ChannelNEXT26 Central

Coffee, tea and snacks are available throughout the day.

ChannelNEXT26 is your destination for exploring the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, two topics that have become intrinsically linked and central to modern business. You cannot effectively address one without the other.

As AI is now embedded in most technologies, ChannelNEXT26 will focus intensely on equipping channel partners with the knowledge to effectively leverage AI for their own operations and for their clients.

Key Topics to be Explored:
The AI Journey: Assess your and your clients' current AI maturity—identifying what you know, what you don't know, and what is essential to learn.
Accelerating Adoption: Learn how building a personal Digital Twin can significantly speed up your AI integration.
Workflow Enhancement: Discover how AI Agents are transforming and improving workflows for channel partners and their customers.
Internal & Client-Facing AI: Examine the practical applications of AI by MSPs and VARs, both internally and when serving clients.
Business Growth & Monetization: Uncover AI-related business opportunities, focusing on automating workloads and achieving measurable business outcomes.
Governance & Compliance: Understand AI Governance, privacy implications, and related compliance regulations.
Risk Mitigation: Address critical risks associated with AI, including cybersecurity threats, insider risks, AI Poisoning, and the challenge of Shadow AI.
The Future Landscape: Gain insights into emerging trends and what is next in the world of AI.
Through expert-led panels, engaging presentations, open discussions, town halls, workshops, and focused peer groups, ChannelNEXT26 offers a platform to dive deep into the latest AI advancements. You will gain practical, actionable strategies for utilizing AI immediately and validate your current approach.

By the end of the event, you will have a clear, practical roadmap for leveraging and monetizing AI to substantially strengthen your business today.

Join us early and connect with your peers and colleagues, exchange ideas, and settle in before the program begins. We encourage you to arrive early, choose your seat, and get comfortable for the sessions ahead. Coffee and breakfast snacks are available.

Get ready for some extreme business building at this event!

Prepare to be wowed by over twenty five top-notch speakers covering hot topics like artificial intelligence or cybersecurity (including the Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem). Dive into the latest MSP business trends, learn how to future-proof your biz, and unlock secrets to boosting value and selling like a pro. 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!

Explore the e-guide with everything you will be experiencing over the next couple days.

As news media professionals with eChannelNEWS, we have the unique advantage of reviewing extensive market research, data, and analysis. This is complemented by our firsthand observations from the industry and channel frontlines. We will share key discoveries that are currently shaping the channel and industry, along with forecasts for what is on the horizon.

You are what your digital footprint says you are! How can you empower yourself and team with the right AI to elevate and accelerate your digital marketing and selling.

Outsmart, Outperform and Outlast your competition!

In the age of AI and our digital planet, mastering how to leverage Artificial Intelligence for analyzing your business, competition, and target customers is mission-critical. This deep analysis allows you to generate highly relevant content, ensuring you win in the social digital marketing arena.

Digital selling and marketing is far more than simply posting content and hoping. It requires consistent and strategic sharing relevant content that genuinely resonates with your target audience. Crucially, it involves strategically integrating the right call-to-actions to consistently fill your sales funnel with qualified prospects at the optimal moments in their buying journey. The proper follow-up is also essential for closing deals faster and securing bigger sales. AI can help a lot!

You will discover the smart balance between what sales skills can be augmented with AI and what needs that human touch.

You will learn how to best way expand your customer reach using sophisticated AI tools and processes that will distribute your content and track views as well as report on the buyer's intent in real-time.

Knowing exactly where your prospects are in their buyer's journey allows you to engage them before it's too late!

After this session, your approach to marketing and sales will be fundamentally transformed.

Are you looking for powerful, measurable sales outcomes? We believe that this single session will help you grow your sales and boost your closing rates by 25% this year! You can go deeper with the Mastermind Peer-Group session and workshop on the topic.

There is more!

Sign up for the full training course! Get a customized and optimized AI-Powered Sales Playbook for your company. Explore how you can resell these services to your clients so they can empower their sales and marketing.

Ask about the TechnoPlanet Digital Waterfall Marketing Program for MSPs.

Each participating vendor gets 2 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. Like what you saw? Connect with them at the booths or anytime during the event.

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".

All attendees, speakers and exhibitors have an awesome lunch together in the EXPO hall.

We encourage everyone to move around the room, eat good food and have some great conversations.

Get pumped for several power-packed interviews with top vendors and thought leaders ready to rock the stage.

We will even take some questions from the audience. We want to know what you want to know!

These fast-paced, high-value 10-minute sessions are all about engaging with our channel partners and sparking lively discussions around topics that matter!

Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto will interview these vendors live on stage. What do you really want to know?

All speakers will be around for two full days to tackle all of your burning questions.

Always be going to where the puck is going to be!And in the Era of AI, the room for errors just got a lot smaller!

We have 4 top leaders in the channel on this panel discussion: Jay McBain, Rob Rae, Chris Day and Dan Wensley. Hosted by Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto.

You will see the future clearer and how to connect the dots to get you from here to there...

Have you ever left a conference with that nagging feeling—your most crucial questions still unanswered, something essential missing?

Not Anymore!

Before you head home, get the candid answers you need for all your burning questions.

Join the ultimate town-hall showdown! It's a no-holds-barred, open session with our top MSP experts and industry gang. Ask absolutely anything and tap directly into the collective wisdom of leading channel partners.

Meet our A-Team of MSPs, ready to help you with absolutely no strings attached! We are going ALL-IN, betting they can answer 100% of your questions.

Remember: "Learning from your mistakes is wise. Learning from the mistakes of others is Wiser."

If you could hand-pick a group of MSP peers to radically improve your business, this would be the A-TEAM! What goes down in this town hall stays in this town hall—this is for your eyes only!

In today's AI-driven world, digital transformation is accelerating for all businesses, making robust cybersecurity an absolute necessity.

For any MSP to succeed, a strong cybersecurity offering is non-negotiable, whether developed in-house or through a partnership.

To help you benchmark your cybersecurity maturity level and navigate your options, we've brought together a panel of leading cybersecurity experts who specialize in building and scaling managed security services.

We understand that cybersecurity is a continuous, 24/7 commitment. That's why we won't leave you unsupported after this event! Join our free "Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem" for ongoing learning and support, designed to help you build the most effective security practice for both your business and your clients.

This session will delve into the sensitive topic of mental health within the channel community, examining the substantial human cost to relationships, health, and overall well-being.

Attendees will hear candid, inspiring stories from peers who have successfully navigated these challenges. Furthermore, we will introduce "MSP WELL," a new non-profit organization and movement dedicated to helping fellow MSPs manage daily mental stress.

The session will also feature Gabriela Embon, an author and Life Engineering Coach specializing in relationships for individuals in highly stressful careers. The insights gained here have the potential to be life-changing.

Following the main session, all speakers will be available to facilitate deeper discussions in Mastermind Peer-Group Sessions and Workshops.

ChannelNEXT's Speed Introductions is a fun and powerful networking activity. When you hear the "Sound-to-Move," please promptly switch to meet a new person!

This session is designed for maximum initial introductions; you'll have ample opportunity later in the evening to engage in longer, deeper conversations with those you click with.

The networking continues with an open bar and pre-dinner snacks where vendors and delegates can mingle. This enjoyable social activity takes place in the Expo area or, if the weather is nice, outdoors!

Get ready to relax, socialize, and have a great time! This fun social networking event is the perfect place to build key relationships, partnerships, and lasting friendships.

Great Food. Flowing Drinks. Fun Entertainment.

Don't miss the chance to gain valuable news coverage at ChannelNEXT through its exclusive news media partner eChannelNEWS. This is a powerful, often overlooked way to spread your message and significantly drive both your business and career forward - this is FREE at this event for all vendors and MSPs!

We are conducting news interviews across both days of the event. We encourage all attendees—vendors, speakers, and participants alike—to book a spot and share their story! Tell our audience what you do, why you do it, and leverage this newsworthy content for your own marketing efforts.

Your story will be published on www.e-channelnews.com and is yours to share wherever you choose!

Based on feedback, the Mastermind peer-group session has been moved from an optional end-of-event activity to the morning of Day 2, so more attendees can take part at no extra cost.

Join your assigned group for breakfast and experience the “Mastermind” format. If you are new, it is a great introduction; if you have attended before, you know the value of these discussions.
Peer-groups can be a useful way to share challenges, gain perspective, and learn from others in similar roles—though relatively few IT professionals regularly participate.
You’re encouraged to try a session and see if it’s a fit. More details: https://www.channelpartneralliance.com/
If it’s helpful, you can explore joining an ongoing peer-group. Vendor-specific groups focused on channel development will also be available, with advisors hosting discussions and Q&A

Mastermind Peer-Group Topics:

1. Selling in the Era of AI
2. Leadership Skills for Today's Multi-Generational and Diverse Workforce
3. Building AI Managed Intelligence Services
4. Optimizing MSPs Operations - Tools, AI and Processes
5. Improving Mental Stress and Performance in the Workplace
6. Cybersecurity Compliance, Regulations, Insider Threats and Insurance
7. Maximize Profitability and Optimize Resources for better business Valuation
8. Strengthening Personal Relationships to unleash more success
9. Digital Marketing, Public Relations to inject you into the Buyers's Journey
10. Improving Employee and Customer Retention

The pervasive discussion around AI, AI Agents, and Digital Twins highlights their transformative impact on all facets of business automation. These technologies are empowering humans, boosting their productivity, and simultaneously reducing workloads.

The resulting outcomes are significant and readily measurable.

Already, some MSPs are reporting impressive productivity gains that are 2 to 3 times their previous levels (most say 30% gains), alongside substantial cost reductions, time savings, and improved service outcomes.

This session will delve into the concrete results that MSPs are actively achieving by leveraging AI, Agents, and other AI-Powered Tools. We will explore how these technologies are streamlining business operations and fundamentally improving various aspects of their businesses and professional lives.

Specifically, we will investigate the process they've followed to create their own AI solutions and Digital Twins. Furthermore, we will discuss the critical role AI Agents and Digital Twins play in assisting their clients through the complex journey of AI adoption.

Want more? Join the Mastermind Peer-Group sessions and Workshops to dive deeper into these topics. Ask about our pre-day and post-event virtual workshops to help you build and improve your digital twins and AI agents!

Regardless of whether you plan to sell tomorrow or simply want to maximize your profitability, understanding your current business valuation is crucial. This session is designed for MSPs looking to strengthen their operations, prepare for a merger, execute a successful exit, or simply enhance their bottom line.

Embark on an insightful journey to:

- Understand the components that drive an impressive valuation.
- Delve into the specifics of the valuation and merger process.
- Perfect your timing and establish realistic expectations.
- Navigate life and business successfully after a merger.

Meet the Expert:

Join Michael Contento, a published author and veteran entrepreneur who successfully sold his own MSP. With over 15 years of experience in scaling, pivoting, and exiting multiple organizations—generating revenues in excess of $100 million—Michael offers firsthand knowledge of the entire journey.

Get answers to all your questions on mergers and acquisitions! All attendees will receive a special offer for confidential and professional comprehensive business valuation to know precisely where your company stands TODAY. Know your starting point to plan your journey to success.

Get more at the event by attending the Mastermind Peer-Group session and the Workshop on the topic!

Success usually comes down to the leadership.

In this session, leaders engage in guided questioning to uncover how their mindset, assumptions, and blind spots accelerate or limit business growth.

This is crucial given the rapid technological and channel shifts. Research consistently shows that companies navigating disruption succeed not just through strategy, but through leaders' capacity to shift perspective and make identity-level changes; mindset is the multiplier. This practical, interactive session gives leaders a direct experience of this shift, leaving them clearer, more self-aware, and prepared for the next era of growth.

The Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem (CDE) is a community-driven resource designed to empower cybersecurity-focused Channel Partners and CISOs. As the saying goes, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!"

Join our free community of over 7,000 members to learn how to harness this resource risk-free.

What We Offer:

A Collaborative Approach: The CDE is a community approach for building and scaling effective Cybersecurity Managed Services, specifically crafted for MSPs, MSSPs, SOCs, and CISOs.

Comprehensive Solutions: We offer more than 240 CISO-approved cybersecurity solutions and several robust business services to assist channel partners in building and expanding their cybersecurity practices.

Canadian Innovation: The CDE is proudly built in Canada.

Featured Solutions (11 to be showcased at the event):

1. AI Digital Twin Platform
2. Cybersecurity Insurance with Monitoring, Data Recovery and Incident Response
3. Incident Response Platform
4. Marketing Automation Platform for C-Suite Awareness and Sales
5. Cybersecurity Tech-Stack Discovery, Monitoring and Posture Evaluation
6. Pen Testing as-a-Service
7. Data Discovery and Classification Platform
8. vCISO On-Demand Services
9. CyberSecurity Mastermind Peer Groups
10. Compliance and Regulations Management
11. AI Assessment and Governance

All these solutions will be available for exploration throughout the event.

Explore All Membership Benefits:

Free access to monthly CDE podcasts and newsletters.Learn and explore more membership benefits risk-free.

Get Started:

Discover the CDE exclusively at ChannelNEXT! Ready to elevate your cybersecurity capabilities? Visit https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/ and join for free to kickstart your journey. This session will highlight several CDE resources to help you get started.

We are always on the cutting edge of technology. Sometimes, on the bleeding edge.

We recently discovered something that could impact how we manage incident responses for cybersecurity breaches.

We will not say much more as we are going to explore and discover this together. If this works, we believe that it may change the way the channel protects against and recovers their clients (and themselves) from cyber breaches in a much less stressful experience and far better outcomes.

Is this true or not? Let's find out together...

Lunch in the Expo Hall. Enjoy lunch as you brows the vendor booths and network with everyone for the last time.

Ensure you enter the prize draws with every vendor as many prize give-aways including CASH just for voting! We select the winners directly from the voting list!

Please VOTE! Your vote matters to give the vendors some recognition for being the best presenter in "Lions' Den" or "Best in Show". They will appreciate the recognition! Thank you for voting and you get a good chance to win some cash!

Pic from several workshops to go deep and find answers on big topics of interest.

Developing your emotional intelligence (EQ) is just as vital as focusing on your business operations. In fact, when measuring life by happiness, it may even be more important.

Every day, many of us face challenges in communicating effectively with colleagues and nurturing personal relationships at home. Striking a balance between work and life is a persistent human struggle. In the tech industry, long hours often lead to neglecting self-care, personal connections, and health. Over time, overlooking these aspects can have dire consequences, and sadly, many only realize this when it’s too late. However, this doesn’t have to be your reality!

Workshops TBA!

Have you ever wanted to truly understand where revenue leakage was occurring within your company?

In channel sales, revenue problems rarely introduce themselves as revenue problems. They usually show up as people problems first. Easy to see. Hard to diagnose.

A partner is not engaged. A reseller is not converting. Internal teams are frustrated. Enablement is inconsistent. Accountability feels unclear. Sales blames marketing, marketing blames product, product blames execution, and leadership is left trying to solve what looks like a people issue.

But in IT, SaaS, HaaS, and channel-driven organizations, these challenges are often only the visible symptom of a deeper misalignment between the internal cultures that drive channel performance: People, Process, and Product.

Channel sales and IT leaders often diagnose performance issues as people problems because that is where friction shows up first. But in IT, Managed Services and SaaS/HaaS organizations, the real issue is often deeper. In this interactive session, Andrew Leith explores the hidden gaps between the three cultures that shape channel revenue performance: People, Process, and Product.

Using a live LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® exercise, attendees will see how differently people think, interpret, and execute, even when working from the same information. This creates a powerful lead-in to breakout sessions where smaller groups use LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® to identify where cultural and operational gaps are hurting partner engagement, enablement, execution, and growth, then uncover practical ways to strengthen alignment across the channel.

This workshop will dig into the road map for building and optimizing your business valuation, profits, resources and elevating owner dependance. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate your business value today.

How do you transition and empower your sales and marketing into a powerhouse by leverage AI? You will learn about the tools, processes and skills necessary to elevate and accelerate your abilities in Sales and Marketing.

You will also discover the most effective digital marketing solution to drive awareness and sales all year long!

Your customers are all talking about and investing in AI. Having a seat at your customer's AI table is vital to your future business relationships with them. What will you do to stand out and help shape the AI journey of your clients?

We will explore AI Assessments, AI Policies and Governance and a roadmap for AI managed intelligence services including Agents that you can help your clients to elevate and accelerate their AI journey to faster success and measurable ROI outcomes.

Meet the MSP Well Team. Explore how they are helping the MSP community to better deal with stress and mental health.

As high performance professionals, time and energy is scarce. Mental strength weakens over time. Frustration eventually sets in. Disastrous outcomes can easily happen.

You will explore how to improve your personal relationships with your spouse, partner, family and friends.

You get to choose a workshop left of boom or right of boom!

You get to talk with cybersecurity experts to share your pain points and explore how you can overcome your challenges. You may also want to network with this team to help you long after the event is over!

You get to choose a workshop left of boom or right of boom!

You get to talk with cybersecurity experts to share your pain points and explore how you can overcome your challenges. You may also want to network with this team to help you long after the event is over!

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend. We recognize you have many choices, and we truly appreciate you choosing us — and for supporting Canada! Your in-person participation drives stronger vendor investment in the Canadian channel and reinforces the importance of continued support for our community. #CANADASTRONG

We wish you a safe trip home and look forward to welcoming you again at a future event. Visit https://tpievents.smugmug.com/ChannelNEXT26-Central for photos and videos from this event. And check out www.channelnext.ca for upcoming events, dates, and locations — and remember, you’re welcome to attend any that fit your schedule.

We will be sending you some recaps of the event, action plan reminders and a survey to get your feedback!

Your ChannelNEXT Events Team