5 Channel Partner Program and MSP News Updates: Wednesday 10 February 2021

Here are five (actually, more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, February 10, 2021. Sip up.

What’s In Our Daily Brew?

A. What’s Brewing Today: Technology News

1. List - Technology SPACs: The list of technology-focused SPACs (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies) is growing fast. Check that link for an overview of SPACs and the potential implications for the technology industry as well as channel partners.

2. Funding - IT Outsourcing Marketplace: Supersourcing, an online marketplace that allows customers to find IT outsourcing companies and custom software developers,  has raised funding from Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and Innov8 CEO Ritesh Malik, Business Today India reports. More than 750 IT agencies are on the platform, and its supports more than 200 active clients, the report said.

3. Funding - Data Privacy: WireWheel, a provider in data privacy technology, has raised $20 million in Series B financing led by ForgePoint Capital. Existing investors New Enterprise Associates, Revolution's Rise of the Rest Fund, PSP Growth, Grotech and Sands Capital Ventures also participated in the round, bringing total capital raised by the company to $45 million, the company says.

4. MSP Rebrand: Intelliteach and recently acquired Hilltop Consultants are now branded as Frontline Managed Services. The MSP's new name "reflects the company’s significant growth and expansion of its Administrative, Financial and IT Managed Services lines, enabling it to support more than 600 law firms at every front of their business, remain ahead of the curve of legal service delivery and technological innovation, and use its significant presence within the world’s leading law firms to continue leading the legal industry forward," Frontline asserts.

B. Channel Chiefs, Partner Programs and Strategic Alliances

1. Talent - Channel Chief: AvePoint, a Microsoft 365 cloud solutions provider, has hired Jason Beal as senior VP of global channel and partner ecosystems. Beal is well-known for his previous partner-centric work at Palo Alto Networks and Ingram Micro. AvePoint supports more than 7 million Microsoft 365 users. Apex Technology Acquisition Corp., a SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) merged with AvePoint at $2 billion valuation in November 2020.

2. Partner Program: AppDirect has launched a system integrator partner program to help customers find,buy and use any recurring digital service.

3. Partner Program - Cloud Applications: Hazelcast has expanded its channel program to include DLT Solutions, Teclever Solutions and Taashee Linux Services. The cloud application platform provider is focused on driving pre- and post-sales support in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and India regions, as well as the United States public sector, Hazelcast says.

4. IT Service Management (ITSM): Lakeside Software has launched SysTrack Root Cause Analysis, an app for ServiceNow that delivers "endpoint intelligence to enable proactive service desk operations and improve workforce efficiency," Lake side says.

5. Oracle Cloud and VMware for Government Customers: Oracle Cloud VMware Solution has obtained Provisional Authority to Operate (P-ATO) at the High impact level from the FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB). The accreditation recognizes the solution for adhering to stringent performance, security and compliance standards. Now, US government customers can operate VMware software-defined data centers in Oracle Cloud to manage and run critical applications and workloads.

C. Channel Partner Summits, MSP Conferences and Virtual Events Calendar