ChannelNEXT25 West – Canada’s #1 Award-Winning Channel Event!

Today, no conference is complete without a significant dose of artificial intelligence. It's such an important topic that we felt necessary to write this preface of how we will be covering AI in this conference to set your expectations.

Most vendors are already incorporating AI into their solutions so you will hear a lot about this. However, the ChannelNEXT conferences will explore beyond AI embedded applications to what's real today and what's coming next in Artificial Intelligence to help Channel Partners AND their clients. You will learn what the most successful channel partners are doing with AI to empower their businesses and to guide their customer's AI journey.

Actually, we have bolted two different AI courses: one a PRE-DAY and another POST-DAY. You and your team and end-users can take these courses to better leverage AI and get ahead of the curve. Even if you are an advanced user of AI, you will gain value from these courses. Details will be sent to all those who register or contact us to learn more.

- Building your personal AI Agent to augment your productivity and reduce your workload
- How do other MSPs and VARs use AI internally - Sales, Marketing and Automation.
- Why and how should MSPs"inject" themselves in the AI journey of their customers?
- Where are the AI profitable business opportunities for the Channel today?
- What should channel partners do succeed in the era of AI?
- What risks should the channel and its clients be mindful of when they use AI?

These are just a few of the important topics that all channel partners should be aware of, and we've assembled THE A-Team to address them.

Artificial Intelligence done right allows you to obtain significantly more outcomes from almost any product or service you utilize. It is also something you will most likely receive for free with anything you buy, sell, or use. So how can you make money from AI today? We will show you!

Every day, we look at how vendors are integrating AI into their applications, services, and platforms. If you want to have a better knowledge of how vendors, distributors and channel partners are exploiting AI, check out the hundreds of articles on www.e-channelnews.com

We continue to speak with many channel partners to understand what they think about AI, how they use it in their businesses, as well as how they collaborate with their clients to use it. Some valuable insights to help you navigate your AI journey.

We will share our findings regarding AI at ChannelNEXT through panel discussions, presentations, talk shows, town halls, and mastermind peer-group sessions.

It feels like AI is "dark matter" that lives between everything to enable you to do a lot more with much less. AI is rapidly evolving so it's a subject that we will continue to be exploring and sharing with our channel community on a daily basis, long after the event is over.

You'll either learn new ways to include AI into your game or receive validation that you're on the right track.

Nobody is able to predict what we will discover as we go deeper into the world of artificial intelligence. Moving forward, it's seems obvious that AI will play an increasingly important role in our daily lives and businesses, as no other technology has done since the smartphone. It is also likely that AI will propel us to boldly go where we have never gone before, whether we choose to or not.

What we know is that it will not go away. We understand that Government regulations are late to the AI party and as per our Government's data, Canada is behind the G7 countries in the adoption of AI. We know that practically every business leader believes that AI will drastically change the way they operate. We know that AI is getting cheaper, more accessible and user friendly to everyone. We already know a lot, but we must keep in mind that artificial intelligence is still in its early stages. What we know today will likely change tomorrow!

We are enthusiastic but cautiously optimistic about AI. It doesn't really matter where you fall on the AI spectrum, we are all still learning. If there is one thing we have all learned about AI, it is that it may be both highly useful and dangerous. Here is an interesting article on the topic on eChannelNEWS https://www.e-channelnews.com/is-ai-distorting-or-creating-a-new-reality/

Here are a few more hints on what we will be delving into at ChannelNEXT:

- Every vendor and solution you see at ChannelNEXT will probably be empowered by AI in some way. The key is to understand if it is just a marketing gimmick or does it truly help. We help to uncover the facts through our daily news interviews at eChannelNEWS.
- You will learn how AI is actually making cybersecurity more affordable and more effective.
- You will learn how AI-Agents is empowering bad actors in ways that may surprise you and it's not just about writing better phishing messages.
- You'll discover how to successfully lead the AI conversation with your clients.
- You will learn how your peers use AI.
- You will know how AI can decrease your risks in compliance, regulations and privacy issues.
- You will learn by listening to and exchanging your AI ideas with a community of like-minded peers.
- You will learn how AI Agents are going to change everything including how we use the Internet.

Our expert “A-Team” will share practical insights through panels, presentations, town halls, and peer-group sessions—helping you integrate AI effectively, validate your approach, and uncover new opportunities.

AI is rapidly becoming more accessible, powerful, and integral to everything we buy, sell, and use. The challenge is not whether it will impact your business—it will—but how to leverage it for maximum value while navigating its risks.

ChannelNEXT isn’t only about AI; it’s also about digital transformation, cybersecurity, sustainability, and MSP automation—all increasingly powered by evolving AI. Join the conversation and fine-tune your AI strategy to stay competitive in the channel’s next chapter.

As usual, Jay McBain, a top analyst in channel research (Canalys), will give you the most up-to-date research data for the market and channel trends. Julian Lee, who hosts eChannelNEWS and Paolo Del Nibletto of Jolera and eChannelNEWS contributor, will discuss other headwinds and opportunities for the Canadian channel.

Most channel partners want to sell their business. We will have a panel with top MSPs and experts who have been through the process to share their experience to help you with a successful exit or merger. As matter for fact the advice you gain here is valuable regardless if you are ready to sell your business or not!

There is a lot of talk about marketplaces dominating SaaS transactions and today's buyer's journey. How this will impact the buying behaviours of MSPs and end-users? We will explore how channel partners can leverage marketplaces to drive growth and profits and even private-label a marketplace platform.

With the proliferation of AI and the growing governmental regulations, it's getting very complicated for channel partners and their clients to follow compliance rules, get cyber insurance and manage privacy issues. What does this mean for MSPs and their clients and how can they tackle this important challenge? We have both the compliance platform and the cyber insurance solution designed for Canada!

Where is the MSP "puck" going? Experts will share future insights to help you prepare for the next level in managed services. The MSP business model is evolving and staying ahead of the curve is where the most successful companies will thrive.

Lions' Den, hosted by Randal Wark is the fastest and most enjoyable way to find out about vendors and what they have to offer. Each person has three minutes to make their case. No slide decks allowed! You get to pick the best pitch and a chance to win $500 cash. Get paid to learn :o).

Find out what thousands of great MSPs are doing to make their businesses grow faster and more profitable. You will get an inside look at a variety of solutions that other MSPs are leveraging to drive revenue.

Talk Show: Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto going to speak to several guests and find out what MSPs really want to know and why it matters to them. Just the gold, no filler! You can even send us questions you want us to ask them!

The most important market trends are AI, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and sustainability. In this digital-first market, how can you apply them all to win. We'll talk about some of the things we've learned from talking to hundreds of MSPs and experts in the field.

Speed Introductions is a great way to meet all the vendors and exhibitors quickly and see if you can work together. The best part is that you can do this over an open bar and food. Listen for the bell every three minutes to move on to the next one. A lot of vendors give away cool prizes!

Get ready for a great dinner and entertainment experience! Time to chill out, have some great food, drinks and enjoy some entertainment while making friends networking with everyone.

You may not want to stay out too late because the next day we start at 8 AM sharp with a full breakfast! Our special guest speaker will rock your world with some eye-opening practical insights to grow business. Don't miss this!

Get ready to supercharge your business at this can’t-miss event! The official kick-off is at 10:00 AM, but why wait? Come early at 9:00 AM for breakfast bites, coffee, tea and a chance to network with everyone! We'll be there by 8 AM.

We'll give you a sneak peek of the jam-packed schedule for the next two days and get you an e-guide with all the deets. Plus, get your hands on a cool (OnPoint) new tool to access and share the speaker slide decks, videos, and more in real time, as well as connect with all speakers and vendors!

Prepare to be wowed by thirty top-notch speakers. Dive into the latest MSP business trends, dive deep into how the industry is embracing artificial intelligence, and don't miss the town hall chat with the five top MSPs in the nation. You'll have tons of chances to pick the brains of these industry giants!

Buckle up for two days of pure excitement and serious business growth.

Meet your event crew!

Coffee, tea, drinks and snacks are available any time throughout the day!

In the world of business, with this challenging economy, how's our trusty channel community holding up? Where is it going? How do we get there from here? Hold onto your hats as Julian Lee of eChannelNEWS and Jay McBain of Canalys spills the beans with the latest stats, and reveals the top trends channel partners should jump on. Only at ChannelNEXT!

Today, you need to follow the data and listen to other successful MSPs who work on the frontlines every day. With the combined research coming from Canalys and Jay's analysis plus Julian's news media reach with a community of over 100,000 channel partners, you will see the future clearer and how to connect the dots to get you from here to there...Always be going to where the puck is going to be!

Looking to exit your MSP business strategically? Want to maximize its value for the best possible sale price? Or perhaps you’re focused on improving efficiency to drive greater profitability? This session explores the critical considerations for MSPs preparing for growth, a merger, or a full exit strategy.

We will examine how to strengthen your business for a higher valuation, navigate the process with clarity, identify the right timing, and set realistic expectations. The discussion will also address what to anticipate after a merger or sale, providing practical insights to help you plan with confidence and precision.

Hear from Michael Contento, the managing director behind F12.net, a serial entrepreneur, and the genius who wrote a book on the business.

Exciting Announcement: New Mastermind Peer-Group on MSP Valuation for Mergers and Acquisitions
We are thrilled to introduce a new Mastermind Peer-Group session focused on MSP Valuation for Mergers and Acquisitions. This group is designed for MSPs seeking to exit or enhance their business valuation. Join Michael Contento and fellow peers to explore various options, including potential buyers and sellers. The group will convene regularly, both virtually and in-person.
Interested? If you're keen to join this peer-group, please reach out for complete details.

You are also welcome to join a Mastermind Peer-Group session on this topic in the afternoon of Day 2.

Looking for a wider range of solutions built for MSPs? Join Rob Rae, CVP of Community and Ecosystems, as he unveils the Pax8 Cloud Marketplace that will revolutionize the business for MSPs. This data-driven future is purpose-built to anticipate the needs of an evolving industry, so that partners can meet and exceed the needs of their customers, today. Pax8 can help you to make more profits, streamline your business and expand your solution portfolio.

Prepare for some insights by a diversified and forward-thinking panel of experts on what the next generation of MSPs will look like especially as they are empowered by AI and focus on business outcomes and strategy. Enter the MAI - Managed Artificial Intelligence? MBT Managed Business Technology? MOI Managed Outsources Intelligence? MI Managed Intelligence? MSP 5.0?

Whatever we call it, what will the future of MSPs and channel partners in general, look like? The trends are already emerging and the dots are starting to connect but there is still more to come. Hint: AI Consultants and Strategists are emerging as-a-Service and all channel partners can be in a position to lead this charge!

We will also explore how successful MSPs are streamlining their tool stack to avoid death by a thousand tools!

Join these experts for a Mastermind peer-group session in the afternoon of Day-2.

A scrumptious lunch in the middle of the EXPO. A great opportunity to network with everyone.

Each participating vendor gets 3 minutes to make their perfect sales pitch to the entire audiences. (See the sponsor section for all participating vendors).

Channel partners can quickly assess which vendor can be a fit for their solutions' portfolio.

Everyone in the audience will receive a link to instantly vote for their favourite pitch. And, you get a chance to win $500 cash as a "thank-you-for-voting".(Prize draw in the EXPO on day 2. Must be present to win!)

Learn how to do the best 1 to 3 minute "elevator" pitch? Join us for a workshop mastermind peer-group session in the afternoon of Day 2!

Navigating the AI Landscape for Channel Partners. We have assembled the A-Team in practical AI that you can actually sell today.

Over the two days, we will be showing MSPs how to leverage AI in their sales, marketing and productivity, including creating digital twins and AI-Agents to augment their game. In this session we will be talking about the AI opportunity at the MSP's customer level.

There’s a lot of buzz around AI and LLMs, but pinpointing the key opportunities for channel partners can be challenging. It’s essential for these partners to have an active role in their clients' AI journeys. They stand to gain the most by leading or guiding this process. Conversely, they risk falling behind if they remain uninvolved in their customers' AI developments—this goes beyond just basic AI co-pilots and integrations into the tech stack.

Every end-user is likely to leverage AI well beyond their IT departments, marking a new phase in digital AI transformation. We will delve into examples of how we can assist MSPs in steering their clients through the AI journey, ultimately driving revenue that exceeds expectations. AI represents a new Gold Rush, and if you know where to search, you’ll discover the AI Gold!

We are also offering TWO AI Courses on the pre-day Oct 22 and on the post-day Oct 25 - See tabs to learn more and to register. We strongly suggest you take these two different courses, bring your team and invite your clients.

Join these experts for a Mastermind peer-group session in the afternoon of Day-2.

If you are not already an effective cybersecurity-first MSP, then you are way behind the channel growth curve and the only way to catch up is probably to outsource the workload or focus on AI or exit your business. Research shows that a whopping 93% of clients would ditch their current partners for another if they believe that the new partner can provide better cyber protection.

The trend is 100% clear. MSPs who have transitioned into MSSPs are gaining customers every day at the expense of those without a solid cybersecurity managed services practice.

Everyone in the channel already knows that cybersecurity is like the ultimate never-ending battle. It's a maze of confusion, pain and cash-draining chaos. Finding and keeping experts is not easy and it's expensive (off-shoring outsourcing comes with its own problems). Just when you think you've nailed it, the challenges are morphed yet again. With new rules and regs coming down like rain, the stakes are getting even higher for any slip-ups. Now with AI everywhere, deep fakes, voice cloning and autonomous AI-agent surveillance, the attacks are automated 24/7 and increasing in sophistication.

Nailing cybersecurity is an obvious must for you and your clients. Failure is not an option! The only big question is do you build the practice in-house or outsource and if so, what and how do you outsource?

Our squad of top cyber crime-fighting superheroes is here to dive deeper into the cyber realm and hand you some treasure maps to accelerate your journey to victory. They will tackle it from what's coming, building and testing the right tech stack, discovery, HR solutions, an analyst views, legal perspectives, insurance issues, selling risks and privacy compliance. Time to level up your cybersecurity practice and generate more revenue.

And, get your questions answered! Pick the brains of these amazing cyber experts throughout the event! Stay back for even more in the afternoon Mastermind sessions.

Let's rock this cyber fortress together and help you level up your game! You got this!

Join these experts for a Mastermind peer-group session in the afternoon of Day-2.

Dive into the conference e-guide for more info of these exciting unscripted and candid sessions!

Get pumped for ten power-packed sessions with top vendors and thought leaders ready to rock the stage. Brace yourself for discussions on several hot topics like Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, and Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Business Automation, Networking, and so much more!

No boring slide decks here! These fast-paced, high-value 15-minute sessions are all about engaging with our channel partners and sparking lively discussions around topics that matters to THEM!

Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto will interview these guests live on stage and field your questions (you can actually submit you questions). What do you really want to know?

And the best part? All speakers will be around for two full days to tackle all of your burning questions.

Let the games begin!

AI is evolving fast—but are we evolving emotionally with it? In this keynote, we explore how
emotional intelligence (EQ) remains the most valuable human trait in an AI-driven world. From
leadership to burnout, decision-making to digital empathy, we’ll look at how the most impactful
organizations are blending IQ, EQ, and AI to lead the future of work.

Key Takeaways:
• How AI tools (like ChatGPT) are shaping EQ and emotional wellness in teams
• The balance between automation and authentic human connection
• The neuroscience of empathy and how tech can support—not replace—it
• Real-world applications and tools for emotionally aware leadership

Join this expert for a Mastermind peer-group session in the afternoon of Day-2.

Speed Introductions is one of the secret ingredients of ChannelNEXT! Meet every vendor and speaker for 3 minutes each! Find out if you are a match. Companies and people change so what you may have known in the past may not be what reality is today. You just never know who you will meet that can benefit you. We will ring a bell every 3 minutes to promote you to move to the next brief meet-up. This will help you to know which companies, solutions and people you want to connect deeper with over the rest of the event.

Vendors and delegates meet over an open bar and pre-dinner snacks for just 3 minutes each. Listen of the bell and just move to the next. It's one of our most fun social networking activities! Lots of prize give-aways! All happens in the Expo area. A great lead into the evening's dinner and networking experience.

Join us at a special location for more great conversations, food, drinks and entertainment!

Many (including us) say this social networking activity is where the best relationships and partnerships are made. It's also where friendships are built!

Need more drinks? Keep your money! Just look for the vendors with the special sponsor badges as they are loaded with drink tickets and are more than happy to buy you a drink all night long!