2024 Partner Program Guide: 5-Star Stellar Startup Programs
As part of the annual Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some vendor channel programs as 5-Star Programs. Here are the 5-Star Programs among startup vendors for 2024.
Rising Stars
The most comprehensive, most developed partner programs are usually provided by the large, more established IT vendors. Solution providers naturally expect more resources, assistance and incentives from the partner programs offered by such companies as Cisco Systems, Dell Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
IT startups, early in their development, often work with smaller numbers of customers and generally have channel operations that are more limited in scope. And yet some startups, recognizing the value of the channel, operate world-class channel programs early in their evolution.
The CRN 2024 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors – more than 280 this year – outlining all aspects of their partner programs.
As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, resources, training, services and benefits.
Here we provide snapshots of the 5-Star designees among IT startups, companies founded in 2018 or more recently. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at CRN.com.
Slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series running this week include companies that provide products and services in cloud platforms and infrastructure, devices and peripherals, data storage and backup, networking and unified communications, security, software, and systems and data center, in addition to the 5-Star partner programs operated by startups.
ArmorPoint
Year Company Founded: 2018
Program Name: ArmorPoint Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Nick Nardini, Director of Business Development
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Over the past year, significant changes to the partner program include a revision of the partner platform, the introduction of an Elite tier for partners, the alignment of a channel-focused sales team, and the official launch of an MDF program.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=17
Blumira
Year Company Founded: 2018
Program Name: Blumira Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Jeremy Young, Director, Partner Strategy
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: The support Blumira’s partners will receive from dedicated resources on the company’s partner team, product and engineering teams, and marketing team will increase 4x in 2024.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=35
Deepwatch
Year Company Founded: 2018
Program Name: Accelerate Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2019
Channel Chief: Ryan Wiese, Interim CRO
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Enacted tech partner system integration to facilitate lead sharing and joint opportunity pursuit. Deepened channel leadership bench for channel sales and GTM. Increased channel marketing fund allocation towards the company’s top strategic partnerships. Made a significant investment in channel team competency and skills through a custom designed TCC curriculum.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=77
HYCU
Year Company Founded: 2018
Program Name: Global HYCU Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Jessica Degenhardt, Sr. Director, Americas Channel
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: The introduction of R-Cloud and R-Graph, a first-of-its-kind tool that allows partners a brand new revenue stream to visualize their entire data estate, including SaaS apps. As part of this, HYCU offers specific certification and training to make this effort successful for them.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=118
Judy Security
Year Company Founded: 2019
Program Name: Judy Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Tim Hankins, SVP, Growth
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Judy Security’s partner program continued to evolve. The company introduced Judy 4.0, a new partner portal as a centralized repository for provisioning, threat intel and API integrations to PSA tools. The company included re-usable social media feeds, co-branded data sheets and product briefs. Judy Security says it will continue to figure out new ways to help partners.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=133
N-able
Year Company Founded: 2021
Program Name: N-able Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: David Weeks, Sr. Director, Partner Experience
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: N-able has continued to expand its Business Transformation program with the objective of driving tangible business outcomes to help scale success for MSP partners. It includes onsite executive programs for MSP owners and senior leadership, an industry benchmark tracking key financial and operational metrics, and a peer group program.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=159
Nerdio
Year Company Founded: 2020
Program Name: Nerdio Partnerd Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Joseph Landes, CRO
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Nerdio's Partner Program hasn't undergone any major changes in 2024, but the company continues to prioritize training and education for MSPs, allowing for in-person and virtual engagement throughout the year.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=161
Next DLP
Year Company Founded: 2020
Program Name: The Next DLP Channel Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Andrew Hood, VP, North America Sales
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Over the past year, Next DLP has significantly enhanced its partner program by introducing MDF, implementing tailored training sessions, and fostering collaborative innovation for increased efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=166
Torq
Year Company Founded: 2020
Program Name: Torq Partner Acceleration Program
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Sheldon Muir, Head of Global Channels & Alliances
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Over the past year, Torq's Partner Acceleration Program has grown to 60 partners, quickly becoming security companies' favorite security tool. The company has helped partners boost workflow execution time by 800 percent, reduce time-to-block malicious traffic by 70x, and get a guaranteed 25 percent margin with Torq’s new partner model.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=256
Xcitium
Year Company Founded: 2018
Program Name: Xcitium Xcelerate Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Dani Pickens, Head of Channel
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Xcitium has added key TSDs to its partner community and grown the number of strategic partners. The company moved its internal sales staff to a 100-percent channel focus to support partners. Xcitium simplified the partner engagement process and provided wider access to Xcitium's enterprise-level tools and cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=277
Zero Networks
Year Company Founded: 2019
Program Name: ZeroToSixty Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Adam Hofeler, VP, Sales and Go-to-Market
Most Significant Changes To Partner Program Over The Past Year: Zero Networks introduced a new partner portal, which Gartner called "a notch above others,” emphasizing a "frictionless experience” and "good training and explainer videos." The company also introduced seven core values that guide the company’s partner interactions: A partners-first approach, always-on enablement, integrity, transparency, flexibility, innovation, and excellence.
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=280