What ReFLEX CES does

ReFLEX CES is a French private company founded in 2000 that designs, manufactures, and supplies FPGA-based embedded computing solutions for defense, industrial, networking, finance, and bioscience customers. Its core technology stack is built around Intel (Altera) and AMD (Xilinx) FPGA silicon, delivered through five System-on-Module families (Ares, Achilles, Spartacus, Vulcan, Zeus), a portfolio of PCIe boards including 800G Ethernet offerings, and a VPX lineup aligned with the SOSA standard for defense applications. Following the 2022 acquisition and July 2025 full integration of apissys, the company added VPX-centric data conversion and real-time signal processing capabilities, enabling direct RF-to-digital architectures. Headquartered in Lisses, France with an R&D center in Archamps and a US sales office in San Jose, the company operates a B2B enterprise field sales motion supplemented by Mouser Electronics as global distributor for standard products, and provides turnkey custom solutions, modified-COTS boards, custom servers, and FPGA application firmware as engineering services.

The company monetizes primarily through one-time hardware sales of standard and custom FPGA boards and modules, supplemented by professional services revenue from custom design, firmware development, and system integration engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; defense and industrial deals tend to be long-cycle project contracts. ReFLEX CES is privately held by founders and management with no disclosed venture capital backing, led by President Sylvain NEVEU, and operates from an ISO 9001 certified, RoHS/REACH compliant, UL certified manufacturing ecosystem of qualified suppliers and EMS partners. Its customer base spans defense primes, industrial OEMs, networking equipment vendors, and high-frequency trading firms, with the company targeting leadership in the European high-performance embedded solutions market.

Name

ReFLEX CES

Legal name

reflex ces

Website

https://reflexces.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ReFLEX CES is a French designer and manufacturer of FPGA-based embedded computing solutions, including System-on-Modules, PCIe boards, and SOSA-aligned VPX boards, serving defense, industrial, networking, finance, and bioscience customers across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Embedded FPGA Computing Hardware

NAICS

Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing (334418), Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411)

SIC

Printed Circuit Boards (3672), Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577)

akta.pro primary industry

PCB Assembly (PCBA/EMS) (HDAHAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Embedded & Industrial Network Interfaces (PCIe/M.2/SOM/SoC NICs) (HDAFAEAI)

Keywords

• FPGA embedded systems
• System-on-Modules
• VPX boards
• PCIe FPGA boards
• Signal processing hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisses

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardware Products: Sale of standard FPGA boards including SoMs (Ares, Achilles, Spartacus, Vulcan, Zeus), PCIe boards (XpressGX, XpressSX, XpressVUP series), VPX boards (AV series), and PCIe servers. One-time hardware sale model with each product having specific part numbers.
2. Custom Solutions: Turnkey solutions and modified-COTS products tailored to specific customer requirements. Custom board design, FPGA application firmware development, and server/system integration services.
3. Manufacturing Services: Industrialization and manufacturing capabilities using qualified suppliers for PCB, mechanical engineering, and assembly. Component sourcing and quality agency partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ReFLEX CES designs, manufactures and sells FPGA-based embedded computing products including System-on-Modules (SoMs), PCIe boards up to 800G Ethernet, SOSA-aligned VPX boards, OpenVPX chassis, PCIe servers, and carrier/development kits for defense, bioscience, instrumentation, finance and networking customers. The company complements its catalog with turnkey custom solutions, modified-COTS designs, custom servers/systems and FPGA firmware development, supported by in-house industrialization with qualified suppliers.

Product overview

ReFLEX CES is a European company specializing in embedded FPGA-based solutions comprising a diverse portfolio of modules, PCIe boards, VPX boards, and custom solutions. The module family includes the Ares SoM (Intel Agilex™ 7), Achilles SoM (Arria® 10), Spartacus SoM (Stratix® 10), Vulcan SoM (Versal™ Prime/AI Edge), and Zeus SoM (Zynq® UltraScale+™ MPSoC). The PCIe board lineup features the XpressGX S10-FH800G (800G Ethernet), XpressSX AGI-FH401G, XpressGXA10-LP1151B, Sargon FMC+, and multiple XpressVUP variants based on Virtex® UltraScale+™. Data conversion products include VPX boards (AV153, AV155, AV145, AV150, AV143) and the Athena SFF module, all designed for high-speed signal processing. Following the 2025 apissys integration, the portfolio expanded to include turnkey solutions, modified-COTS, custom servers and systems, and FPGA application firmware services, covering the complete embedded system lifecycle from design through manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ares SoM System-on-Module based on Intel Agilex 7 F-Series SoC FPGA, designed for high-performance embedded applications including bioscience, instrumentation, quantum computing, radar systems, electronic warfare, and satellite communications.
• Achilles SoM System-on-Module based on Intel Arria 10 SoC FPGA, optimized for video broadcasting, machine and intelligent vision, industry, testing and measurements, and medical applications.
• Spartacus SoM COM Express Basic form factor Module (Type 7 standard) based on Intel Stratix 10 SoC FPGA, targeting HPC and analytics, acceleration, and intelligent vision and video processing applications.
• Vulcan SoM System-on-Module based on AMD Versal Prime / AI Edge SoC, providing next-generation adaptive computing for edge and prime applications.
• Zeus SoM System-on-Module based on AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC, suitable for software defined radio, radar systems, electronic warfare, and high-precision measurement applications.
• XpressSX AGI-FH401G Full-height PCIe board featuring Intel Agilex 7 I-Series FPGA with high-speed connectivity for network processing applications.
• XpressGXA10-LP1151B Low-profile PCIe board based on Intel Arria 10 FPGA for embedded applications requiring balanced performance and power efficiency.
• XpressGX S10-FH800G Full-height PCIe Network Processing board featuring Intel Stratix 10 FPGA with support for up to 800 GB Ethernet, designed for acceleration, low-latency applications, data centers, high-performance computing, military and defense, and broadcasting.
• Sargon FMC+ FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC+) development kit based on Intel Stratix 10 FPGA for prototyping and development of high-speed data acquisition and processing systems.
• XpressVUP-LP5/9PT2 Low-profile PCIe board featuring AMD Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA for high-performance computing and signal processing applications.
• XpressVUP-LP9PT3 Low-profile PCIe board with AMD Virtex UltraScale+ VU9P-3 FPGA optimized for ultra-low latency applications including high-frequency trading and electronic warfare.
• XpressVUP-LP9PI PCIe board based on AMD Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA for industrial and high-performance embedded applications.
• XpressVUP-LP9PI2 Industrial PCIe board featuring AMD Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA for demanding embedded computing environments.
• 1U 800G Server High-density 1U FPGA-based server supporting 800G connectivity with multiple FPGA boards integrated for high-performance computing applications.
• 2U 800G Recorder 2U form factor FPGA-based server designed for high-bandwidth data recording applications with 800G connectivity.
• AV153 VPX Board VPX board with Intel Agilex 9 Direct RF capability, SOSA-aligned for military and defense applications requiring wideband RF signal processing.
• AV155 VPX Board VPX board featuring AMD Versal RF technology for advanced RF signal processing and communications applications.
• AV145 VPX Board VPX board based on Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC for integrated RF and digital signal processing capabilities.
• AV150 VPX Board VPX board featuring AMD Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA for high-performance data conversion and signal processing applications.
• AV143 VPX Board VPX board based on AMD Virtex UltraScale+ technology for rugged embedded military and defense applications.
• Athena Agilex 9 Direct RF SFF Small Form Factor (SFF) module featuring Intel Agilex 9 Direct RF technology for space-constrained embedded RF applications.
• AC103 OpenVPX Chassis OpenVPX chassis for housing and integrating VPX boards in embedded defense and industrial systems.
• AC104 OpenVPX Chassis OpenVPX chassis providing rugged enclosure for VPX modules and boards in mission-critical applications.
• Spartacus PCIe Carrier Board Evaluation carrier board fully compatible with Spartacus Stratix 10 SoC System-on-Module, providing PCIe x16 connectivity, quad 10GbE interface, SATA3, USB 3.0, and FMC connectors for rapid prototyping.
• Achilles DevKit Complete development kit based on Intel Arria 10 SoC FPGA including system-on-module, starter board, schematics, and reference designs, featuring ARM dual-core Cortex-A9 MPCore with up to 660 KLEs of FPGA logic.
• Turnkey Solutions Fully customized board and system solutions built from scratch to meet specific customer requirements, leveraging FPGA technology for defense, security, and industrial applications.
• Modified-COTS Solutions Off-the-shelf FPGA boards customized with modified specifications to better fit specific application requirements while reducing development time and cost.
• Custom Servers & Systems Bespoke server and system integration services combining FPGA boards with custom hardware design for complete embedded solutions.
• FPGA Application Firmware Custom FPGA firmware development and application software services to maximize the capabilities of reflex ces hardware products.

Quantifiable outcome

• FPGAs can execute certain algorithms up to 1000 times faster than traditional software solutions

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• apissyscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Acquisition completed in 2022, with full integration finalized July 1, 2025. apissys contributed expertise in data conversion and real-time signal processing, particularly on VPX architectures. The merger created a unified company with reinforced ambition to become a leading European player in high-performance embedded solutions for defense, security, and industrial markets.
• Intel (Altera)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing FPGA components. Product portfolio includes boards based on Altera Arria 10, Stratix 10, and Agilex FPGA families. Intel FPGA products form a core part of ReFLEX CES offerings.
• AMD (Xilinx)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing FPGA components. Product portfolio includes boards based on AMD/Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+, Kintex UltraScale+, Zynq UltraScale+, and Versal adaptive SoC families.
• Mouser ElectronicsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal authorized distributor for ReFLEX CES standard FPGA boards and modules. Products available for online purchase through mouser.com.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trenz Electronic: Trenz Electronic produces FPGA SoM modules and development kits for industrial, medical, and test/measurement applications. Comparable SoM product line (similar to Ares/Achilles/Spartacus) with similar FPGA vendor focus.
• BittWare (Molex): BittWare designs FPGA acceleration boards (PCIe) using Intel and Xilinx FPGAs for HPC, networking, and defense applications. Directly comparable in PCIe FPGA board portfolio and was acquired by Molex for similar embedded compute positioning.
• Abaco Systems: Abaco Systems designs ruggedized FPGA-based embedded computing boards (VPX, VME, XMC) for defense, aerospace, and industrial markets. Direct competitor in SOSA-aligned VPX boards and FPGA SBCs targeting electronic warfare and radar applications.
• Enclustra: Enclustra designs FPGA SoMs (Mars, Mercury, Saturn) and PCIe cards for embedded applications. Directly comparable SoM-centric business model with similar FPGA vendor partnerships and industrial/defense customer base.
• Aitech: Aitech specializes in ruggedized embedded computing systems for defense, space, and aerospace markets, including FPGA-based GPGPU and SBC products. Direct competitor in VPX and rugged embedded computing for similar defense customers.
• Alpha Data: Alpha Data designs and manufactures FPGA-based PCIe acceleration boards and VPX modules for defense, finance, and HPC markets. Closely comparable as a smaller FPGA board specialist competing in the same product categories.

Broad incumbents

• Kontron: Kontron offers a wide range of embedded computing modules (COM Express, SMARC), SBCs, and FPGA boards for industrial, medical, and defense applications. Comparable in offering modular embedded computing products with FPGA-based options.
• Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Curtiss-Wright offers a broad portfolio of ruggedized COTS embedded computing solutions including VPX boards, SBCs, and FPGA-based DSP modules for defense and aerospace. A larger incumbent with overlapping FPGA and signal processing capabilities across many defense programs.
• Mercury Systems: Mercury Systems designs and manufactures mission-critical processing subsystems for defense and intelligence applications, including FPGA-based RF and signal processing solutions. A much larger incumbent serving electronic warfare, radar, and electronic surveillance programs.

Emerging players

• Sundance Multiprocessor Technology: Sundance designs embedded multiprocessor and FPGA modules for DSP and signal processing applications. Smaller peer with comparable focus on FPGA-based signal processing for defense and instrumentation markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reflex-ces

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ReFLEX CES