What Faq400.com does

Faq400 Srl is an Italian private limited company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Monza, Italy. The company specializes in education, training, and consulting services for the IBM i (formerly AS/400) platform, a legacy enterprise computing environment used primarily in Italian SMBs and large enterprises for mission-critical applications. The offering comprises six documented instructor-led courses and workshops covering RPG programming (RPG IV, ILE, free-format, full-free), DB2 for i SQL, Rational Developer for i (RDi) IDE, and web services integration (REST/SOAP), priced between €200 and €1,200 per attendee. Delivery occurs through partner training facilities (Pres Formazione, Tech Data Academy), hotel/conference workshops, on-site corporate training, and a Thinkific-based online learning platform branded Faq400 iLearning.

Beyond training, Faq400 operates BlogFaq400 (blog.faq400.com), a 301-page Italian-language technical content platform covering IBM i programming, database, system administration, open source, and web services — the de facto Italian-language resource for the platform. The company also runs Innovation Solution Selection, a free consulting service helping IBM i shops select modernization solutions, and a Jobs Board connecting IBM i employers with qualified candidates. Large-scale virtual events such as ONLiNE DAYS 2020 (100 days, ~100 webinars, 4,000 sqm 3D virtual expo) extend community engagement, featuring IBM executives and international speakers. The founder, Roberto De Pedrini, holds IBM Champion designation.

The business model is fragmented across four monetization streams: (1) professional services revenue from paid training (classroom and workshop formats), (2) a free consulting service acting as lead generation for downstream engagements, (3) freemium job marketplace revenue, and (4) event sponsorship/ticket revenue. With 13 employees, no disclosed funding, and no public revenue figures, Faq400 operates as a small, founder-led niche specialist leveraging community content (blog), vendor credentials (IBM Champion, IBM Italia partnership), and multi-format delivery to capture a share of the Italian IBM i training market. The strategic moat rests on founder expertise, accumulated technical content, and IBM partnership access rather than technology differentiation.

Name

Faq400.com

Legal name

Faq400 Srl

Website

https://faq400.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Faq400 Srl is a Monza-based Italian IBM i (AS/400) training and consulting firm founded in 2017, delivering RPG, DB2, RDi, and web services courses via classroom, workshop, on-site, and online formats, supported by a 301-page Italian technical blog.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Training and Education

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Applications & ERP/CRM (SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, Workday) (EDABAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

DevOps, SRE & Platform Engineering Consulting (BPAHAEAK), Cloud & DevOps Training (Cloud, Containers, CI/CD, SRE) (BPAEANAG)

Keywords

• IBM i training
• AS400 education
• RPG programming courses
• Legacy application modernization
• IBM i consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Monza

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Classroom Training Courses: In-person training at partner facilities (Pres Formazione, Tech Data Academy) covering RPG, DB2, Rational Developer for i. Includes IBM official labs and materials. Pricing from 400-1200 EUR per course.
2. iWorkshop Short-format Training: 4-8 hour intensive workshops at hotels/conference venues on specific IBM i topics. Priced at 200 EUR per day, designed for professionals with limited time seeking quick skill updates.
3. Innovation Solution Selection: Free consulting service helping companies select modernization solutions for IBM i applications. Includes consultation call and site visit. Generates leads for broader service engagement.
4. Job Matching Service: Platform connecting IBM i professionals seeking employment with companies hiring. Job postings remain active up to 180 days. Service is free for candidates, companies use dedicated forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Faq400 Srl delivers specialized IBM i (AS/400) education through instructor-led classroom courses, one-day iWorkshops, on-site corporate training, and online e-learning via the Thinkific-powered Faq400 iLearning platform. Course topics cover RPG IV programming, ILE RPG Free-Format, SQL/DB2 for i, Rational Developer for i (RDi), and Web Services development. Beyond training, the company offers free Innovation Solution Selection consulting for application modernization and operates a job matching platform for IBM i professionals, complemented by BlogFaq400 (Italian IBM i blog) and large-scale virtual events such as ONLiNE DAYS.

Product overview

Faq400 Srl is an IBM i-focused training and education company based in Monza, Italy. The company offers a portfolio of instructor-led classroom courses and accelerated workshops (iWorkshop format) covering RPG programming, Rational Developer for i (RDi), DB2/SQL, and web services development on IBM i. Course delivery includes traditional in-classroom training at partner facilities (TechData Academy, Pres Formazione), on-site corporate training, and online delivery via the Faq400 iLearning platform powered by Thinkific. Beyond training, the company operates BlogFaq400 as a technical content platform covering IBM i programming, database administration, system administration, and industry news. Additional services include Innovation Solution Selection (free consulting for application modernization) and a Jobs Board connecting IBM i employers with qualified candidates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Faq400 iLearning: E-learning platform for IBM i courses and training programs
• BlogFaq400
• ONLiNE DAYS

Products and services

• Corso RPG IV Base (IBM AS06G) Four-day in-classroom course on RPG IV programming fundamentals, held at official IBM labs in collaboration with TechData Academy and IBM Italia. Covers RPG Free, SQL Embedded, and Rdi Rational Developer for i as the IDE environment. Priced at 1,200 EUR for 4-day course at IBM official labs in Milan.
• Corso Rdi Rational Developer for i (2 giorni) Two-day in-classroom course teaching RPG/Cobol programmers how to develop, compile, and debug code using Rational Rdi IDE, a more productive environment compared to SEU/PDM. Priced at 800 EUR for 2-day complete course.
• Corso ILE RPG IV Free & SQL Embedded (1 giorno) One-day practical classroom course for RPG programmers covering free-format and full-free ILE RPG programming with embedded SQL for database optimization. Priced at 400 EUR for 1-day practical course in equipped classroom with individual PC workstations and IBM i partition access.
• iWorkshop ILE RPG Free & SQL Embedded One-day accelerated workshop covering ILE RPG free-format and full-free programming with embedded SQL, held at hotel conference rooms or training facilities without individual PC stations. Priced at 200 EUR per day.
• iWorkshop Rdi Rational Developer for i One-day workshop teaching the main features of Rational Rdi IDE for RPG/Cobol development, covering RSE, LPEX Editor, Debugger, and DDS Designer with live demonstrations. Priced at 200 EUR for 1-day workshop. Participants may bring own notebook with Rdi trial version. Focus on main features and productivity tips.
• iWorkshop Web Services & RPG/SQL One-day workshop on publishing and consuming REST/SOAP web services with RPG and SQL, covering HTTP API, JSON parsing with Yajl, XML handling, and authentication. Priced at 200 EUR for 1-day workshop.
• Faq400 iLearning (E-Learning Platform) Online learning platform powered by Thinkific, offering self-paced and instructor-led courses on IBM i technologies, RPG programming, DB2, and related topics. Accessible globally for professionals seeking flexible learning options.
• BlogFaq400 Italian blog dedicated to IBM i platform covering programming (RPG, SQL), database administration (DB2 for i), system administration, open source, web services, and industry news. 301 pages of technical content with contributions from IBM i community experts.
• Innovation Solution Selection Free consulting service helping companies find the best solution for IBM i/AS400 application modernization, including evaluation of 5250 modernization tools and software solutions. Includes consultation call and site visit. Generates leads for broader service engagement.
• Faq400 Jobs Board Platform connecting employers seeking qualified IBM i/AS400 personnel with job candidates. Job postings remain active up to 180 days. Service is free for candidates, companies use dedicated forms. Anonymous CV posting with selective company exclusions available for candidates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Studies show 20% productivity increase when using Rdi compared to SEU/PDM
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pres FormazioneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Pres Formazione for providing classroom training facilities at their multiple locations across Italy. Faq400 delivers courses while Pres Formazione provides equipped training rooms with PCs and necessary software.
• Tech Data AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Tech Data Academy for delivering IBM official training courses including RPG IV Programming Fundamentals (AS06G). Tech Data provides facilities and access to IBM labs while Faq400 provides instructors and course content.
• IBM ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with IBM Italia for official IBM i training courses. Faq400 delivers IBM-certified courses using official IBM course materials and lab environments. ONLiNE DAYS 2020 opened with IBM and IBM Italia, featuring IBM worldwide offering manager Alison Butterill and chief architect Steve Will.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: Global IT training provider delivering vendor-authorized technical courses across multiple platforms; directly comparable to Faq400 in that it sells instructor-led IT training to corporate clients, though at much larger scale and across many technologies, not IBM i specifically.
• Learning Tree International: Long-established IT training and professional development company that delivers instructor-led technology courses to enterprise customers; shares the training-led, classroom-centric revenue model with Faq400, focused on technology upskilling rather than products.
• Global Knowledge: Major worldwide IT and professional training company offering vendor-certified technical courses (IBM, AWS, Cisco, etc.); comparable business model to Faq400's IBM Italia-certified classroom delivery, but operating at global enterprise scale and across hundreds of technology stacks.
• ExitCertified (a Skillsoft company): Vendor-authorized IT training provider specializing in IBM, Red Hat, and other enterprise platforms; highly comparable to Faq400 due to IBM certification tie-ins, instructor-led course delivery, and corporate enterprise customers.

Broad incumbents

• CBT Nuggets: IT certification and training provider delivering video-based courses for IT pros; comparable to Faq400's e-learning channel in audience (IT professionals) and IT skills development, though focused on broader IT certifications rather than IBM i specifically.
• Skillsoft: Large-scale corporate digital learning company offering online courses and instructor-led training across IT, leadership, and business topics; competes with Faq400 in the same customer segment (corporate upskilling) but with much broader content and self-paced focus.
• Pluralsight: Technology-focused online learning platform used by IT professionals; overlaps with the Faq400 iLearning (Thinkific) offering in subject matter and self-paced delivery, but at global enterprise scale and across all major technology stacks.

Emerging players

• Profound Logic Software: IBM i modernization software vendor (Node.js, web/Mobile/5250 modernization) that publishes IBM i tutorials and education; competes with Faq400 for the IBM i modernization and education dollar but as a software/tools company, making the overlap partial rather than direct.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Faq400dotcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/faq400
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faq400.com

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Faq400.com