PopUp Mainframe
PopUp Mainframe provides on-demand virtualized z/OS mainframe environments for enterprise development, testing, and training, built on IBM zD&T and delivered via x86, cloud (Azure), or LinuxONE/IFL infrastructure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What PopUp Mainframe does
PopUp Mainframe Ltd. is a UK private limited company founded in 2020/2021 by Gary Thornhill and headquartered in Wokingham, Berkshire, that sells on-demand virtualized z/OS mainframe environments for enterprise development, testing, and training workloads. The product is built on IBM zD&T (Z Development and Test) and runs on x86 hardware, public cloud (Microsoft Azure via its Marketplace listing), LinuxONE, or mainframe IFL/KVM environments, supporting z/OS 2.4 and above with full subsystem compatibility including Db2, CICS, MQ, and IMS. The portfolio comprises three core editions (X Edition for x86/cloud, Z Edition for LinuxONE/IFL, Flex Edition introduced January 2026) plus bundled partner add-ons branded as PopUp Mainframe + and proprietary extensions such as FastTrack snapshot/rewind and Conveyor Belt data migration.
The go-to-market combines API-first product-led self-service for spinning mainframe instances up and down through RESTful APIs with direct enterprise field sales for larger deployments, supplemented by channel partnerships with TES Enterprise Solutions (UK reseller) and Microsoft Azure Marketplace, and technology integrations with Delphix (data masking and snapshot rewind) and BMC (pre-installed AMI DevX tooling). Pricing is quote-based with annual subscription licensing and professional services for implementation and SCM-to-Git migration. Target customers are large enterprises with IBM mainframes in regulated industries, with named reference customers including National Grid (utilities), Legal & General (insurance), and an unnamed pensions company (financial services). The company has no disclosed external funding rounds, operates with 11-50 employees, and has earned industry recognition including Highly Commended DevOps Tool/Product of the Year 2024 (Computing) and the SustainableIT.org 2024 Impact Award in the Environment category.
PopUp Mainframe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PopUp Mainframe
- Legal name
- PopUp Mainframe Ltd.
- Website
- https://popup-mainframe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PopUp Mainframe provides on-demand virtualized z/OS mainframe environments for enterprise development, testing, and training, built on IBM zD&T and delivered via x86, cloud (Azure), or LinuxONE/IFL infrastructure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PopUp Mainframe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mainframe Virtualization Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise Mainframes (HDACABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Modular/Composable Infrastructure (Compute Sleds, Disaggregated Systems) (HDACABAC)
Keywords
Where PopUp Mainframe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PopUp Mainframe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Software Licensing and Subscription: PopUp Mainframe product licensing providing virtual mainframe environments. Available as subscription-based model with different editions (X Edition for x86/cloud, Z Edition for LinuxONE/IFL).
- Professional Services: Implementation services, training, and consulting for mainframe DevOps transformation, SCM to Git migration, and environment setup.
- Cloud Marketplace: Azure Marketplace listing for cloud deployment enabling pay-as-you-go access to PopUp Mainframe environments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Licensing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
PopUp Mainframe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PopUp Mainframe provides on-demand, virtualized z/OS mainframe environments that allow enterprises to provision fully functional mainframe instances within minutes for development, testing, and training purposes. Built on IBM zD&T technology, the platform supports both x86/cloud and LinuxONE/IFL deployments and includes pre-integrated DevOps tooling, enabling organizations to eliminate delivery bottlenecks associated with physical mainframe LPARs.
Product overview
PopUp Mainframe is a cutting-edge enterprise software product that provides virtualized, on-demand z/OS mainframe environments. The core portfolio consists of three product editions: X Edition runs on x86 hardware or cloud (Azure), Z Edition runs on Linux on Z/IFL/KVM/LinuxONE, and Flex Edition offers enhanced flexibility with FastTrack capability. All editions provide a functionally equivalent z/OS environment identical to physical mainframes, with z/OS 2.4 and later fully supported. PopUp Mainframe + bundles the core product with partner integrations including BMC AMI DevX (pre-installed tooling), Azure (cloud deployment), and Delphix (data masking). The solution is API-first, enabling pipeline automation and DevOps integration for mainframe CI/CD workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PopUp Mainframe X&Z Editions: Virtual on-demand z/OS mainframe environments. X Edition runs on x86 hardware and cloud platforms; Z Edition runs on LinuxONE or inside mainframe IFL/KVM Linux environment.
- PopUp Mainframe Flex Edition
- Warp Speed PopUp
- PopUp Mainframe FastTrack
Products and services
- PopUp Mainframe X Edition Virtualized z/OS environment that runs on x86 hardware or in the cloud, providing a fully compatible, functionally equivalent mainframe environment for development, testing, and training activities.
- PopUp Mainframe Z Edition
Quantifiable outcome
- Environment provisioning time reduced from 6 months to 30 minutes for one customer
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use PopUp Mainframe
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PopUp Mainframe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature7 records
PopUp Mainframe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TES Enterprise SolutionscoreStrategic partnership and reseller agreement announced September 2025. TES Enterprise Solutions is a leading Enterprise Technology solution provider and platinum IBM Business Partner specializing in IBM Z and LinuxONE innovation. Partnership enables delivery of PopUp Mainframe X and Z Edition products with expert services and operational support for UK enterprise organizations looking to accelerate mainframe application deliveries.
- DelphixcoreIntegration partnership enabling Delphix Continuous Compliance Engine for data masking and Delphix Continuous Data for self-service portal. Combined solution enables snapshot, rewind, and fast-forward of complete mainframe environments. PopUp Mainframe z/OS Masking Plugin extends Delphix to handle VSAM, IMS, and legacy mainframe data sources.
- Microsoft AzurecorePopUp Mainframe available as fully packaged cloud offering on Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Virtual machine image built, configured, and performance tested to run optimally in Azure cloud infrastructure.
- BMC SoftwarecoreBMC AMI DevX tools pre-installed and configured on PopUp Mainframe products, including Workbench for modern IDE experience. Enables instant DevOps capability with pre-configured BMC tooling.
- MooodyCowminorPartnership with leading mainframe services provider. MooodyCow specialists cover all areas of mainframe with special focus on helping businesses modernize and optimize mainframe systems. Combined vision delivers cutting edge software and best practice know-how.
- IBMcorePopUp Mainframe runs on IBM zD&T (Z Development and Test) - IBM's own mainframe virtualization software. Also utilizes IBM DBB (Developer for z/OS) for builds, IBM Wazi Deploy for deployments, and integrates with IBM z/OS Connect for API exposure.
- Solution Delivery ABminorSolution Delivery AB completed PopUp Mainframe Certification programme and training workshops, demonstrating technical capabilities to offer best-in-class services to enterprise customers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PopUp Mainframe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PopUp Mainframe social profiles
Digital presencePopUp Mainframe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PopUp Mainframe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
PopUp Mainframe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PopUp Mainframe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PopUp Mainframe
What does PopUp Mainframe do?
PopUp Mainframe provides on-demand, virtualized z/OS mainframe environments that allow enterprises to provision fully functional mainframe instances within minutes for development, testing, and training purposes. Built on IBM zD&T technology, the platform supports both x86/cloud and LinuxONE/IFL deployments and includes pre-integrated DevOps tooling, enabling organizations to eliminate delivery bottlenecks associated with physical mainframe LPARs.
Is PopUp Mainframe a public or private company?
PopUp Mainframe is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PopUp Mainframe founded?
PopUp Mainframe was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PopUp Mainframe based?
PopUp Mainframe is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does PopUp Mainframe make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Licensing and Subscription is the primary driver. The others are professional Services and cloud Marketplace.
Does PopUp Mainframe have an API?
Yes. PopUp Mainframe is an API-first platform. The RESTful APIs enable developers to programmatically provision, clone, and tear down PopUp virtual mainframe instances through pipelines and scripts. This allows mainframe teams to integrate PopUp into DevOps toolchains and automation workflows. Developer documentation is at docs.popup-mainframe.com.
What industry is PopUp Mainframe in?
PopUp Mainframe's product category is Mainframe Virtualization Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACABAE, Enterprise Mainframes, with a secondary code of HDACABAC, Modular/Composable Infrastructure (Compute Sleds, Disaggregated Systems). Its NAICS code is 541512 and its SIC code is 7372.