5 Companies That Came To Win This Week

For the week ending Nov. 13, CRN takes a look at the companies that brought their ‘A’ game to the channel.

The Week Ending Nov. 13

Topping this week’s Came to Win list is Palo Alto Networks for a strategic acquisition that will add attack surface management capabilities to its security offerings.

Also making the list is Trace3 for its own strategic acquisition that will expand the solution provider’s geographic reach. Big data startup Starburst Data makes the list for launching its inaugural partner program while Red Hat is here with its new Red Hat Renewals Intelligence system for partners. And security startup SentinelOne is on this week’s list for its impressive Series F round of financing.

Palo Alto Networks To Acquire Attack Surface Management Vendor Expanse For $800 Million

Security platform company Palo Alto Networks made a big move this week when it struck a blockbuster deal to acquire Expanse, a developer of attack surface management technology, for $800 million.

With the addition of the Expanse capabilities, chief information security officers using the Palo Alto Networks system can see their organizations the same way an attacker does when probing for points of weakness.

Palo Alto Networks will integrate Expanse into Cortex, the company’s AI-based continuous security platform. That will allow Palo Alto Networks to offer a system that combines the outside view of an organization’s attack surface with an inside view to proactively address security threats, according to CEO Nikesh Arora.

Trace3 Acquires Groupware To Expand Geographic Footprint

Speaking of savvy acquisitions, Trace3 is acquiring fellow solution provider Groupware Technology in a move that will expand Trace3’s geographic footprint.

With the acquisition of Campbell, Calif.-based Groupware, Trace3, based in Irvine, Calif., gains a strong presence in the northern California and Arizona IT markets. Trace3 is also gaining sophisticated cloud-focused technology and support capabilities with the acquisition.

Trace3, No. 39 on the CRN Solution Provider 500, acquired Data Strategy, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based solution provider, in 2018 in a move that gave the company a large market presence in the Midwest. The acquisition of Groupware, No. 83 on the CRN Solution Provider 500, is likely to move Trace3 even higher up the CRN Solution Provider 500 ranking.

Starburst Data Launches Inaugural Partner Program, Steps Up Systems Integration And Consulting Partner Recruitment

Starburst Data wins applause for launching its inaugural channel program this week as the big data startup looks to expand the range and number of systems integration, consulting, reseller and technology partners the company works with.

With the new Starburst Orbit partner program Startburst intends to build a partner ecosystem that will expand partner-led sales of the company’s data query engine software to more than 50 percent of customer deals and engagements over the next one to two years.

“We want to build a partner-first and ecosystem-centric company, embed it into our culture early on and into our go-to-market approach,” said Harrison Johnson, the executive who manages Starburst’s partnerships and alliances, in an interview with CRN.

Starburst has been working with major cloud service providers and with technology/ISV partners for some time. With the new Orbit program Starburst will accelerate its work with solution providers, systems integrators and consulting companies, including program founding partners Insight, RCG Global Services, Slalom and Trace3.

Red Hat Bolsters Partners With Comprehensive Customer Intelligence Platform

Red Hat wins applause this week for introducing a system that puts customer information at the fingertips of the software company’s channel partners including distributors, resellers and solution providers.

The new Red Hat Renewals Intelligence platform, part of the Red Hat Partner Renewals Engagement Program, gives partners a central site to understand everything that is happening with their business with Red Hat – particularly as to what is happening with customers.

The site provides customizable tools, including charts and filters, and intelligence and insight that channel partners need to manage their clientele, identify growth opportunities and flag client-retention risks.

Later this year Red Hat plans to add predictive capabilities to the system, centered around a feature called “InfraRed” that applies intelligent data analysis to extrapolate where a partner’s book of business is headed. Eventually Red Hat plans to add prescriptive capabilities – tools that suggest actions partners can take to avoid customer churn and grow their business.

Rising Endpoint Security Star SentinelOne Raises $267 Million

SentinelOne secured its second massive funding round of 2020 this week, raising $267 million in a Series F round of financing led by Tiger Global Management. The new funding will allow the rising security company to fuel its hypergrowth and fulfill surging demand for its Singularity XDR Platform.

The latest round of funding gives the company a valuation of more than $3 billion. It comes just nine months after a $200 million Series E round and 17 months after a $120 million Series D round, both led by Insight Partners.

Also making financing news this week was Menlo Security, which raised $100 million in its own Series E round of funding this week, giving the company a valuation of $800 million.