VARs, ISVs See Payoff From Support Net

Support Net's program matching solution providers with life-sciences ISVs has led to more than $8 million in sales and created a pipeline of more than $40 million in opportunities, according to the company.

Support Net, an IBM-focused division of Arrow Electronics, used a third party to generate leads for life-sciences solutions, which were passed on to customers.

Arrow, Melville, N.Y., plans to hold another educational and matchmaking event at Support Net's May Days conference this May in Indianapolis, said Adrian Arriola, life-sciences business development manager at Support Net, Indianapolis.

"Each year we gain more traction in helping our business partners mine new opportunities in this market," Arriola said. "So it will continue as long as the opportunity for our partners to generate incremental revenues exists."

Support Net helped Paaridian Technologies, a $30 million VAR based in Atlanta, team with ScImage, a Los Altos, Calif.-based developer of a life-sciences imaging application.

"Arrow's done a good job advocating the development of relationships. This is the best [marketing] program I've ever been involved with. I haven't seen anything close," said Denny Robbins, vice president of sales at Paaridian. "Forty-seven percent of the people we call are willing to meet and discuss a solution."

Arrow introduced Paaridian and ScImage executives at a teaming event last year, Robbins said. The companies collaborated on several opportunities and expect to close the first within the next month to 45 days, he said.

ScImage's application allows radiology and cardiology departments to digitize and archive all their X-rays and other images. Paaridian provides all the infrastructure and services, Robbins said.

"Traditionally, an X-ray or scan is always on film, but that's evolving into a digital world. This allows departments to have remote access to those images rather than needing to be in a central location," he said. ScImage sells the application directly to the end user and Paaridian provides the servers, storage and anything else required.

Support Net provides formal business planning, sales and technical support, education, and demand-generation activities to the companies.