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Devolutions move for Mizo taking AI into MSP management space
Managed service providers are under pressure to respond to tickets, and AI is emerging as a method to lighten that load
The managed service provider (MSP) community is increasingly having to react to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and the role agents can play in dealing with customer queries.
Whether it’s discussions around billing structures, as agents handle more routine queries, or around levels of automation that can be developed, there are signs of the influence of AI across the MSP ecosystem.
Adding to those examples is the move by access management solution player Devolutions, which has taken a minority stake in Mizo, the provider of AI agent automation for MSP service desks.
With the investment coming in from a minority stake, Mizo will continue to run independently with its existing leadership, but will receive support in product development and ways to expand its position in the market.
The technology has been designed to take the strain off MSPs trying to wade through tickets to identify issues and maintain customer security and productivity.
“MSPs have been hiring for years to absorb an ever-growing volume of tickets,” said Mathieu Tougas, CEO and co-founder of Mizo. “Our AI agents take charge of the complete ticket lifecycle, from triage to resolution, freeing Level 1 teams from repetitive work. This investment allows us to accelerate deployment of our end-to-end autonomous resolution platform to more MSPs and across additional technology ecosystems.”
He added that AI was enabling MSPs to concentrate on adding value where it mattered: “The conviction that has driven us from the start: a technician’s value lies in building and nurturing customer relationships – not performing procedural tasks across multiple tools.”
Changes in the market
David Hervieux, CEO of Devolutions, said it had identified a partnership with Mizo as an opportunity to react to changes in the market and strengthen its MSP proposition.
“By investing in Mizo, we are supporting a team whose AI capabilities open meaningful opportunities across our ecosystem and for our customers,” he said. “This reflects our broader commitment to helping IT professionals benefit from technologies that complement our secure access management portfolio. As we continue expanding our business across North America and internationally, we remain focused on partnering with companies that strengthen the global IT ecosystem and deliver lasting value to customers around the world.”
The deal was backed by Telegraph Ventures, which has also been keeping an eye on the impact of AI on the managed services market.
“We believe AI won’t replace managed service providers, but it will fundamentally redefine how they operate and deliver value,” said Etienne Mérineau, general partner at Telegraph Ventures. “As AI agents take on repetitive operational work, MSPs have an opportunity to evolve from reactive IT operators into strategic technology partners for small and mid-size businesses. Mizo is building the AI-native customer support layer for that transformation.”
Elsewhere, sports technology player Urban Zoo has also been gaining investment after it landed a £20m backing from BGF to help the firm with geographical expansion, particularly across North America.
Chris Grannell, CEO at Urban Zoo, said: “Over the last 13 years, Urban Zoo has created a strong foothold in the UK sports market, working with some of the biggest brands, clubs and governing bodies to deliver digital platforms that engage fans around the world.
“We have a massive opportunity to take our platform into key global markets,” he said. “To maximise that opportunity and accelerate our strategic ambitions, we recognised the need to form a strong investment partnership. BGF was the standout choice following a competitive approach, based on its tangible value creation support and unique investment model.”
