ChannelNEXT26 West

Artificial Intelligence is centre-stage together with cybersecurity at ChannelNEXT26. You simply cannot have one without the other!

AI is now part of most technologies, and ChannelNEXT26 will double-click on how channel partners can leverage for themselves and their customers.

Topics we will cover include:

- Building your Digital Twin and how it will accelerate your AI journey
- How AI Agents are improving workflows for channel partners and their clients
- How MSPs and VARs use AI internally and with clients
- AI-related business opportunities
- Privacy and compliance regulations
- Cybersecurity as well as internal risks to consider with AI use

At ChannelNEXT26, we will explore the latest in AI through expert panels, presentations, discussions, town halls and peer groups. You will learn practical ways to use AI or validate your current approach.

By the end of the event, you’ll have a clearer view of how to use and monetize AI to strengthen your business.

Get ready for some extreme business building at this event! The party officially starts at 10:00 AM, but why wait? Swing by at 9:00 AM for some brekkie treats and mingle with the crew!

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

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!

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

You know the famous Canadian quote by our great one! Always be going to where the puck is going to be!

As news media professionals at eChannelNEWS, we possess a distinct advantage in accessing and analyzing comprehensive market research, data, and expert insights.

This is further enhanced by our firsthand observations from the industry, community, and channel frontlines.

We will highlight important findings that are currently influencing the Canadian channel and industry, along with predictions for what lies ahead.

Undoubtedly, ongoing tariff challenges, economics, conflicts, and geopolitical concerns are contributing to the market uncertainty and prompting a reevaluation of purchasing decisions, but as companies look to expand into new markets and accelerate with AI, more opportunities are being uncovered.

We will explore how AI is disrupting everything we do moving forward and will showcase great examples from Canadian companies leveraging AI to elevate, scale and compete.

Get your cell phones out to take pics of the slides as Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto, present the latest stats, and reveal the top trends channel partners should jump on. Only at ChannelNEXT!

Follow the data and listen to other MSPs who work on the frontlines every day. With the research coming from eChannelNEWS media and industry reach with a community of over 120,000 channel partners, you may see the future clearer and how to connect the dots to get you from here to there...

The MSP industry is in a significant transformation powered by Autonomous Agentic AI. Hosted by Julian Lee and Paolo Del Nibletto, a panel of 4 top industry leaders will have candid conversation about where the channel is headed.

You ever left a conference and felt that you did not get some of your most important questions answered? Something was still missing?

Well, get ready to leave with everything you will ever need! It's the latest wild ride at ChannelNEXT! Get candid answers to all of your burning questions before you go home!

Join us for a no holds barred candid session with the top MSP gang and experts in an open town-hall showdown. Ask away any question and tap into the wisdom of top channel partners!

If you had to assemble a group of your MSP peers to help you improve your business, then this would be the A-TEAM! Remember, what goes down in this town hall, stays in this town hall! This is for your eyes only!

A great opportunity to also 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".

For MSPs, MSSPs, and IT vendors, the sales game is shifting fast. Your clients are more informed, skeptical, and expect personalized insight in real time. In this session, Shane Gibson shares how to build an AI-powered sales engine that reflects your voice, value, and expertise—without losing the human element that closes deals.

You’ll learn how to train AI tools to sound and think like you, create intelligent sales playbooks that evolve with every conversation, and integrate AI into your prospecting, follow-ups, and proposals. This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about extending your best thinking, on demand.

AI is reshaping the channel, but this keynote is not about hype, gimmicks, or another parade of shiny tools.

It is about what happens when AI changes how your clients buy, how your team sells, and how your firm stays relevant.

Buyers are more informed, automation is accelerating, and the MSPs that win will be the ones that combine AI, sales discipline, emotional intelligence, and real business acumen.

Shane Gibson has been speaking on AI since 2018, long before most of the market caught up. He is also one of the few AI speakers with deep expertise in sales enablement, frontline sales management, and modern revenue growth – he also knows the IT Channel.

Organizations that Shane has delivered AI focused
keynotes for include Bluestar, MicroAge, Microserve, Mitratech, and Deutsche Telekom. Expect a practical, high-impact keynote on agentic selling, AI mindset,
and how MSPs can move from vendor to trusted strategic advisor.

Meet everyone over coffee, tea, drinks and snacks.

Details to come!

Every business is undergoing a digital transformation in a world increasingly dominated by AI, making it essential to safeguard against cyber criminals. No Managed Service Provider (MSP) can thrive in the future without a robust cybersecurity offering, whether developed in-house or outsourced.

Yet, deciding whether to build some capabilities in-house or to outsource them is a complex choice that every business faces. We have assembled a panel of experts who understands building and scaling cybersecurity managed services. We are here to assist you in navigating the options.

Several top cybersecurity experts and MSSPs who deeply understand the cybersecurity landscape will share insights on this journey and provide guidance to support you along the way.

Start watching our monthly series on eChannelNEWS "Cybersecurity Defense Ecosystem" Subscribe for free.

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!

Speed Introductions is one of the secret ingredients of ChannelNEXT! Vendors and delegates meet over an open bar and pre-dinner snacks. One of our most fun social networking activities! Lots of prize give-aways! All happens in the Expo area. It's simply priceless!

Meet and network with everyone! 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!

We will be doing news interviews all day long. Vendors, speakers and all attendees are welcome to book a spot. It's FREE! Tell us your story! Talk about what you do and why! Leverage your newsworthy content for your own marketing purposes!

We publish on www.e-channelnews.com

Topics to be announced!

Understanding the Importance of a Business Valuation Mindset, Regardless of Your Selling Intentions:

Prepare for an exciting journey into the realm of MSPs aiming to elevate their operations for a merger, a successful exit strategy, or simply to enhance profitability. Delve into the details of strengthening your business for an impressive valuation, unravel the process, perfect your timing, establish your expectations, and navigate life after a merger.

Join Michael Contento who sold his MSP and wrote a book on the subject. With over 15 years of experience in building and exiting businesses with revenues exceeding $100M, he has firsthand knowledge of the challenges and successes involved in scaling, pivoting, and exiting multiple organizations.

How do you prepare your company to get the best valuation? What is the process?

When is the right timing?

What are the expectations?

How does it work after the
merger?

There are many moving parts to selling or merging a business. In this session, you will get the inside scoop from one of the leading MSPs in the country and their journey into mergers and acquisitions.

In this discussion, we'll delve into the advantages that Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are experiencing with Agent AI and other AI tools to streamline their business operations and enhance most aspects of their business.

Additionally, we will provide insights into how to create your Digital Twin.

To Be added

Introducing a comprehensive resource designed to empower you in Cybersecurity! Join our community of over 8,000 members for FREE! If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!

In this session, we will highlight 5 components of the CDE.

This is a transformative approach to building and scaling effective Cybersecurity Managed Services, specifically crafted for MSPs, MSSPs, and SOCs. Discover more at https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/.

Proudly made in Canada!

Currently, we offer more than 240 CISO-approved cybersecurity solutions and 16 robust business services to assist channel partners in building and expanding their cybersecurity practices.

We will also showcase some of the latest CDE membership services aimed at bolstering your defense against cybercrime while scaling your cybersecurity managed services!

Our current offerings include an AI Agent Platform for MSSPs, a Canadian Compliance Platform, a Data Classification Platform, Cyber Insurance, a Marketing Automation Platform, a Private Label SaaS Marketplace Platform, vCISO Services, Outsourced SOCs, and CyberSecurity Mastermind Peer Groups.

Tune in for monthly CDE sessions as we highlight more of membership benefits. Review everything in the monthly CDE newsletters.

You can only find the CDE at ChannelNEXT!

Visit https://cybersecuritydefenseecosystem.com/ and join for free to kickstart your journey.

Everyone in the channel understands that cybersecurity is an ongoing and complex battle. It's a labyrinth of confusion, frustration, and costly challenges. With so many moving parts, acquiring and retaining experts is a daunting task. Just when you think you've got it figured out, new challenges emerge. With fresh regulations coming in fast, the stakes are higher than ever for any missteps.

Mastering cybersecurity is essential for you and your clients – failure is simply not an option! The pressing question is whether to build the practice internally or outsource, and if outsourcing, what and how to do it?
Our team of cybersecurity superheroes delves into the cyber world and provides you with invaluable guidance for your journey to success.

Plus, you’ll have the chance to engage with these incredible cyber experts on demand!

Research indicates that a staggering 93% of clients would switch partners if they believe a new one can offer superior cyber protection!

Ready to elevate your cybersecurity capabilities?

To be added

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!

Two workshops will be happening in parallel every 30 minutes. Pick one to attend every 30 minutes.

Topics to be announced!

We hope you gained valuable insights to help grow your business and improve your life, built strong connections with peers and sponsor vendors, and enjoyed your time and experience with us.

If you missed anything or need further support after the event, feel free to reach out—we are always here to help the community thrive. Stay informed by subscribing to eChannelNEWS to get updates 365 days a year.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend. We know you have choices and we thank you for choosing us and supporting Canada! Your in-person participation supports greater vendor investment in the Canadian channel and tells us you still want our support. #CANADASTRONG

Bonus Opportunity:

Remember to take the Best Managed IT Companies assessment at https://www.bestmanageditcompanies.com/ to benchmark your practices. It's FREE! Top 50 scorers receive one of the industry’s most prestigious awards! Awards are handed out at our annual awards gala in February of each year!

Have a safe trip home! We look forward to welcoming you at our next event See www.channelnext.ca for upcoming events, dates and locations. Remember you can attend any that you like!

Your ChannelNEXT Events Team

Many of us are leaving on the following day. If you are staying back, you are welcome to join the gang after the event. Where we go and what we do is all up in the air...One thing for sure, it will be fun to build some relationships and friendships.