ConnectWise's IT Nation, a global community of peers, thought leaders and experts dedicated to elevating the IT ecosystem to new heights, has announced the companies selected to compete in the PitchIT program. Established in 2018, PitchIT is a startup incubation competition that allows innovators to showcase potential offerings that can be built or integrated into the ConnectWise ecosystem. The competition aims to improve the efficiency, profitability and security of ConnectWise's partner base. By fostering collaboration and investment in partner growth, PitchIT facilitates faster innovation and synergies between ConnectWise and its partners, ultimately driving the advancement of ConnectWise partners.

The selected startups will participate in a 16-week business transformation course, co-marketing efforts with IT Nation through webinars aimed at the managed service provider (MSP) space. To increase partner visibility, participating companies will be listed on the ConnectWise Marketplace and participate in various awareness activities, where they will have the opportunity to grow their MRR by up to 50%, increase lead generation by 40% and shorten sales cycles by 30%.

More than 75 companies from more than 10 different countries have participated in PitchIT since 2018. The following 24 companies have been selected as the 2025 class:

• ABC Solutions LLC
• AP2T Labs
• BlackSmith InfoSec
• Cavelo
• ChannelFalcon
• Everykey
• GetinSync
• Giant Rocketship
• Hirexe
• HitWit
• Mizo
• MSPX
• Nayak
• P2P Global
• Palisade Technology
• Plumber
• Smart Eye Technology
• Strategy Overview
• TheComplianceAide
• ThreatCaptain
• Threatmate
• TurboDocx
• TopLeft Technologies
• Xamplify

Throughout the competition, thought leaders within the MSP space will serve as "Cameo Coaches" to provide guidance and feedback to participating companies. The judges will evaluate each solution based on product innovation, value proposition, go-to-market strategy, contribution to the industry and likelihood of success in order to narrow down the three finalists.

"In the rapidly transforming MSP space, innovation is crucial, and PitchIT participants are a critical piece in supporting such transformation," said Sean Lardo, vice president, IT Nation Communities. "We are incredibly excited to announce this year's PitchIT cohort and look forward to introducing this year's solutions to our community at IT Nation Connect in November."

The finalists selected from this group will be invited to present their solutions on the center stage at IT Nation Connect, held Nov. 5-7, 2025. The first-place winner will receive $70,000 in prize money and the second-place winner will receive $30,000.

"The PitchIT program gave us the platform to speak up about a problem the market is ignoring," said Zach Kromkowski, co-founder, Senteon Managed Endpoint Hardening, and 2024 PitchIT first-place winner. "It was an incredible chance to sharpen our message, improve our speaking skills and connect with partners who share our vision. Opportunities like this remind us why we keep pushing forward. PitchIT doesn't just support early-stage companies, it prepares them for the realities of entrepreneurship."

In other news, Service Leadership Inc., a ConnectWise company, released the findings of its Service Leadership Index 2025 Annual IT Solution Provider Industry Profitability Report. The report features extensive data analysis that provides invaluable insights for IT solution providers (TSPs) to understand "what good looks like" for the industry. 

The Service Leadership Index is the leading source of empirical data on TSP performance worldwide. 2025 marks the 20th year of benchmarking to objectively identify best practices for TSP owners and executives in 104 countries.

The report evaluated TSP performance trends, revealing another monumental year for the industry, and includes key findings such as: 

• 2024 marked a record fifth consecutive year — the longest run in industry history — of 19%-plus adjusted EBITDA profitability for the best-in-class TSPs. This unprecedented milestone demonstrates the sustained success of the TSP industry. 
• Valuation multiples for best-in-class TSPs reached near-record highs in 2024 due to continued revenue growth and even stronger profitability growth. This yielded an approximate 22% increase in valuations from 2023 across all Predominant Business Models. This continued growth of TSPs is expected to further influence private equity investments and positively impact future valuations and multiples.
• For managed service providers (MSPs), while total revenue growth was slower than in previous years at 7.1%, it was outpaced by stronger growth in adjusted EBITDA at 13%.
• While value-added resellers (VARs) experienced a significant drop in revenue growth from 14.1% in 2023 to 1.8% in 2024, they were able to maintain an adjusted EBITDA dollar growth of 3.4%.

"Despite revenue growth slowing last year, continued strong profitability in 2024 demonstrated the maturation of TSPs and the continued health of the TSP industry," said Peter Kujawa, executive vice president and general manager, Service Leadership and IT Nation. "TSPs benefited in 2024 from continued lower wage inflation, and the focus on efficiency improvements is leading to higher service gross margin output for the top performers."

The report also includes special sections focused on:

• Macroeconomic impacts on TSP performance
• 2021-24 budget attainment and 2025 budgets
• Financial performance by geographic regions (Australia/New Zealand, Europe, and North America)
• MSP sales and marketing costs vs. productivity
• Impact of vendor programs and of product and cloud resale margins on TSP profitability

These special sections, and the report overall, will help TSPs worldwide understand how to drive better financial performance.

In other news, IT Nation recently announced the agenda for its annual IT Nation Secure Conference. The event brings MSP cybersecurity community members together for three days of sessions led by experts from ConnectWise and other leading cybersecurity organizations, hands-on workshops and networking opportunities, all of which will provide insights into the latest technologies, tools, and best practices. IT Nation Secure will be held June 2-4 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida.

"At IT Nation Secure, MSPs come together to gain the latest insights and exchange ideas to enhance their readiness and response capabilities against cyber threats," Kujawa said. "We're looking forward to this year's conference and empowering our community to fortify their defenses and shape a more secure future."

Each session is tailored to further enhance cybersecurity capabilities, safeguard clients and expand cybersecurity offerings. IT Nation Secure is designed to empower MSPs to become their clients' go-to cybersecurity experts. Some of the key learning track themes include:

• AI & Hyperautomation for Cybersecurity – Explore how artificial intelligence and hyperautomation are changing cybersecurity, enhancing threat detection, and streamlining security operations.
• Governance, Risk, Compliance – Understand the frameworks and best practices for managing organizational oversight, assessing and mitigating risks, and ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.
• Management & Leadership – Develop leadership skills and strategies for managing cybersecurity teams, driving security sales growth, and fostering a culture of security.

"The cyberthreat landscape is ever-changing as attack methods evolve and become increasingly sophisticated," said Patrick Beggs, chief information security officer, ConnectWise. "IT Nation Secure helps the MSP community fine-tune their skills and better understand these evolving threats."

The event will feature exciting keynote speakers and sessions, such as the opening night keynote with a panel including:

• Kyle Hanslovan, CEO, Huntress
• Jon Murchison, CEO, Blackpoint
• Jay Ryerse, senior director, global MSSP, SentinelOne
• Patrick Beggs, CISO, ConnectWise

Neil Wyler's keynote will be "Inside Black Hat: Lessons Learned While Defending One of the 'Most Hostile Networks in the World'."

Additional Highlights: Industry thought leaders from Microsoft, ThreatLocker, Pax8, accomplished MSPs, cybersecurity innovation announcements and more.

"ConnectWise's dedication to MSP success is unwavering, empowering them with the essential tools, actionable insights and robust community support required to not just succeed, but to lead," said Manny Rivelo, CEO, ConnectWise. "IT Nation Secure is where our community and partners come together to futureproof their businesses by ensuring they are expertly equipped to combat the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats for themselves and their customers."

If you're interested in learning more about IT Nation Secure, please visit: https://itnation.connectwise.com/secure