Syncplicity targets UK channel partner push

File sync vendor expecting to quadruple 2015's billings this year as it strengthens focus on enterprises

Syncplicity plans to expand its UK partner base after nearly doubling its 2015 business in the first half of this year.

The file-sharing firm was sold by EMC last year and COO Mike Nikzad told CRN that the firm has seen "great traction" since then.

In the first six months of this year the company claims it almost doubled its bookings from 2015 globally and is on course to quadruple last year's bookings in 2016.

Nikzad said that Syncplicity is now primed for a partner drive in the UK and EMEA.

"One of our key focus areas after the EMC deal last year was to try to grow and expand in Europe," he said.

"We have spent a lot of time in Europe adding resources to support our business and we're seeing results - we're very encouraged."

Syncplicity currently has 10 partners in the UK consisting of "a couple of large ones, but mainly mid-size".

Nikzad explained that since the EMC break-up the firm has put specific focus on the enterprise sector and as a result is looking to partner with larger resellers.

"We have an SMB solution that we sell to smaller resellers, but really the aim is to partner with larger organisations that service the needs of multinationals," he said.

"To that end, our work of adding additional partners in the UK is not done."

Nikzad added that Syncplicity is in the process of securing partnerships with two large resellers that "service wider Europe", but focus on the UK.

Dale Vile, research director at Freeform Dynamics, said the more specialised vendors are better off focusing on enterprises because SMBs are more likely to go for cheaper off-the-shelf solutions such as Box and Dropbox. These solutions are also "pretty plug and play" when it comes to integration with CRM solutions such as Salesforce and Office 365, he added.

"Enterprises have the greatest need at the moment," said Vile. "They are all courting the same channel so they don't have the world to themselves.

"It's not as if they are unique in terms of trying to work with the channel in the enterprise space.

"Both Box and Dropbox are in channel recruitment mode right now, as are Microsoft, which is very active with Office 365 in the channel."

Gartner predicted last month that 70 per cent of file synchronisation and sharing vendors will go under by 2018.

Syncplicity was named in Gartner's Magic quadrant in the ‘visionaries' category alongside Intralinks, Accellion and BlackBerry's WatchDox.