Author: Nick Farrell

Datech, the design software and part of TD SYNNEX, has teamed up with Unity, a creator of real-time gaming, apps, and creation tools.

The move is part of a deal to bring Unity Pro and Unity Industry to North America and Europe, adding to what they already offer in Asia Pacific and Japan.

Unity is adept at making digital twins, super realistic models for simulating and testing things. They claim to be game changers for making business decisions, forecasting, and trying new ideas.

This deal boosts Datech’s portfolio, which is already full of stuff for the architecture, engineering, and construction crowd. They also plan to branch into the automotive, energy, and manufacturing sectors. Read more…

IT service provider Version 1 has acquired UK-based Farsight Consulting.

The transaction adds roughly £17.2 million in extra revenue and 133 employees to Version 1’s team.

Farsight is adept at executing digital transformation initiatives for public sector entities.

This acquisition enhances a pre-existing collaboration between the two firms, having partnered on several government projects.

Version 1 said it wants to bolster its value proposition to its clientele and prospects within the public sector. Read more…

B2B digital services outfit Econocom plans to recruit 100 elite sales agents over three years.

The announcement aligns with One Econocom’s strategic roadmap, which aims to expand its “unique network of independent sales agents across Europe.”

The firm aims to achieve a revenue of £3.44 billion over the next five years, a significant jump from its current turnover of £2.4 billion.

Econocom already has a robust team of self-employed entrepreneurs who represent the company and engage with customers daily.

This distinctive sales approach has been fundamental to its success for over four decades, fostering enduring, trust-based client relationships. Read more…

Salesforce is rolling out a bunch of nifty new features in the latest update to its Data Cloud platform to make data more accessible across its CRM apps.

In the newest release of its Data Cloud platform, Salesforce is offering a fresh set of features that improve data accessibility across its CRM apps and other business systems. The updates give the company’s hyperscale data platform a bit of oomph, letting users craft bespoke customer experiences that combine data from the platform with Salesforce’s Einstein AI to generate predictive insights that speed up business results. Read more…

ConnectWise is strategically reducing its workforce to streamline operations and focus more on partner growth, claiming that this reflects the company’s long-term vision and commitment to its partners.

The company said the redundancies were  limited organisational changes to improve operations and ensure resources align with our partners’ growth opportunities.”

“As part of these changes, the company has made the difficult decision to eliminate certain colleague positions. ConnectWise remains committed to our partners’ experience and is confident in our plans to support their success.”

Whispers from the Florida HQ hint at less than a hundred cuts, with the firm’s headcount north of 3,100.

A mole claims a global cull of 80 jobs, and blames buyout overlap.

One impacted employee, senior product manager CJ Wright, who worked at ConnectWise for 12 years, commented on LinkedIn that he had been caught in today’s round of layoffs.

“It’s been a wild ride and I have nothing but fond memories of the last 12 years there. Onward & upward.”

According to a recent Gartner forecast, global IT spending will reach £4.1 trillion in 2024, an increase of eight per cent from 2023.

The beancounters at Big G say the forecast indicates a rise from the previous quarter’s predicted 6.8 per cent growth, suggesting that worldwide IT spending is set to exceed the £8 trillion mark well before 2030.

Gartner VP analyst John-David Lovelock said that with spending on IT services on track to grow by 9.7 per cent to surpass £1.52 trillion, this category is on course to become the largest market that Gartner monitors.

“Companies must catch up with IT service firms to attract talent with essential IT skills. This leads to a greater need to invest in consulting expenditure over internal staff. Read more…

Westcoast has acquired the share capital of Dorset-based IT components distributor Spire Technology.

The distributor will join Westcoast but continue operating as a separate entity, maintaining its current structure and management team.

Westcoast MD  Alex Tatham said that one of the main drivers for the acquisition was the lack of crossover with vendors.

“We are strong in the components market, while they focus on branded components and OEM components. They are good at selling processes like motherboards and disk drives, which is an excellent opportunity for us. Westcoast can add value by providing them financial security and a larger customer base, and they bring complementary products.” Read more…

Cloudy security outfit Aqua Security has declared yet another year of remarkable channel growth – reaching more than 60 per cent.

The Aqua Advantage programme, spearheaded by Jeannette Lee Heung, Senior Director of Global Channel & Alliances, has played a pivotal role in propelling this positive trend.

Under Lee Heung’s stewardship, Aqua Advantage witnessed significant expansion in 2023. The partner pipeline emerged as the most rapidly growing segment within Aqua, with channel-driven revenue escalating to over 80 percent of Aqua’s total revenue. Read more…

Security outfit Saepio has been snapped up by industry heavyweights Amir Nooriala and Daniel Cardenas-Clark. The duo, known for their tech prowess, have joined forces as co-CEOs following a meticulous investor search. They are set to co-pilot the company’s ascent in Europe.

The founders, Rob Pooley and Andy Pitt maintain a strong presence as major stakeholders and board members. Nooriala, with a history of leadership roles at Callsign and Oaknorth Bank, and Cardenas-Clark, who witnessed his previous venture Credit Kudos merge with tech giant Apple, bring a wealth of experience. Read more…

Arrow Electronics is providing Copilot for Microsoft 365 via ArrowSphere Cloud, making it readily available to channel partners in EMEA.

Additionally, they are offering a dedicated enablement programme designed to assist resellers in accelerating their opportunities with Copilot.

Launched in the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) programme in January, Copilot for Microsoft 365 uses generative AI and natural language processing to enhance user productivity and creativity. Read more…

Software King of the World Microsoft is about to crank up their Dynamics 365 suite prices by an eye-watering average of 12 per cent, or a hefty £13.60 per user or device each month.

As Vole pumps in more fancy generative AI magic, it also pumps up costs.

To be fair, it has been five years since the last hike, but Microsoft’s breaking the price freeze with increases ranging from £8 to £24 (that’s 9 to 17 per cent for those counting pennies)

Volish VP Bryan Goode said it is about “helping people work smarter.” But let’s be honest, it’s also about padding those profit margins. Read more…

Cybersecurity giant Sophos and exposure whiz Tenable have joined forces, unleashing ‘Managed Risk’—a service for global organisations to fend off cyber nasties.

This service is the new sheriff in town, harnessing the power of Tenable’s One Exposure Management Platform. It aims to keep cyber threats at bay with top-notch attack visibility, continuous risk monitoring, and proactive alerts.

A crack team of tech wizards from Sophos and Tenable will join brains to tackle zero-days, known vulnerabilities, and exposure risks, ensuring your digital fort is unbreachable. Read more…

CloudClevr has just snapped up Twisted Fish IT, marking its fourth high-profile M&A.

The Rigby Tech-backed powerhouse is on a shopping spree, having already bagged NGC Networks, 4Sight Communications, and Bamboo Technology Group.

Twisted Fish boss Ben Woodhouse was delighted to conclude the deal with CloudClevr and will stay on as managing director, alongside his leadership team, to drive the next level of growth within our business.

Woodhouse expressed his excitement about joining a high-growth business that shares the same strong cultural and directional fit as Twisted Fish. In CloudClevr, they’ve found their perfect match, a partnership that promises a bright and prosperous future for the Twisted Fish squad and their customers. Read more…