Linaro

Linaro is a collaborative engineering organization established in 2010 to advance the development of open-source software for ARM-based devices. Registered as a United Kingdom company, it brings together semiconductor, device, and software companies to share resources and align efforts across the ARM ecosystem. Its aim is to accelerate adoption and adoption of ARM architectures by improving and coordinating open-source tooling, platforms, and workflows.

The organization coordinates and funds joint development across multiple areas of the ARM software stack. Core activities include optimizing Linux kernel and user-space components for ARM, coordinating bootloaders and firmware, and fostering upstream contributions to improve portability, performance, and security. Linaro emphasizes collaboration with upstream open-source projects and standardization of practices across distributions and device types.

Key initiatives and projects include the Linaro Toolchain, which provides prebuilt ARM compiler toolchains based on GCC and other toolchain components for embedded and consumer devices. Linaro Linux coordinates ARM-focused kernel and user-space work, while Linaro Validation Suite (LVS) and the LAVA automated testing framework support automated hardware testing and validation across ARM boards. The organization also maintains groups such as the Linaro Enterprise Group to focus on server-grade ARM software, and it sponsors events like Linaro Connect to share results and align on roadmaps.

Membership comprises companies from the ARM ecosystem that contribute to and benefit from shared open-source development. Linaro’s work has influenced upstream Linux, GCC, bootloaders, and related tooling, helping to standardize and accelerate software for ARM-based devices across mobile, embedded, and enterprise markets.