The Channel Company

What The Channel Company does

The Channel Company (TCC) is a privately held B2B media, events, and marketing services company focused on the global technology channel ecosystem. Founded in 1974, TCC operates an integrated portfolio of award-winning media brands (CRN in the US, UK, Germany, Asia, Australia, and now India; Computing in the UK; and MES Computing for the midmarket), a global XChange event series spanning North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC, and the Women of the Channel community and awards programs. Its products and services include 34+ annual industry lists and rankings, the Channel Accelerator intent-data service, Channelytics analytics, Channel Leadership Forum and ChannelMasters training, and IPED Consulting advisory services. TCC also operates the AI-powered Partner Ignite marketing services platform, which consolidates four acquired agencies (PartnerDemand Services, Audienz, bChannels, and Lauchlan) into a single team of 111+ virtual Partner Marketing Managers serving 21 leading global technology clients across 18+ languages and 35+ countries. Underlying technology includes proprietary intent data across 750,000+ partner records, 1.3M industry data profiles, and integration with Salesforce, Marketo, DOMO, Convertr, and Google marketing tools for campaign execution and attribution. The company is headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts, with regional operations in London (EMEA HQ), Sydney, Singapore, Germany, and the Netherlands, and a strategic partnership extending reach into Latin America. Revenue is generated through four streams: media and content subscriptions, event sponsorships and attendance, Partner Ignite marketing services, and awards/recognition programs, with quote-based enterprise pricing for services and tiered entry/sponsorship fees for events and awards. TCC is privately held with no public ticker, has 501-1,000 employees, and has a recorded 2016 minority funding round from NorthStar Capital and Stone-Goff Partners.

Name

The Channel Company

Legal name

The Channel Company, Inc.

Website

https://thechannelco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Channel Company is a privately held B2B media, events, and marketing services firm serving global technology vendors, solution providers, MSPs, distributors, and IT leaders through CRN media brands, XChange events, and Partner Ignite AI-powered partner marketing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Channel Media and Marketing Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Media Representatives (541840), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affiliate Marketing & Partner Program Management (MPAAACAD), Affiliate Marketing & Partner Networks (BPAMALAI)

Keywords

• Channel marketing services
• B2B technology media
• Partner marketing platforms
• IT channel events
• Channel ecosystem media

Headquarters

HQ city

Westborough

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Media and Content Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to premium editorial content across CRN, Computing, MES Computing properties including in-depth journalism, research, and analysis. Revenue from site memberships and newsletters.
2. Event Sponsorships and Attendance: Revenue from XChange event sponsorships, vendor participation fees, and attendee registrations. XChange events span North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC with multiple regional variants (XChange March, August, Best of Breed, Security, NexGen, UK, EMEA, Asia, Australia, LATAM).
3. Marketing Services (Partner Ignite): Full-service partner marketing including GTM strategy, campaign execution, concierge services, and performance marketing. Delivered through vPMM team supporting technology vendors, distributors, and solution providers globally.
4. Awards and Recognition Programs: Revenue from Women of the Channel events and awards programs, CRN Women of the Year Gala, and various industry award ceremonies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Channel Company is a B2B media, events, and marketing services organization serving the global technology channel ecosystem. It delivers industry-leading publications (CRN, Computing, MES Computing), runs the XChange event series in 35+ countries, and operates Partner Ignite—a unified suite of AI-powered partner marketing services including GTM strategy, campaign creation, performance marketing, and event services for technology vendors.

Product overview

The Channel Company is a B2B media, events, and marketing services company focused on the technology channel ecosystem. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio including CRN (US, UK, Germany, Asia), Computing, and MES Computing media properties; produces XChange events globally (spanning North America, EMEA, Latin America, and APAC regions); and delivers marketing services through Partner Ignite (encompassing GTM Strategy & Enablement, Campaign Creation & Execution, Performance at Scale, Event Services, and Concierge Services). Additional offerings include Women of the Channel programs and awards, Leadership Networks, Channel Analytics (Channelytics), Channel Leadership Forum, Channel Masters training, bChannels Partner Concierge, and Channel Accelerator. The company leverages AI infrastructure for targeting, intent data analytics, and campaign automation, processing data across 750,000+ partner records in 35+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CRN: The Trusted Source For Tech Channel News, a leading technology news publication covering the IT channel ecosystem with regional editions including CRN UK, CRN Germany, CRN Asia, CRN Australia, and CRN India.
• Computing
• MES Computing
• XChange
• Women of the Channel
• Partner Ignite
• bChannels
• Channel Leadership Forum
• ChannelMasters

Quantifiable outcome

• $5B market activated through client engagements
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ITSitio GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Strategic partnership connecting The Channel Company's global vision with ITSitio Group's regional expertise to drive growth for technology solution providers in Latin America through XChange LATAM events in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico
• PartnerDemand ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency service integrated into Partner Ignite brand, providing demand generation and partner marketing services
• AudienzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency service integrated into Partner Ignite brand, providing audience-focused marketing solutions
• bChannelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency service integrated into Partner Ignite brand, providing partner concierge and vPMM services; 111 vPMMs supporting 21 global tech clients
• LauchlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency service integrated into Partner Ignite brand, providing strategic marketing consulting
• CRN UK LicenseescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed operations in Australia, India, and Poland extending CRN brand reach globally
• XChange UK 2026 Sponsors (Acronis, American Express, Concentric, Cynet, Huntress, Hyperproof, Lansweeper, Pax8, Slide)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsors participating in XChange UK 2026 conference, representing cybersecurity, payments, data security, endpoint protection, compliance, IT asset management, and cloud commerce sectors

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Forrester Research: Forrester provides technology and marketing research, advisory, and events for technology buyers and vendors. Overlaps with TCC's CRN and strategic growth services in providing channel and B2B marketing intelligence to enterprise audiences.
• CompTIA: CompTIA is the leading global IT industry association serving solution providers, MSPs, and technology vendors with certifications, events, research, and media. Comparable as a broad incumbent in channel ecosystem services, though structured as a nonprofit trade association.
• Gartner: Gartner provides technology research, advisory, and events to IT leaders and technology vendors globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving similar enterprise IT buyer and vendor audience with overlapping channel research and events.

Direct peers

• Informa Tech (TechTarget / Channel Futures): Informa's tech division operates Channel Futures and TechTarget, directly competing with CRN and The Channel Company's XChange events in the technology channel media and events space. Most direct peer given overlapping audience of solution providers, MSPs, and IT decision-makers.
• Foundry (IDG Communications): Foundry operates CIO.com, CSO Online, and channel-focused media properties that compete directly with CRN for technology decision-maker audiences and vendor marketing budgets. Strong overlap in B2B tech media and events.
• Sandhill Group: Sandhill Group operates the Channel Futures (formerly Channel Partners) media brand and channel strategy consulting, directly competing with The Channel Company's CRN and strategic growth services for technology vendors and channel partners.

Emerging players

• ZINFI Technologies: ZINFI provides partner relationship management (PRM) and channel marketing automation software to technology vendors. Emerging player competing in the partner marketing automation space where TCC's Partner Ignite and Channel Accelerator services operate.
• Impartner: Impartner offers a partner relationship management platform with channel marketing automation, partner enablement, and MDF management capabilities. Adjacent competitor to TCC's services-led approach for vendor partner programs.
• Allbound: Allbound is a channel partner enablement and PRM platform serving B2B technology companies. Provides software-defined alternative to TCC's services-led partner marketing model for tech vendors seeking to scale channel programs.
• Pandium: Pandium is a partner ecosystem platform for SaaS companies and technology vendors, offering partner onboarding, marketplace, and co-selling automation. Represents the emerging tech-enabled approach to channel program management that competes with TCC's services model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheChannelCo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheChannelCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheChannelCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-channel-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Channel Company