EMEA: Security Distribution and Partner-First Programmes Lead the Month

September across EMEA was dominated by security: a UK-led consolidation deal in Microsoft-focused managed security, US vendors using specialist distribution to enter the UK and Ireland, and several vendors reporting results from — or launching — partner-first programmes. Enablement and services delivery, rather than discounts, were the common thread in programme news.

September at a glance

• Edinburgh’s Quorum Cyber agreed to buy Zurich-based Ontinue from EQT, combining two Microsoft-focused managed security providers.
• Infinigate became TENEX.AI’s first UK&I distributor and extended its KnowBe4 deal into the Benelux, Nordics and Eastern Europe.
• Exabeam said its channel beat its H1 new-logo pipeline target by 138% in the first year of its partner-first Apex programme.
• IBM opened all its internal sales and technical enablement to partners for free within Partner Plus.
• Okta and Microsoft both announced programme overhauls that shift more services and Marketplace activity to partners.

M&A and consolidation

Quorum Cyber to acquire Ontinue. Announced 16 September, the deal brings together Quorum Cyber’s MDR, incident response and professional services with Ontinue’s MXDR service and agentic SOC. Ontinue serves more than 250 customers across Europe and the US; Eterna Growth Partners remains majority investor. Quorum Cyber holds all Microsoft Security specialisations and was named Microsoft Security MSSP of the Year for 2025. Closing is subject to approvals. (IT Brief; Signalbase; IT Reseller)

MSP deal volumes remain high. Solganick’s Q3 report, published 28 September, noted global MSP acquisitions rose 73% year-on-year in Q1 2026 (64 deals vs 37), and flagged distributors, telcos and vendors as the fastest-growing buyer group. (Solganick (global figures))

Distribution

TENEX.AI appoints Infinigate for UK&I. Signed 3 September, Infinigate is TENEX.AI’s first distributor in the UK and Ireland, supporting a partner-led strategy and a planned wider EMEA rollout. The vendor also made four senior regional hires following a $250 million funding round. (TENEX.AI; SecurityBrief)

Infinigate extends KnowBe4 regionally. The group expanded its KnowBe4 distribution beyond UK&I into the Benelux, the Nordics and Eastern Europe (10 September). (IT Europa)

Partner programmes and vendor strategy

Exabeam reports on its Apex programme. One year into going partner-first, Exabeam said H1 channel-driven new-logo pipeline beat target by 138% globally and expansion bookings came in 125% above plan. It ran 90 partner-led campaigns and events, and 82% of partners reported being satisfied or very satisfied. (MicroScope)

IBM pushes a consultative sell. IBM’s EMEA AI and data ecosystem leader said the company has made all its internal sales and technical enablement available to partners at no cost within Partner Plus, as it looks for VARs that bring delivery capability for AI deployments. (MicroScope)

Okta Partner Accelerator. Okta’s redesigned programme, due in early 2027, replaces a revenue-led structure with sales, services and technology tracks of three tiers each, and moves most implementation work to partners. (ChannelE2E; IT Reseller)

Schneider Electric widens decarbonisation access. Schneider joined Lenovo’s 360 Circle community to offer its Decarbonisation Champion programme to Lenovo’s channel, and expanded its SME programme with Greenly. (MicroScope)

Flare launches a five-tier programme. Its Ignite programme runs from registered to premier tiers based on partner-sourced ARR, covering resellers, CSPs, MSSPs, MSPs and GSIs. (MicroScope)

Microsoft Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace. Available from 28 September, the programme consolidates Microsoft’s ISV Marketplace motions into one path, with a no-cost tier for eligible partners. (Channel Insider)

CrowdStrike at Fal.Con. The vendor used its conference to unveil a series of alliances and encourage partners to build AI expertise (2 September). (MicroScope)

UK channel briefs

• Onecom Partners launched CyberProtect and PenX, white-labelled security services for resellers without in-house security teams. (MicroScope)
• Team Metalogic became the first Welsh MSP to earn the Assurix Trustmark. (MicroScope)
• Godel gained Microsoft’s Agentic DevOps with Azure and GitHub Advanced Specialisation. (MicroScope)
• Blackpoint Cyber added identity threat detection and response tools for MSPs. (MicroScope)

Since month-end — worth watching

• Canalys Channel Forum (7 Oct): an analyst warned around 30% of EMEA partners could disappear by 2030 unless they transform. (MicroScope)
• Reco (14 Oct): the AI agent security vendor is building a channel-led EMEA business, starting in the UK with DACH and the Nordics to follow. (IT Europa)
• CRN UK XChange MSP: new IPED research says the MSP model is growing faster than other partner models, with acquisition activity spreading to regional and specialist MSPs. (CRN UK)