Model9
Model9 is a company.
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Financial History
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Leadership Team
Key people at Model9.
Model9 is a company.
Key people at Model9.
Key people at Model9.
Model9 is a software company that modernized mainframe data management for large enterprises by providing a software-only solution to securely move, store, and transform mainframe data to cloud or on-premises storage, eliminating legacy tape and Virtual Tape Libraries (VTLs).[1][2][3] It served financial institutions, government agencies, transportation, healthcare, and retail sectors by solving the problem of "data gravity"—trapped mainframe data inaccessible to cloud analytics, AI/ML, and business intelligence tools—enabling seamless integration with platforms like Snowflake and data lakes.[1][2][4] Key products included Model9 Manager for backups/archives, Model9 Shield for cyber-protection, and Model9 Gravity for data transformation to AI/ML pipelines; the company raised $9M, achieved early traction via IBM partnerships, and was acquired by BMC Software in April 2023.[1][2]
Founded in 2016 in New York by CEO Gil Peleg and co-founders, Model9 emerged from a mission to disrupt mainframe backups, initially targeting replacement of slow, costly VTLs with cloud object storage like AWS S3.[2][3] Peleg, emphasizing "love for mainframe" to improve it, leveraged a young, elite Israeli Army-trained R&D team (all under 40 with 15+ years in mainframe, storage, and cybersecurity) who developed in Java—unlike traditional Assembler—for faster innovation.[3] Early pivots included IBM AlphaZone accelerator participation (first to connect z/OS mainframes to IBM Cloud), certifications with NetApp/Infinidat, and expansion to AI/data warehouse feeds amid $9M Series A funding in 2020 led by Intel Capital.[2][3][9] This agility drove growth despite long sales cycles in a niche market of ~10,000 IBM mainframes.[2]
Model9 rode the hybrid cloud and mainframe modernization wave, addressing a disconnect where IT leaders fixated on legacy systems amid surging AI/ML/big data demands—making mainframe data (vital for Fortune 500) accessible to cloud ecosystems.[2][4][8] Timing aligned with post-2020 cloud acceleration and cyber threats, countering "data gravity" that locked mission-critical data in silos; market forces like IBM's z/OS evolution and vendors like Snowflake favored software bridges over rip-and-replace.[2][4] It influenced the ecosystem by pioneering mainframe-to-cloud pipelines, partnering with storage giants (Pure, VAST), and adding execs like Suzanne and Eugene to its advisory board for cloud/BI strategies—democratizing data for enterprises avoiding risky migrations.[4][5][6]
Post-2023 BMC acquisition, Model9's tech likely scales within BMC's enterprise portfolio, amplifying mainframe-cloud bridges amid rising AI data needs and ransomware risks.[1] Trends like generative AI training on enterprise data and edge-to-cloud hybrid models will shape its path, potentially expanding to more z/OS integrations and global sales. Its influence may evolve from niche disruptor to standard in mainframe modernization, fueling BMC's data-first vision and proving software can unlock legacy value in a cloud-dominant world—echoing its founding mission to "make mainframe better."[3][4]
