Upward Technology
Upward Technology is a Managed Service Provider and cybersecurity consultancy serving SMBs and mid-market manufacturers across the U.S., with deep specialization in Global Shop Solutions ERP and Microsoft Azure cloud platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Upward Technology does
Upward Technology is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and cybersecurity consultancy founded in 2007 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with a secondary office in Santa Barbara, California. The company delivers outsourced and co-managed IT services, cybersecurity, and Microsoft Azure cloud solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, with a specialized focus on manufacturers using the Global Shop Solutions (GSS) ERP platform, where Upward holds Preferred IT and Cybersecurity Partner designation supported by 15+ years of GSS-specific expertise. The service portfolio spans fully managed IT departments, co-managed augmentation of internal IT teams, cybersecurity risk assessment and governance aligned to CMMC/NIST/CIS compliance frameworks, cloud migration, and unified communications.
The underlying technology stack is anchored in the Microsoft ecosystem (Azure, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Power BI) with Gold Partner and Solutions Partner status, complemented by a proprietary client management platform and a custom-built SharePoint-based ticketing system developed in partnership with Crow Canyon. For manufacturing clients, Upward embeds a full-time engineer on-site as part of co-managed engagements, creating deep client-specific operational knowledge — a model demonstrated in the HIS Innovations Group engagement spanning 2020 through its 2023 sale to Ultra Clean Technologies for $120 million.
Upward generates revenue primarily through recurring managed-services contracts (per-seat or fixed monthly retainer) billed for ongoing IT management, patching, security monitoring, and 24/7/365 user support, supplemented by project-based cloud migration and Azure consulting fees. Go-to-market is direct sales-led, relationship-driven, and quote-based, with no public pricing, no marketplace presence, and a sales motion that blends content marketing (an Insights blog active since 2016) with phone, email, and 'Book A Meeting' consultative engagement targeting SMB and mid-market buyers in the Pacific Northwest and nationally.
Upward Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upward Technology
- Legal name
- Upward Technology
- Website
- https://upward-technology.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Upward Technology is a Managed Service Provider and cybersecurity consultancy serving SMBs and mid-market manufacturers across the U.S., with deep specialization in Global Shop Solutions ERP and Microsoft Azure cloud platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upward Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Managed IT Services
- NAICS
- Computer Facilities Management Services (541513)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network Management (LAN/WAN/Wi‑Fi) Services (BPAEABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ITSM Managed Services (Run/Operate/Optimize) (BPAEAJAN)
Keywords
Where Upward Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Upward Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Managed IT Services: Ongoing managed IT services delivered as a full outsourced IT department or co-managed partner. Services include 24/7/365 support, patching, security updates, backup maintenance, server updates, and strategic IT roadmap development. Revenue is recurring, typically billed on a per-seat or fixed monthly retainer basis.
- Cybersecurity Services: Cybersecurity consultancy including risk assessments, governance development, security tool deployment, and compliance framework support (CMMC, NIST, CIS). Offered as part of managed services or as standalone engagements.
- Co-Managed IT Solutions: Augmentation of existing internal IT teams with specialized expertise — cybersecurity, cloud, strategic planning — enabling organizations to scale support without hiring additional staff. Billed as a flexible service model.
- Cloud / Azure Consulting: Azure and Microsoft 365 migration and optimization consulting. Dozens of workload migration use cases cited. May include project-based and ongoing cloud management fees.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Upward Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upward Technology is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and cybersecurity consultancy that delivers outsourced and co-managed IT services to small and mid-sized businesses and manufacturers. Core offerings include fully managed IT departments, co-managed IT augmentation, cybersecurity risk assessment and compliance (CMMC, NIST, CIS), Azure cloud migration and management, and specialized IT support for Global Shop Solutions ERP customers with over 15 years of manufacturing-IT experience.
Product overview
Upward Technology offers a portfolio of managed IT and cybersecurity services, functioning primarily as a Managed Service Provider (MSP) with specialized manufacturing expertise. The core offering is Managed IT Services, which can serve as a complete outsourced IT department or augment existing internal IT teams through Co-Managed IT Solutions. This is complemented by dedicated Cybersecurity Services addressing business risk assessment, governance, and compliance (CMMC, NIST, CIS frameworks). The company has developed specialized expertise around Global Shop Solutions ERP, offering dedicated IT services for manufacturers using this platform with over 15 years of experience. Azure & Cloud Solutions provide infrastructure design and migration with Gold Microsoft certification. Additional modules include Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) for credential management and AuthAnvil for password security. The portfolio is delivered through flexible service models (fully managed, co-managed) designed for SMBs across manufacturing, retail, and non-profit sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Managed IT Services Complete outsourced IT department services providing daily patch management, security updates, backup maintenance, server updates, 24/7/365 user support, and long-term technology roadmap development, delivered either as a full outsourced IT department or as an augmentation to existing internal IT teams.
- Cybersecurity Services Comprehensive cybersecurity consultancy including business risk assessment, governance and tool development, and risk-mitigation deployment. Helps clients meet compliance frameworks including CMMC, NIST, and CIS.
- IT for Global Shop Solutions Customers Specialized IT services for manufacturers using the Global Shop Solutions ERP, including ERP alignment, faster resolution times, improved ERP results, and Manufacturing 4.0 support. Backed by 15+ years of experience serving hundreds of GSS manufacturers, with Upward acting as the Preferred IT and Cybersecurity Partner for Global Shop Solutions.
- Managed IT Services for Manufacturing Strategic IT management purpose-built for manufacturing: integrates ERP, shop-floor data, and back-office systems into a single roadmap, bridges IT and OT, eliminates downtime, and scales support with production demand.
- Co-Managed IT Solutions Partnership model for organizations with internal IT teams, providing access to a multi-disciplinary team without additional hires, scalable support that flexes with business seasonality, dedicated cybersecurity capabilities, and specialist access so internal teams can focus on strategic initiatives.
- Azure & Cloud Solutions Cloud infrastructure design and workload migration services with Gold-certified Azure expertise, spanning hybrid-cloud and fully cloud environments. Includes Azure Backups for disaster recovery on a pay-as-you-go model and dozens of documented workload-migration use cases to reduce costs and improve performance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Managed HIS Innovations Group expansion from ~70 employees (early 2020) to 250+ employees by October 2023, supporting 2 facility moves and 3 new facilities going online
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Upward Technology
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Upward Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration18 records
Feature4 records
Upward Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- MicrosoftcoreGold Microsoft Partner and Microsoft Solutions Partner. Upward's team holds Microsoft certifications across Azure, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Power BI. They leverage Microsoft's ecosystem as the core technology platform for their managed IT and cloud services, designing infrastructure plans and migrating workloads to Azure.
- Global Shop SolutionscoreUpward is designated as the 'Preferred IT and Cybersecurity Partner for Global Shop Solutions.' They have invested over 15 years developing deep expertise in the GSS ERP ecosystem, making them an ideal partner for any company using Global Shop Solutions or related products like EMS barcode. Their deep investment in the GSS ecosystem is a core differentiator.
- Crow CanyonsupportingCrow Canyon Systems develops ITSM (IT Service Management) applications using SharePoint and Office 365. Upward partnered with Crow Canyon to build their custom help desk/ticketing system, citing Crow Canyon's 20+ years of experience in help desk and customer service software for organizations of all sizes.
- B Lab (B Corporation)coreB Lab is the non-profit organization that administers the B Corp Certification. Upward achieved B Corp Certification in September 2017 as the first Certified MSP B-Corp in the Pacific Northwest, demonstrating commitment to social and environmental responsibility. The partnership involves ongoing recertification every 3 years.
- TechSoupsupportingTechSoup was formed by Microsoft alums to provide deeply discounted software and hardware to charities — up to 90% off products like Microsoft Office 365, Azure, Adobe, and QuickBooks. Upward directs non-profit clients to TechSoup first when recommending new solutions, supporting their B Corp mission to serve the non-profit community.
- Dell / Dell SonicWALLsupportingUpward references Dell SonicWALL products in their security blog content and recommended firewall solutions including Dell SonicWALL's FWaaS (Firewall as a Service) program. The partnership provides enterprise-grade firewall technology as part of Upward's managed security offerings.
- RingCentral, 8x8, Vonage (Cloud VOIP)supportingUpward has relationships with cloud VOIP providers RingCentral, 8x8, and Vonage. They recommend and implement hosted cloud communications platforms that replace on-premise PBX phone systems, leveraging these partnerships to deliver unified communications, mobile apps, video/voice conferencing, and instant messaging.
- Microsoft (Enterprise Mobility Suite / EMS)supportingUpward recommends Microsoft's Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) for clients needing to sync credentials across applications and restrict data transfer between work and personal apps. EMS enables single sign-on, dual-factor authentication, and BYOD mobile device management through Microsoft Intune.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Upward Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NexusTek: US-based MSP with strong SMB and mid-market focus providing managed IT, cloud, and cybersecurity services. Similar size band and service portfolio to Upward, including co-managed offerings and Microsoft/Azure alignment.
- Coretelligent: US-based managed IT and cybersecurity provider serving SMB and mid-market clients with co-managed and fully managed offerings. Comparable in customer profile and managed services delivery model to Upward.
- Taylored Systems: US-based managed IT and cloud services provider serving SMB and mid-market clients. Similar size band and delivery model to Upward, including co-managed IT and Microsoft-centric cloud practice.
- Ntiva: US-based mid-sized MSP offering co-managed and fully managed IT services, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions to SMBs and mid-market clients. Directly comparable to Upward in service mix, target customer, and Microsoft-centric delivery model.
- Dynamic Edge: US-based regional MSP focused on SMB and mid-market clients with managed IT, cloud, and cybersecurity offerings. Closely comparable to Upward in size, customer profile, and service mix.
Broad incumbents
- Thrive: Larger PE-backed national MSP offering managed IT, cybersecurity, and cloud services across multiple verticals. Overlaps with Upward's core offering but at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
- ITsavvy: Established US-based IT solutions provider and MSP offering managed services, cloud, and cybersecurity to mid-market and enterprise clients. Operates at significantly larger scale than Upward across similar service categories.
- SHI International: Large global IT solutions and services provider including managed services, cloud, and security. Comparable service categories to Upward but at vastly larger enterprise scale and geographic reach.
- CDW: Large US-based IT services and solutions provider with a managed services practice serving SMB through enterprise. Overlaps with Upward's offerings but operates at dramatically greater scale and breadth.
- Connection: Large US-based IT services and solutions provider including managed services, cloud, and security. Comparable to Upward in service categories but vastly broader portfolio, scale, and customer base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Upward Technology social profiles
Digital presenceUpward Technology compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Upward Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upward Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Upward Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upward Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upward Technology
What does Upward Technology do?
Upward Technology is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and cybersecurity consultancy that delivers outsourced and co-managed IT services to small and mid-sized businesses and manufacturers. Core offerings include fully managed IT departments, co-managed IT augmentation, cybersecurity risk assessment and compliance (CMMC, NIST, CIS), Azure cloud migration and management, and specialized IT support for Global Shop Solutions ERP customers with over 15 years of manufacturing-IT experience.
Is Upward Technology a public or private company?
Upward Technology is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Upward Technology founded?
Upward Technology was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Upward Technology based?
Upward Technology is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Upward Technology make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Managed IT Services are the primary driver. The others are cybersecurity Services, co-Managed IT Solutions and cloud / Azure Consulting.
Who are Upward Technology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NexusTek, Coretelligent, Taylored Systems, Ntiva and Dynamic Edge. Broad incumbents are Thrive, ITsavvy, SHI International, CDW and Connection.
Does Upward Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upward Technology.
What industry is Upward Technology in?
Upward Technology's product category is Managed IT Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEABAD, Network Management (LAN/WAN/Wi‑Fi) Services, with a secondary code of BPAEAJAN, ITSM Managed Services (Run/Operate/Optimize). Its NAICS code is 541513 and its SIC code is 7373.