely comparable to emsys's USB/Ethernet IP and bridge-device focus, serving similar industrial and embedded customer segments.
• HCC Embedded: Embedded software vendor offering portable USB, networking, and file system stacks for safety- and security-critical applications. Directly comparable to emsys's emcpp_usb stack offering for embedded USB Device/Host/OTG solutions.
• SEGGER Microcontroller: Provider of embedded software including USB stacks, file systems, and development tools targeting MCUs and embedded processors. Overlaps with emsys on portable embedded USB stack offerings and complements with broader middleware.

Broad incumbents

• Microchip Technology: Large semiconductor vendor offering USB microcontrollers, hubs, and transceivers across consumer and industrial markets. Overlaps with emsys's USB IP core and stack offerings but serves customers with finished silicon rather than licensing IP.
• Silicon Labs: Broad-line MCU and wireless IC vendor with USB-enabled microcontrollers and embedded software stacks. Provides integrated USB solutions at the chip level rather than as licensable IP cores.
• Texas Instruments: Major analog and embedded semiconductor vendor with extensive USB product portfolio including controllers, hubs, and transceivers. Overlaps with emsys's USB connectivity offerings as part of a much broader embedded product catalog.

Others

• Fraunhofer IIS: German research institute that serves as emsys's ASIC implementation partner and distributes its USB IP cores via the Fraunhofer CorePool marketplace. Closely linked ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but operates in adjacent IP and licensing domains.

Emerging players

• Witekio: Embedded systems software and IoT services company offering firmware, driver, and connectivity development. Comparable to emsys's embedded software development services, particularly for Linux/Android/embedded Linux connectivity stacks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emsys-embedded-systems-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Emsys Embedded Systems