XChange LATAM 2026: Why AI, Security And Financing Are Key To Vendor-Partner Growth

The third day of XChange LATAM Southern Cone 2026 made it clear how the channel and distribution are redefining their strategies around artificial intelligence, security, and services.

At the close of the third day of XChange LATAM Southern Cone 2026, the focus shifted away from trends alone to what truly drives the ecosystem: tangible business between vendors, distributors, and channel partners. From Mendoza, the pulse of the Latin American IT market reveals a clear combination of opportunities linked to emerging technologies and the tensions inherent to a difficult economic context.

As the event entered its third day, the focus shifted from trend-spotting to what truly drives the ecosystem: tangible business between vendors, distributors and channel partners. From Mendoza, the pulse of the Latin American IT market revealed a mix of opportunity tied to emerging technologies and pressure created by a difficult economic environment.

Organized by The Channel Company in partnership with ITSitio Group, the event brought together more than 50 technology partners for an agenda designed to deliver concrete outcomes. Within that framework, voices from across the channel offered a clear view of where the business is headed.

AI and Security: The New Core of the Business

Osvaldo Conde (pictured left), president of Argentine solution provider Gradicom, summed up the current landscape succinctly.

“I believe the backbone of the business is highly developed in Latin America. Everyone is focusing on AI, and cybersecurity is also extremely important. I think both areas are seeing deeper investment,” Conde said.

From the distribution side, Matías Leal (pictured right), Lenovo product manager at Nexsys Argentina, echoed that view while adding a critical nuance.

“I agree that the backbone of the business is heavily focused on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, but from the distribution side, it’s also about the services we provide to the channel,” Leal said.

That distinction highlights a central theme repeated throughout the day: The business is no longer just about hardware or software, but about the value layered around it. Services, financing, pre-sales support and training are becoming decisive differentiators across the ecosystem.

Growing Amid Economic Headwinds

Despite the momentum around AI and security, challenges remain. For distributors, expanding and strengthening the partner ecosystem is a top priority.

“Our challenges at Nexsys are centered on growing the channel ecosystem. That’s our main focus today,” Leal said, pointing to joint efforts with Lenovo around enablement, pre-sales support and tailored solutions.

From the channel perspective, concerns are more structural.

“Our challenge is to grow the overall business pie. It looks like it could be a difficult year socioeconomically, and fundamentally, we want to focus on creating more business opportunities in our country,” Conde said.

That tension is increasingly visible across the region: Vendors and distributors aim to scale their networks, while integrators must stimulate demand in markets that are not always cooperative. Much of the IT market’s momentum depends on balancing those opposing pressures.

Applied AI Moves Beyond Infrastructure

As adoption accelerates, AI is opening the door to new opportunities while redefining the channel’s role. Solutions are no longer confined to core infrastructure but are increasingly embedded directly into customers’ business processes.

Conde pointed to security as a prime example.

“A security camera is no longer just a security device—it becomes a device that provides business intelligence,” he said.

That shift is forcing partners to rethink their value propositions and expand into analytics, automation and data interpretation.

From the distribution side, demand for AI-ready infrastructure is rising just as quickly.

“Many of these channels are offering solutions that require significant infrastructure. They need to run AI workloads and want to have their own artificial intelligence, so to speak,” Leal said.

That dynamic elevates the role of vendors such as Lenovo, particularly as partners look for GPU-enabled systems and architectures designed specifically for AI applications.

Distributors Under Pressure to Deliver Speed and Financing

Beyond technology, one theme cut across nearly every conversation: speed. For channel partners, distributor support remains critical to keeping deals moving.

“We’d like distributors to strongly support us with training and also with financing and stock availability to accelerate the business. Response times are extremely important,” Conde said.

Leal said Nexsys is focused squarely on meeting those expectations, with an emphasis on financing, training and commercial support.

“Financing is a key point for us—partners are asking for it. We have a very broad financial ecosystem,” he said.

That approach is reinforced by investment in pre-sales and specialized technical teams, all aimed at shortening sales cycles and helping partners close projects faster.

An Ecosystem Shaping the Future of IT

Taken together, the third day of XChange LATAM Southern Cone 2026 offered a sharp snapshot of the current IT market: an industry driven by artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, but increasingly dependent on close collaboration between vendors, distributors and channel partners.

Innovation alone is no longer enough. Success now hinges on agility, trust, access to financing and the ability to turn opportunity into real, sustainable business—especially in regions facing economic uncertainty.

Desirée Jaimovich is Editorial Director of ITSitio.