AvePoint ramps up certifications in program refresh

Jason Beal (AvePoint)

US-based cloud software vendor AvePoint has introduced a flux of new partner certifications and specialisations as part of a program refresh. 

The data management software-as-a-service vendor has introduced more certifications for partner engineers, pre-sales teams and new product specialisation to its recently launched program.

According to AvePoint, which provides back-up solutions primarily for Microsoft 355, alongside Google Workspace and Salesforce, the new certifications include technical and sales tracks to help partners understand how to administer secure collaboration environments and enable them to design custom cloud solutions.  

"Certifications will also signal a differentiated level of expertise in AvePoint’s technology, helping them to source more business and exceed competitors," the vendor said in a statement. 

AvePoint has also enhanced its partner portal in an effort to give partners better visibility of their renewals and a more automated lifecycle management process. 

In addition, AvePoint has updated its Elements Managed Services Platform Advancement, adding cloud back-up functionality for Google Workspace and Salesforce. 

Overall, the program aims to benefit AvePoint's global ecosystem of 2,800 managed service partners, value-added resellers, cloud consultants and DevOps partners. 

“The Microsoft ecosystem presents a huge economic opportunity for partners who can build purpose-driven services around it with AvePoint technologies,” AvePoint SVP of global channel and partner ecosystems Jason Beal said. 

“The number of Microsoft Teams active users increased by more than 100 million since the start of the pandemic, with many of those organisations forced to rush through their digital transformations without having all of their security, compliance or data retention plans in place. That is an attractive opportunity for partners who can help consolidate and protect and govern data from exposure and loss.” 

AvePoint flagged its intention to improve its partner program when it hired Beal as global channel and partner ecosystems senior vice president at the end of last year.

Beal stepped into the newly created global role, which sees him focus on expanding the company's relationships with managed service providers (MSPs), solution providers and systems integrators, late last year. 

He also oversaw the launch of AvePoint's first unified global partner program for all new and existing partners, expanding on its previous collection of region-specific programs.   

In November 2020, AvePoint unveiled plans to go public via a merger with Apex Technology Acquisition Corporation in a deal that valued the Microsoft specialist at approximately $2 billion. On 2 July 2021, the company began trading publicly on the Nasdaq under the ticker AVPT. 

AvePoint has been rapidly growing its regional channel since 2018 when it hired its first Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) channel chief Andre Carpenter to implement a 100 per cent channel model in the region.

With Carpenter having moved on since 2020, leadership of the A/NZ channel is now overseen by channel manager Damien Neale.