Zoom In: 'I started an 'Uber-esque' reseller in lockdown'

Lan3 founder Thompson says IT departments want to buy in modern ways

Lan3 co-founder Steve Thompson has set up a new cloud provider during lockdown, claiming that businesses now want to buy IT in a modern way.

Thompson's XTECH provides "intelligent cloud solutions", he told CRN, and is built on the principle that buyers want to communicate with their suppliers in ways more similar to how we communicate in our personal lives; through instant messaging platforms, for example.

Thompson founded Lan3 in 2008 but departed at the end of last year to pursue this opportunity through XTECH.

Speaking to CRN, he said that the new firm's way of working has been validated even more by the coronavirus and lockdown, which has forced IT departments to become more flexible.

The business operate in an "uber-esque" way via a network of IT professionals it calls the X-alliance, built up of experts in various areas of cloud and IT. The core XTECH team will likely stay at around five to begin with, Thompson said.

The firm counts the likes of Cisco Meraki, SonicWall and Avaya among its vendor partners.