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Climb and 11:11 Systems adding global reach
Distributor and VMware specialist seal deals to widen coverage in Europe and APAC, respectively
Climb Global Solutions has wrapped up the acquisition of Interworks.cloud, a value-added distributor operating in Southeastern Europe, for €8m.
The move gives Climb more European coverage, with Interworks covering Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria, and bolsters the distie’s position in the Microsoft CSP ecosystem.
Interworks has established relationships with more than 600 cloud resellers, and MSPs will add to the capabilities Climb can offer partners across Europe.
“The acquisition of Interworks builds upon our strategy to expand our cloud and software distribution capabilities across Europe while strengthening our Pan-European Microsoft partnership,” said Climb CEO Dale Foster.
Climb is not going into the deal blind, and has a long-standing relationship with the distributor. It will be looking to offer its portfolio to those partners that have been gained with the acquisition.
“Having worked alongside Interworks for nearly a decade, we have developed strong alignment in culture, strategy and partner focus,” said Foster. “Interworks brings an experienced management team, established Microsoft CSP business, multi-country footprint and deep expertise in cloud marketplace and MSP-focused distribution, enhancing our ability to drive cross-sell opportunities, build greater depth with our partners and position Climb as the distributor of choice across Southeastern Europe.
“Climb and Interworks share a strong partner-first culture, with a common focus on service quality, relationships and sustainable growth,” he said. “We can’t wait to welcome the Interworks team onboard and start to execute on our shared vision for Southeastern Europe and beyond.”
Positive deal for staff and customers
In response, Interworks managing director Stamatis Barbounakis said the deal was a positive one for both its staff and customers. The plan is for the entire staff to stay on and continue to drive the business.
“Since our inception, Interworks has built a partner-first cloud distribution model across Southeastern Europe, supporting more than 600 resellers and MSPs with high-quality local enablement, support and marketplace capabilities,” he said.
“Climb shares our culture, our standards and our focus on scalable, partner-centric distribution, particularly within the Microsoft CSP ecosystem,” said Barbounakis. “Joining Climb is a major milestone for our team and our partners, and we believe it positions Interworks to increase reach, broaden our vendor and solution capabilities, and deliver even greater value across our markets.”
Climb has used acquisition as a method of expanding its reach beyond the US, growing the business in Europe and the UK in recent years.
Speaking on the release of its half-year numbers last summer, Foster indicated that the firm was prepared to continue using M&A as a means of expanding the business. “We also remain focused on identifying strategic acquisition opportunities that can enhance our capabilities and complement our existing footprint,” he said.
Climb has used M&A as a route to expanding its global footprint, starting with the move for UK&I distie DataSolutions back in 2023, and then adding more muscle on the other side of the Atlantic with the move in summer 2024 for Douglas Stewart Software & Services.
11:11 Systems
Elsewhere, 11:11 Systems made its second acquisition of the year, picking up Australian cloud and MSP player Digital Sense.
The infrastructure solutions player has been picking up VMware specialists as it looks to bolster its position in the Broadcom channel ecosystem. Last month, it added Ntirety.
The latest move, which marks its seventh deal in the past three years, adds the Brisbane-based business, which was previously owned by Aussie Broadband.
“Across the globe, 11:11 has been working closely with cloud service providers to help customers stay secure, compliant and perform at their best as the market evolves,” said Brett Diamond, CEO at 11:11 Systems.
“Digital Sense has earned a standout reputation across Australia for delivering high-performance cloud solutions, and we’re excited to welcome their customers to 11:11’s resilient cloud platform – providing the stability they need today and the innovation to keep moving forward.”
Digital Sense can now be added to a growing list of VMware partners that have been acquired by 11:11 Systems, including iLand Cloud, Green Cloud Defense, Unitas Global, Sungard Availability Services, Faction and Ntirety.
