CM First Group

What CM First Group does

CM First Group is a private, Austin, Texas-based software and services company founded in 1999 that specializes in enterprise legacy application modernization. It serves organizations running IBM mainframe (z Systems) and IBM i (AS/400) applications written in COBOL, RPG, CA 2E (Synon), CA Plex, LANSA, ASM, JCL, CL, and SQL, particularly in financial services, insurance, government, retail, and software development. The company's core product, CM evolveIT, applies compiler-based static code analysis and program slicing to automatically discover, extract, and document business rules and data flows across program boundaries, reducing discovery time by up to 80% versus manual analysis.

The product portfolio also includes CM evolveIT metaTX-AI, an AI-powered automated refactoring tool that transforms legacy code into runtime-free Java and JavaScript, and CM M3, a specialized modernization accelerator for CA 2E applications. CM First complements these tools with professional modernization services (analysis, transformation, migration, and implementation), training programs, and Managed Application Services (MAS) for ongoing CA 2E and CA Plex application maintenance.

The company generates revenue through a mix of software licensing (perpetual and subscription), professional services, training, and managed services, with both cloud-based SaaS and on-premise deployment options. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales supplemented by a channel partner network including Axon Active (Asia Pacific delivery via Vietnam), IBM (Guardium integration), HelpSystems (RPA via Automate), Broadcom (CA Plex/2E ecosystem), Axon Ivy (BPM), and government-focused partners such as Winvale (GSA Schedule). The company has served 400+ customers, integrators, and software vendors and has processed more than 10 million lines of legacy code.

Name

CM First Group

Legal name

CM First Group

Website

https://cmfirstgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CM First Group is a private Austin, Texas software company that provides automated legacy application modernization tools and services for enterprises running COBOL, RPG, and CA 2E/Plex applications on IBM mainframe and IBM i platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Application Modernization Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Process & Case Management Low-Code Platforms (HDAEAKAE)

Keywords

• Legacy application modernization
• COBOL to Java conversion
• Mainframe modernization software
• CA 2E Synon modernization
• Business rules analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Primary revenue from licensing CM evolveIT and CM M3 software products. Products offered with cloud-based SaaS browser application access. Revenue model includes both perpetual license and subscription options for enterprise customers.
2. Professional Modernization Services: Professional services for legacy application modernization including code analysis, transformation, migration, and implementation services. Services include application maintenance, enhancement, and managed services for CA 2E and CA Plex applications.
3. Training Services: Modernization training services offered to customers for using CM First products and understanding legacy modernization techniques. Includes bootcamp training options at conferences.
4. Managed Application Services: Managed Application Services (MAS) for organizations needing ongoing management, enhancement, and maintenance of CA 2E and CA Plex applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CM First Group develops and sells software tools (CM evolveIT, CM evolveIT metaTX-AI, CM M3) that automate the analysis, documentation and transformation of legacy enterprise applications written in COBOL, RPG, CA 2E and CA Plex on IBM mainframe and IBM i platforms. It complements these products with professional modernization, training and managed application services for large organizations modernizing or maintaining legacy code.

Product overview

CM First Group offers a suite of legacy application modernization products anchored by CM evolveIT, a maintenance analytics platform that reduces discovery time by 80% through automated analysis of business rules and system dependencies. The portfolio includes CM evolveIT metaTX-AI, an AI-powered code refactoring product for transforming legacy applications to Java and JavaScript, and CM M3, a specialized tool for CA 2E (Synon) modernization. Beyond these core tools, CM First provides professional modernization services, training, managed application services, and solutions for business rules analytics, mainframe maintenance, legacy app integration, and intelligent automation (RPA). The company also resells or supports partner products including CA Plex tools and CA Data Content Discovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CM evolveIT: Legacy application modernization tool that reduces discovery time by 80% through compiler technology that automatically finds and documents business rules and system interactions.
• CM evolveIT metaTX-AI
• CM M3

Products and services

• CM evolveIT Maintenance analytics software that uses compiler technology to automatically find and document business rules and system interactions in legacy enterprise applications. Supports COBOL, RPG, ASM, JCL, CL, SQL, CA Plex, CA 2E (Synon) and LANSA on IBM z, IBM i, Windows and Linux, and is targeted at organizations needing to maintain, document or transform large legacy codebases.
• CM evolveIT metaTX-AI AI-powered automated code refactoring product that transforms legacy applications to cutting-edge runtime-free Java and JavaScript, positioned for COBOL-to-Java conversions and IBM i / IBM z modernization projects.
• CM M3 Specialized automation tool for CA 2E (Synon) application modernization, enabling quick, cost-effective modernization with predictable high-quality output, including RPG/COBOL to Java, web and cloud platform modernization.
• Professional Modernization Services Professional services for legacy application modernization including code analysis, transformation, migration, implementation, application maintenance and enhancement services for CA 2E and CA Plex environments.
• Modernization Training Modernization training services offered to customers using CM First products, including bootcamp training options at conferences, covering legacy modernization techniques and CM First product usage.
• Managed Application Services (MAS) Managed Application Services (MAS) for organizations needing ongoing management, enhancement and maintenance of custom CA 2E and CA Plex applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% reduction in discovery time for legacy code analysis
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Axon ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 August 2017Expanded partnership with Axon Active Vietnam to collaborate on software development and engineering services with emphasis on application modernization projects. Enables CM First to extend engineering capability in Asia and provide expanded services to customers in the region. Also extends existing partnership with Axon Switzerland for digital process automation technology (AXON IVY).
• Axon (Switzerland)coreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing partnership with Axon Switzerland on digital process automation technology using AXON IVY BPM Suite. CM First's business rules harvesting technology integrates with Axon Ivy to enable customers to take full advantage of digital process automation and reduce business rules re-engineering cost by up to 80%.
• IBMcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for IBM Guardium integration with CM evolveIT. Joint webinars on securing IBM i/z platforms with IBM Guardium. Also collaboration on IBM Power Data Privacy solutions.
• HelpSystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) integration with HelpSystems Automate. Joint webinars demonstrating how CM First uses Automate's RPA technology to control green screen, web, and office products for IBM Power, CA 2E, and CA Plex applications.
• Broadcom (formerly CA Technologies)coreTechnology or IntegrationLong-time partner with CA Technologies (now Broadcom) for CA Plex and CA 2E product ecosystem. Products are complementary to Broadcom's Application Development tools. CM First exhibited at CA World 2017 and participates in community events.
• SHARE Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSHARE Inc. hosts webinars featuring CM First Group on automated static code analysis and mainframe modernization topics. CM First presents at SHARE conferences as a sponsor.
• WinvaleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to help companies work more efficiently with the US government. Through this addition, government agencies have access to CM First's products and services via GSA Schedule.
• AbacusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBM i CA 2E/Plex cloud hosting partner. Presents at CA Plex/2E community webcasts on cloud hosting options.
• RemainminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBM i and CA 2E change management partner. Presents at community webcasts on change management solutions.
• SodisaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish track partner for CA Plex/2E community events.
• LusodataminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCA 2E and Plex application development partner. Presents at community webcasts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cmfirstgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmfirstgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1791906

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

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 CM First Group