CRN Exclusive: Invincea Launches Partner Program To Target Next-Generation Endpoint Security Competition

Invincea has shifted to a 100 percent channel model and launched a new partner program as it looks to take on stiff competition in the next-generation endpoint security market, the company announced Wednesday.

As of Jan. 1, Invincea, which offers a next-generation antivirus solution, will no longer sell direct, Vice President Worldwide Channel Sales Edward DeWolfe told CRN. Before that, he said the company sold both direct and through partners.

Chief Marketing Officer Dan Lowden said the sales strategy shift started when the Fairfax, Va.-based company landed $10 million in growth capital in November. At that time, he said, Invincea decided to move to a fully channel go-to-market model.

[Related: 10 Endpoint Security Trends That Translate Into Opportunity For Solution Providers]

"We are putting the pedal to the metal, and we are growing the company. We think a 100 percent channel model is the way to rapidly reach and grow the company to be successful," Lowden said. He said the channel team has already grown 500 percent.

The company's new Next-Gen Partner Program includes three levels: silver, gold and platinum. Partners can choose to enter the program at any level, choosing which levels of requirements they wish to meet in exchange for escalating margin and incentive offerings, DeWolfe said.

Dave Mendenhall, CTO and vice president of sales and sales engineering at Miami, Fla.-based GigaNetworks, said the new partner program would help with the "ease of business" with Invincea, something that is important as clients are clamoring for next-generation supplements to their legacy antivirus solutions.

"I think they have the right amount of effort and focus in making their partner program very channel friendly," Mendenhall said.

Invincea is also rolling out a new partner portal, with quotes, incentive claims, reports, opportunity tracking, deal registration, marketing and more to supplement the new partner program, DeWolfe said. He particularly highlighted a sales tool program called "Test Drive," which allows partners to create a real demo testing environment at their clients for the Invincea X solution.

Mendenhall said the "Test Drive" solution was especially useful for his business, as it can be co-branded and makes the solution purchasing process more straightforward.