Ex-Avnet exec Hockin launches enterprise storage VAD

Bullish new player channelfusion intends to be distributor of choice for vendors and VARs at higher end of storage market

Former Avnet executive Bruce Hockin has lifted the lid on his new venture channelfusion, which he believes will become "the go-to distributor" for the mid-market and enterprise storage channel.

Founded by Hockin (pictured) following his departure from Avnet towards the end of last year, channelfusion will focus on high-performance storage, network infrastructure and cloud technologies. He told CRN that the proliferation of innovative storage technologies and the vacuum left by the acquisition of a number of VADs in recent years made now the perfect time to launch an enterprise-focused player.

A quartet of vendors – Nimbus, Mellanox, Cleversafe and Emulex – are already on the books, and the ex-Avnet man explained that his firm go further than just make up the numbers in its partners' distribution line-ups.

"Our goal is to do more than just participate in someone's channel," he said. "We are not going to sit there and just be someone's number-three distributor, we want to earn the opportunity to be their number one."

Hockin outlined that channelfusion will foster a strong focus on channel enablement, and stressed that this means more than just helping resellers gain badges by sitting exams on a single vendors' technology.

"For a lot of existing distributors and vendors, when they talk about enablement they really mean accreditation," he added. "But you need to prepare people to go out and truly understand the market they are trying to sell into. We want to do that by helping partners increase their credibility by talking about how to drive business value."

Former Norwood Adam and equIP man Hockin spent five years in the Avnet ranks, holding the post of head of solutions strategy at the time of his exit. He revealed that his new outfit will have a five-strong team in place very shortly and that he intends to scale the company quickly, with a focus on hiring top-notch talent.

"If we want to be successful and profitable, we have to have the best people, and build the best team," he said.