Looks like it was inspired by the history of Compaq, that was created by people wanting to build a portable computer compatible with IBM PC.
This article covers it in great detail, below are some quotes:
AMC’s show is fictional, but it turns out, there is a true life story
that is similar to this course of events, and it led to the creation
of one of the greatest technology companies of all time, Compaq
Computers.
Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto were mid-level managers at Texas
Instruments. Converts to the still nascent personal computer
revolution, the trio decided to strike off on their own and form a
company to produce a product in an entirely new category of PC: the
portable. Portable PC’s were not laptops because the technology did
not exist yet to make computers that small and light. Portables were
designed to be moved from desk to desk easily, were rugged enough to
travel with, and at around 30 pounds or so, had the form factor of a
large-ish suitcase.
But all of these machines were only mostly PC-compatible. So, at best,
they were DOS compatible. But there was no guarantee that each and
every program or peripheral that ran on the IBM-PC could run on a
clone. The key innovation that Canion, Harris and Murto planned to
bring to market under the name Compaq Computer Corporation would be a
no-compromises, 100% IBM-PC compatibility. This way, their portable
computer would be able to run every single piece of software developed
for the IBM-PC.