PKWARE

PKWARE

PKWARE was founded in 1986 by Phil Katz, who created the PKZIP compression format that became a foundational tool in personal computing. Katz, who died in 2000, built the company on the ZIP standard, which remains a core element of file compression and encryption across platforms. Today, PKWARE operates as a privately held enterprise software company, no longer managed by its founder. The company's strategy centers on data security, with products covering encryption, tokenization, and mainframe data protection. Its SecureZIP and Smartcrypt product lines serve organizations needing regulatory compliance — including PCI-DSS, GDPR, and HIPAA — across finance, healthcare, and government. PKWARE has also been acquired multiple times; it was purchased by private equity firm Roper Technologies in 2014, then sold to a consortium led by Marlin Equity Partners in 2018. The team employs roughly 200 people, per public records, with offices primarily in the US and support for global deployments. In 2021, the company released PKWARE Server, a mainframe-focused data security solution (per the firm's press releases, 2021). PKWARE retains a proprietary position: it controls the ZIP encryption standard through its ownership of PKZIP, which remains embedded in legacy systems worldwide. This installed base gives it recurring revenue from support contracts with large enterprises, a model closer to a software annuity than a typical security vendor. The firm has not disclosed any family-office affiliation or public ownership structure beyond its private equity backer.