5 Companies That Came To Win This Week Sept 30

For the week ending Sept. 30, CRN takes a look at the companies that brought their ‘A’ game to the channel.

The Week Ending Sept. 30

Topping this week’s Came to Win list is Intel for debuting its much-anticipated 13th Gen Core desktop processors.

Also making this week’s list is NTT Data Services for a pair of savvy acquisitions that boost the global solution provider’s digital services capabilities. Cloud data storage provider Wasabi Technologies raised an impressive $250 million in funding this week while cybersecurity provider Trellix launched a new, comprehensive partner program.

And Cisco Systems makes the list for the ongoing success of its Cisco Talent Bridge program for uniting jobs and job candidates inside the company and across its partner ecosystem.

Intel Launches 13th Gen Core Processors, Unison Software

Intel stepped up its game in the desktop processor arena this week, introducing the much-anticipated 13th Gen Core CPUs – code named Raptor Lake – at the chipmaker’s Intel Innovation event.

The CPUs, slated for availability beginning later in October, are Intel’s answer to rival AMD’s Ryzen 7000 CPUs. The new line, led by the i9-13900K, offers up to 15 percent improved single-threaded performance and up to 41 percent better multi-threaded performance from the previous generation.

Intel also unveiled a new GPU processor, the Arc GPU A770, that offers improved content creation and gaming performance.

And Intel debuted Intel Unison software that the company says will provide connectivity between phones (both Android and iOS) and PCs with the ability to transfer files, text messages, phone calls and notifications. Later in the week Intel spotlighted its oneAPI open-source, cross-industry programming initiative for developers.

NTT Data Services Boosts Digital Services With Pair Of Acquisitions

NTT Data Services has made a pair of acquisition deals over the last two weeks aimed at helping the global IT solution provider expand its digital products business.

NTT Data Services is acquiring Apisero, a Chandler, Ariz.-based “Ridge” level Salesforce partner and strategic partner with Salesforce-owned MuleSoft. Apisero develops and delivers mission-critical solutions designed to help businesses accelerate their digital transformation efforts.

The company also bought Umvel, based in Mexico City, which offers consulting services around digital business strategy, user experience and user interface design, architecture, development and deployment to clients in Mexico and the U.S.

The acquisitions are part of a move by NTT Data Services, No. 3 on the CRN Solution Provider 500, to offer a more complete range of digital services for customers. The acquisitions are also expected to help NTT Data Services better integrate its software and development capabilities with customers’ digital transformation strategies.

Wasabi Snags $250 Million In Funding To Double Channel Reach, Fuel Global Expansion

Wasabi Technologies raised an impressive $250 million this week, funding the Boston-based cloud data storage provider plans to use to double the number of channel partners from the 13,000 it now works with and to accelerate its international expansion plans.

The funding puts the total investment in Wasabi at more than $500 million and boosts the company’s valuation to more than $1.1 billion.

Wasabi raised half of the funding from equity investors and half in debt, a move CEO David Friend (pictured) told CRN gives Wasabi more flexibility to invest in growth. Wasabi, for example, expanded its operations to six new regions this year, bringing the total to 13, and plans to be operating in 25 or 26 regions by this time next year.

Trellix Unveils New Partner Program Aimed At Deepening Channel Ties

Trellix, the former FireEye-McAfee Enterprise business, wins applause this week for launching its Xtend partner program with which the company plans to deepen the company’s already strong ties to the channel.

Trellix, a major provider of XDR detection and response cybersecurity technology, has been using the incumbent partner program it inherited when the company was formed in January from portions of FireEye and MacAfee Enterprise that were acquired by Symphony Technology Group in 2021 for a combined $5.2 billion.

The new Xtend program provides a unified program for partners who previously worked with FireEye and McAfee. Key elements include a comprehensive training curriculum, 24-7 post-sales support and resources, and playbooks for building managed services and incident response solutions.

Also high-fives to data integration tech developer Fivetran for launching an enhanced partner program to boost reseller sales and international expansion, and to SaaS and data management platform provider AvePoint for upgrading its partner program.

Cisco Initiative Is Connecting Diverse Prospective Employees With Jobs, Partner Ecosystem

Cisco Systems wins kudos this week for the success of its Cisco Talent Bridge program that connects a diverse set of employee candidates, including recent grads and refugees, with jobs within Cisco and with channel partners who are looking for workers with the right skills.

The program, launched during the company’s 2017 Partner Summit, was initially intended to connect Cisco Networking Academy graduates to open positions within the company and at participating channel partners.

This week Cisco told CRN that more than 1,000 partners are now involved in the Talent Bridge program, which on average has some 6,000 active jobs and more than 75,000 candidates globally. The program includes a diverse group of candidates, including displaced people, in more than 180 countries and in 17 languages.

Cisco Talent Bridge acts as a matching engine where individuals can create profiles including skills, education levels, certifications, spoken language and other criteria. Potential employers, including Cisco partners, post open positions and job requirements.