Tech Forward

What Tech Forward does

Tech Forward, Inc. is a privately held, veteran- and woman-owned IT solutions company headquartered at 51 South Pearl Street in Albany, NY, operating inside the MVP Arena in New York's Capital Region. Per firmographic data, the company was founded in 2015 and reports a headcount of 1-10. It is led by CEO Wendi Enright (MBA in Management from York College of Pennsylvania; small-business, corporate executive, HR, and college-educator background) and President James Anilowski (former US Marine, former Deputy Director of Networks and Senior Project Manager for the largest US school system in the United States, and 20+ years as an IT professional). The company operates a Triple-Bottom-Line framework (Profit, Planet, People) and an annual Intentional Giving program, including a 2020 partnership with the Veterans Community & Housing Coalition.

Tech Forward's core technology is a proprietary cloud-based digital signage and video wall platform anchored by two branded products: the DSP30 Custom Digital Signs and the DSP100 Affordable Video Walls. The DSP30 is a cloud-enabled sign system that allows pre-scheduled content updates from virtually any device, with cloud storage and user ownership of content; the DSP100 is a multi-screen panoramic video wall capable of 360-degree display. The differentiating pricing mechanic is a one-time hardware purchase with no monthly subscription, platform, or hidden fees, paired with user-owned content. The company also provides network architecture and installation services (cabling, routers, switches, server/desktop deployment, IP security cameras) and interactive / augmented-reality display work.

Tech Forward monetizes through a hybrid revenue model. Recurring revenue comes from monthly Managed Services subscriptions (backup verification, antivirus, OS patches, power backup monitoring, 24-hour response with on-site and remote support, sold under service-level agreements) and monthly Content Management services (template development, updates, video design and scheduling). One-time revenue comes from DSP30 and DSP100 hardware sales and from professional services for network architecture and installations. A usage-based IT personnel contracting line allows the company to place technicians at client sites for a specified number of monthly hours. Customers are primarily small-to-mid-size businesses and entertainment / event venues in the Capital Region, with named installations at MVP Arena, Proctors Theater, Albany Capital Center, Palace Theater, Universal Preservation Hall, Howe Caverns, Via Port Aquarium, Boys and Girls Club of Schenectady, and Rotterdam Fire Company. Go-to-market is sales-led: direct email outreach for free estimates, a website with case studies and product pages, venue signage as a live showcase, and community involvement through the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce (CEO serves as an Ambassador).

Name

Tech Forward

Legal name

Tech Forward, Inc.

Website

https://techforwardinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tech Forward, Inc. is a veteran- and woman-owned Albany, NY IT company selling proprietary digital signage (DSP30) and video wall (DSP100) products, alongside managed IT services, network installation, and content management, to Capital Region small and mid-size businesses and entertainment venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Services and Digital Signage

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (3343), Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (334118), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Signage & Commercial Displays (HDACADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Signage & Campus Communication Displays (EDAEAHAM)

Keywords

• Digital signage solutions
• Video wall systems
• IT managed services
• Network installation services
• Content management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Managed Services: Monthly service plans providing ongoing IT support including backup verification, antivirus updates, OS patches, power backup monitoring, 24-hour response time, and on-site/remote support. Sold with service-level agreements.
2. Personnel Contracting: Contracting for specified number of monthly hours of IT personnel. Provides access to skilled technicians without recruitment or turnover concerns.
3. Content Management Services: Monthly fee service for clients who do not wish to create their own digital sign and/or video wall content. Includes template development, minor updates, video design, creation, and scheduling.
4. Digital Sign Hardware Sales: Sale of proprietary DSP30 digital sign systems with no monthly hosting or design fees. One-time hardware purchase with user ownership.
5. Video Wall Hardware Sales: Sale of proprietary DSP100 video wall solutions. One-time hardware purchase with no platform or subscription fees. User-owned content.
6. Network Architecture and Installation: Expert consultation, network and wireless architecture services, cable and wireless installation, routers and switches, server/desktop deployment, and IP security cameras for firms of all sizes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tech Forward Inc sells proprietary digital signage (DSP30) and video wall (DSP100) hardware with cloud-based management software, and provides IT managed services, network architecture and installation, personnel contracting, and content management services to small-to-mid-size businesses and entertainment venues in the U.S. Capital Region of New York.

Product overview

Tech Forward Inc offers a unified product portfolio built around proprietary digital signage and video wall solutions. The core products are the DSP30 Custom Digital Signs and DSP100 Affordable Video Walls—both hardware/software solutions featuring cloud-enabled management, no subscription fees, and user-owned content. These core offerings are complemented by managed services (IT support with service-level agreements), network architecture and installation services, and content management services. The company also provides personnel contracting and placement. All offerings share a common thread of being uniquely affordable alternatives to traditional enterprise solutions, with the proprietary software platform enabling pre-scheduled content updates across digital displays and video walls.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DSP30: Proprietary digital sign solution offered without monthly fees, easy to use, with pre-scheduled sign update capabilities.
• DSP100

Products and services

• DSP30 Custom Digital Signs

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 percent of information technology spending is wasted - company ensures dollars are invested wisely

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scala (by STRATACACHE): Enterprise digital signage software platform owned by STRATACACHE. Directly comparable as the largest incumbent in CMS-driven signage networks serving venues, retail, and transportation — the same core category TFI targets with DSP30/DSP100.
• Broadsign: Cloud-based digital-out-of-home (DOOH) signage platform with content management, programmatic, and player software. Directly comparable as a subscription-led signage CMS that TFI's no-fee DSP30/DSP100 models position against for SMB and mid-market venues.
• Yodeck: Subscription digital signage platform focused on SMBs and small chains with plug-and-play media players. Comparable as a low-cost SaaS signage competitor pursuing the same cost-sensitive end of the market that TFI serves.
• BrightSign: Leading manufacturer of solid-state digital signage media players powering many CMS platforms. Comparable as the dominant standalone signage hardware vendor whose COTS players TFI's proprietary DSP hardware competes with for venue installs.

Emerging players

• ScreenCloud: Cloud-native signage CMS targeting enterprise and SMB customers with subscription pricing. Comparable as an emerging cloud-only platform threatening to commoditize proprietary in-house hardware like TFI's DSP100.
• Rise Vision: Cloud digital signage platform with templates targeted at schools, nonprofits, and SMBs. Comparable as a lower-priced subscription alternative competing for the same nonprofit/small-business segment TFI closes (e.g., Boys and Girls Club).

Broad incumbents

• Four Winds Interactive (FWI): Enterprise digital signage and wayfinding platform serving large venues, healthcare, and corporate campuses. Comparable as a broader incumbent with deeper resources bidding for the same large-venue signage RFPs TFI pursues.
• RMG Networks (now part of Spectris): Provider of digital signage, video walls, and workforce communications solutions to enterprise clients. Comparable as a broader enterprise signage and video-wall incumbent overlapping with TFI's video-wall installations at venues.
• CDW Corporation: Large-scale IT solutions provider with managed services, networking, and AV infrastructure offerings. Comparable as the broad incumbent in the managed-services and network-architecture portion of TFI's book of business.

Regional players

• Structured Communication Systems: Mid-size IT managed services and infrastructure provider serving the Capital Region and Northeast. Comparable as a regional IT-services competitor chasing the same SMB/enterprise IT outsourcing market in TFI's home geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Tech Forward