2023 Fast Growth 150: The Top 25 Solution Providers
Here are the top 25 companies on this year’s CRN Fast Growth 150 list, which ranks solution providers with gross annual sales of at least $1 million by their two-year growth rate.
Over the last two-plus years the channel has had to navigate through some very choppy waters including the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain shortages, surging inflation, rising interest rates and continued economic uncertainty.
And yet many IT solution and strategic service providers have prospered during these challenging times, recording robust growth as they meet customers’ rapidly evolving needs, adapting their business models and expanding the range of IT products and services they offer.
The annual CRN Fast Growth 150 shines a spotlight on these channel champions, ranking solution providers with annual sales of at least $1 million by their average two-year revenue growth rate (this year between 2020 and 2022).
Overall, this year’s Fast Growth 150 recorded an average two-year growth rate of approximately 145 percent. That’s up from the 96 percent average for the 2022 Fast Growth 150 list and the 83 percent growth recorded by the 2021 Fast Growth 150 class.
The 150 companies on this year’s list collectively generated $25.49 billion in revenue in 2022. That’s down considerably from recent years – the 2022 Fast Growth 150 collectively generated $82.40 billion the previous year – suggesting that the 2023 list includes more small and mid-size solution providers.
This year’s Fast Growth 150 includes some well-known names including Converge Technology Solutions (No. 34), NWN Carousel (No. 41), Park Place Technologies (No. 61), Evotek (No. 72), EPAM Systems (No. 75), Winslow Technology Group (No. 106), GreenPages (No. 125 and just changed its name to Blue Mantis) and Computer Design & Integration (No. 132).
The 2023 Fast Growth 150 list also has a number of solution providers who are appearing for the first time, including Microsoft support services provider US Cloud (No. 5 with 351 percent growth), cybersecurity and risk management services provider NuHarbor Security (No. 21 with 193 percent growth) and custom software development company Tech9 (No. 25 with 172 percent growth).
Here we present the 25 solution providers with the fastest growth rates. The complete list can be found at CRN.com.
No. 25: Tech9
Location: Lehi, Utah
Two-Year Growth Rate: 171.96 percent
Top Executive: Nick Stice, CEO
Tech9 provides custom software development and user experience design services around cloud, back-end and database systems, front-end and web software, and mobile applications. While Tech9 can boast about its technical prowess, a major facet of the company is its emphasis on working with customers to build software that meets their needs.
Tech9’s staff includes developers, project managers and designers. The company has U.S. operations in Lehi, Utah, Charlotte, N.C. and Gilbert, Ariz., along with operations in India, Costa Rica and Lithuania.
In July Tech9 achieved Advanced Tier Service Partner status with Amazon Web Services within the AWS Partner Network.
No. 24: Optimum Modern Software Solutions
Location: Houston
Two-Year Growth Rate: 178.13 percent
Top Executive: Nooshin Yazhari, President and CEO
Optimum is a global software development and consulting firm that delivers end-to-end software solutions to automate business processes.
Optimum’s services cover application development, project management, process automation and RPA, business consulting and advisory, and business intelligence and data analytics. The company offers solutions around cloud, Office 365 and SharePoint, Smartsheet and SAP.
No. 23: cb20
Location: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 183.86 percent
Top Executive: Chris Pickett, President and CEO
cb20 provides a broad range of IT solutions and managed services spanning cloud, cybersecurity, IT networks, project management, and video collaboration.
In the immediate wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 cb20 rebranded from Computer Professionals International given its focus on cloud-based and managed services that included helping clients set up remote workforces and providing virtual IT departments.
The company also offers field and strategic staffing services.
No. 22: Imperium Data
Location: Tampa, Fla.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 184.44 percent
Top Executive: Nicholas Scarsella, Co-Founder and COO
Imperium Data describes itself as a “dedicated business concierge” for its clients’ information technology needs offering managed solutions, professional services and IT products.
Imperium Data’s roots are in providing networking and telecommunications products. Today the VAR’s technology portfolio spans computers and devices, IT network and edge hardware, telecommunications systems, WiFi networks, software, security solutions, servers and data storage systems, backup solutions and power systems.
Strategic partners include Arista, Aruba, Barracuda, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Juniper Networks, Pure Storage and Vertiv.
No. 20 (tie): NuHarbor Security
Location: Colchester, Vt.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 192.70 percent
Top Executive: Justin Fimlaid, Founder and CEO
Fimlaid, previously the CISO at a global brand, founded NuHarbor in 2014 to provide clients with cybersecurity services – including security advisory, attack simulation and manages services – amidst an increasingly complex, fragmented cybersecurity market.
NuHarbor offers its NuHarbor One managed security service to customers in finance, insurance, healthcare, higher education, and state and local government.
The “harbor” in the company’s name is a synonym for someplace safe, according to the company’s website, with the NU standing for “new understanding.”
No. 20 (tie): Rhize Tech
Location: Eagle, Colo.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 192.70 percent
Top Executive: Terry Williams, CEO
Rhize Tech provides managed IT services, professional services, and solutions with a focus on data center and cloud, cybersecurity, collaboration, and network automation.
Rhize Tech is a Cisco Systems Premier Partner, offering services around the vendor’s routing/switching, wireless, and unified call manager products.
The solution provider, itself based west of the Colorado Rockies near Vail, prides itself on being especially adept at providing IT services and solutions to businesses and organizations in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
No. 19: Oak Rocket
Location: Austin, Texas
Two-Year Growth Rate: 196.71 percent
Top Executive: Dao Jensen, CEO
Oak Rocket describes itself as a cloud cost optimization, adoption and services provider, helping clients get a handle on their spending with Amazon Web Services.
The company’s cloud cost optimization and resource utilization tools and services, which incorporate AI and machine learning, help clients manage their cloud infrastructure resources including AWS EC2 reserved instances, savings plans and enterprise discount programs.
In addition to cost optimization the company’s services include cloud migration and digital transformation professional services and cloud storage solutions. Key to Oak Rocket’s offerings is its AWS Well-Architected Framework/Review to help customers build, adapt and operate workloads for their AWS architectures.
No. 18: 5 Point Technology
Location: Rockland, Mass.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 201.03 percent
Top Executive: Alex Hamwey, CEO
5 Point Technology describes itself as a full-service IT infrastructure and security firm, providing managed services and solutions that extend and amplify the capabilities and effectiveness of a business’s IT organization.
From a technology perspective the company offers modern, resilient and agile IT infrastructure, cloud, and cybersecurity and compliance solutions and services. Strategic vendor partners include Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco Systems, Citrix, IBM, RSA Security and VMware.
No. 17: NXT Gen Technologies
Location: Miami, Fla.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 203.45 percent
Top Executive: Paul Mansur, CEO
NXT Gen Technologies provides data center, cloud, voice and collaboration, cybersecurity, enterprise networks and IoT business technology solutions, augmented by managed and professional services and CIO-as-a-service offerings.
At the heart of NXT Gen Technologies’ services is the company’s four-step D.O.M.E. (determine, outline, migrate and embrace) process, including methodologies, solutions and industry best practices, to assess an organization’s IT needs and design and implement the right solutions to meet those needs.
No. 16: MRE Consulting
Location: Houston
Two-Year Growth Rate: 217.58 percent
Top Executive: Shayon Mazumder, Practice Leader, Technology Consulting
MRE Consulting offers IT solutions and managed services that span infrastructure monitoring, customer experience, analytics, technology and operations, and professional staffing.
MRE emphasizes its expertise in industries that are prominent in the Houston area including energy and utilities, retail and consumer goods, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution and logistics, financial services, renewables, IT and non-profit organizations.
The solution provider is a leading Microsoft partner and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), offering Microsoft-focused consulting services and expertise in cloud migration and optimization, application engineering and modernization, and business intelligence. MRE holds gold and silver Microsoft certifications across a number of areas including DevOps, data analytics, cloud productivity and security.
MRE also provides consulting services around Salesforce applications.
No. 15: Clutch Solutions
Location: Mesa, Ariz.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 234.55 percent
Top Executive: Garrette Backie, Founder and CEO
Clutch Solutions is focused on providing solutions and professional services around IT modernization, performance enhancement and cybersecurity with its deep expertise in security, networking, analytics, collaboration and mobility.
The company’s managed IT solutions span infrastructure, desktop management and IT support while its VAR solutions lineup includes servers, storage, networking, software and client devices.
Clutch also provides high-level services such as IT design and consulting, hardware build-to-order and integration, and system lifecycle strategy and assessment. The company also offers staffing and talent services for infrastructure engineering, network and security engineering, ServiceNow, and Salesforce development.
No. 14: BlackHawk Data
Location: New York
Two-Year Growth Rate: 236.36 percent
Top Executive: Maryann Pagano, CEO
BlackHawk Data, a woman-owned business, was founded in 2018 to provide scalable solutions and services for designing, building and innovating IT systems.
The company’s solutions offerings cover a broad range of technologies including data center, cloud and hybrid cloud, networking, security, collaboration and mobility. BlackHawk also provides procurement and product fulfillment services.
BlackHawk also offers managed service options, along with a number of professional services including assessments, strategic planning, design and integration, and enhanced maintenance.
BlackHawk is especially adept at tackling IT challenges for small and mid-size businesses, higher education organizations, and for customers in the transportation, healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and manufacturing industries.
No. 13: Peak Technologies
Location: Linthicum Heights, Md.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 243.96 percent
Top Executive: Tony Rivers, President and CEO
Peak Technologies offers products, solutions and services developed around four industries: manufacturing and warehousing, transportation and logistics, retail, and healthcare. The company has extensive experience with IT for digital supply chains, warehouse management, mobile workforces, barcoding, and printing and labeling.
Peak Technologies, originally focused on automatic identification and data capture, merged with Supply Chain Services, a systems integrator that provided digital supply chain, retail and mobile workforce solutions, in August 2022. (Both companies were owned by Sole Source Capital.)
In March Peak Technologies introduced Peak Analytics, a supply chain AI and image recognition solution for high-volume logistics.
No. 12: Mission Cloud
Location: Los Angeles
Two-Year Growth Rate: 253.79 percent
Top Executive: Simon Anderson, Founder and CEO
Mission Cloud, an Amazon Web Services Premier Tier Services Partner, says it offers “unmatched expertise” in the AWS space with its Mission Control collaborative AWS cloud services platform for cloud migration, modernization and optimization.
The company’s cloud managed services include Cloud One for cloud operations and management and Cloud Foundation for cost optimization and governance.
Mission Cloud’s professional services cover AWS migrations and modernization, AWS security and compliance, DevOps and automation, and software and application development. Service offerings also cover data engineering and analytics, data science and AI/ML, and machine learning operations.
Mission Cloud holds a number of partner competency designations from AWS. In December 2022 the solutions provider earned the Service Delivery Designation for AWS Glue, followed in January by achieving AWS Machine Learning Competency status. And in April Mission Cloud achieved the AWS Cloud Operations Competency in cloud governance, cloud financial management, and monitoring and observability.
No. 10 (tie): STN
Location: Pleasanton, Calif.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 260.00 percent
Top Executive: Sabur Mian, CEO
IT security is at the core of STN’s solution, managed service and professional service offerings.
STN’s managed security services include managed SIEM and managed firewall-as-a-service. The company also provides a broad range of security assessment services including IT security risk assessment, penetration testing services, incident response planning, and HIPAA risk assessment. And it offers a number of cybersecurity assessment and evaluation tools.
STN is a leading partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cohesity and Confluera.
No. 10 (tie): MIS3
Location: Toronto
Two-Year Growth Rate: 260.00 percent
Top Executive: Neil Mistry, Founder and CEO
MIS3 calls itself the “secure digital transformation leader,” with IT products and services that help clients securely embrace digital technologies and create new or modify business processes, culture and customer experiences to meet today’s market demands.
The solution provider’s core offerings span tactical, operational and transformational IT with solutions across data center modernization and automation, AI and ML operations, remote workforce, multi-cloud optimization, application delivery networking, business continuity and disaster recovery, and governance risk and compliance.
On the cybersecurity front MIS3’s core solutions include SASE, ransomware recovery and protection, cyber exposure management and zero trust.
MIS3 has an extensive lineup of managed, professional, cybersecurity, data intelligence and digital strategy services.
No. 9: DoIT International
Location: Santa Clara, Calif.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 275.93 percent
Top Executive: Yoav Toussia-Cohen, CEO
DoIT International offers technology and cloud expertise to help businesses and organizations reduce cloud costs and boost engineer productivity. The solutions and services provider partners with AWS, Microsoft and Google Cloud.
The company’s extensive services portfolio covers cloud and multi-cloud architecture and infrastructure, cloud cost optimization, cloud migration, cloud security, data management, data analytics, DevOps, machine learning, Kubernetes and location-based services.
To help clients understand and optimize their cloud spending DoIT provides a number of tools including Flexsave, Cloud Analytics, BigQuery Lens, Spot Scaling and Anomaly Detection.
In June DoIT, an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, achieved the AWS DevOps competency. DoIT is also a Gold Partner with Google Cloud and Microsoft.
No. 8: Interlaced.io
Location: San Diego
Two-Year Growth Rate: 283.30 percent
Top Executive: Jeff Gaines, CEO
Interlaced works with small and mid-size businesses across a broad range of vertical industries to provide employees with IT support services including end-user support, on-boarding and off-boarding, and mobile device management.
The company also provides programs that reduce clients’ security risks by providing a sound security foundation and improving their security posture.
In 2022 Interlaced acquired Grove Technologies, a Washington D.C.-area IT services provider with expertise in providing services to “Apple-integrated and cybersecurity-focused” small businesses.
No. 7: The Redesign Group
Location: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 323.77 percent
Top Executive: Phil Sanginario, President
The Redesign Group (often spelled as “[re]Design”) describes itself as a global technology consulting firm “that leverages design thinking, interdependent subject matter expertise, and emerging technology solutions” to help business organizations transform themselves.
The company provides technology solutions and managed, business transformation and cybersecurity services. Key vendor partners include Dell Technologies (Redesign Group is a Titanium partner), Autodesk, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike and VMware.
At the core of its security offerings is a centralized platform, the Redesign Trust Portal, to help clients manage their security program and compliance posture.
No. 6: Fairwinds Technologies
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 336.68 percent
Top Executive: James Sprungle, CEO
Fairwinds Technologies is a leading systems integrator focused on designing and integrating communications, networking and IT solutions for U.S. government civilian and defense agencies and U.S. allies.
Fairwinds specializes in such services as deployable communication systems, modular communication solutions, wireless infrastructure construction, network operations center, satellite hubs, integrated baseband solutions, and audio/visual technology.
The company also develops its own “cutting-edge products,” such as Global Link and LiFi, that bring the latest commercial technologies to government entities.
Fairwinds was founded in 2016 by people with backgrounds in the U.S. Department of Defense and the commercial IT industry.
No. 5: US Cloud
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 351.22 percent
Top Executive: Bridgid LaMear, CEO
US Cloud is a leading third-party provider of enterprise support for Microsoft software, saying it can replace Microsoft’s own Unified and Premier support services for a savings of 30 to 50 percent.
US Cloud says it can “support the entire Microsoft stack” and offers financially backed SLAs for guaranteed response times and managed Microsoft escalations when needed. The company also says it offers 2X faster problem resolution time than Microsoft.
No. 4: Opkalla
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 381.48 percent
Top Executive: Aaron Bock, Founder and Managing Partner
Opkalla works with IT teams to design, procure, implement and support complex IT solutions. Through its comprehensive assessment services the solution provider helps clients identify gaps in their existing IT systems, research IT vendors, compare pricing and make decisions.
The company offers solutions and expertise around public cloud, colocation, cloud contact centers, cybersecurity, help desk as a service, disaster recovery, IAAS, ISP/WAN, Microsoft 365, SD-WAN, unified communications and virtual desktops. The solutions are supported by managed services such as proactive monitoring and alerting, engineering support, patch management, help desk for end users, and reporting and metrics.
No. 3: ChannelWorks
Location: Norcross, Ga.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 1,286.15 percent
Top Executive: Michael Campbell, CEO
ChannelWorks is an IT asset lifecycle service provider with a unique business model in that it works with other solution providers to manage clients’ data center hardware needs. That includes sales of hardware systems and parts; hardware rentals, consignments, trade-ins and buy-backs; and hardware asset disposition.
The company’s services include data center migrations, hardware upgrades, hardware valuations, onsite services, hardware maintenance, data erasure, and data center relocation and equipment moves.
A key component of ChannelWorks’ operations is its ChannelView platform, introduced in 2021, which provides solution providers and their end-customers with a holistic view of clients’ data center IT assets and related maintenance contracts. ChannelWorks says the platform helps solution providers increase their recurring revenue opportunities.
No. 2: Caylent
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 1,482.73 percent
Top Executive: JP La Torre, CEO
Describing itself as “rocket fuel for cloud adoption,” Caylent offers a range of services around the Amazon Web Services cloud platform.
Core to Caylent’s services offerings are its AWS foundations and migration services including rehosting, replatforming and rearchitecting IT systems for the AWS cloud.
Other AWS-focused services include application modernization, cloud-native application development, machine learning and MLOps, data modernization and analytics, and infrastructure and DevOps modernizations.
Caylent is an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner. AWS named the company its Rising Star Partner of the Year in 2021 and its Innovation Partner of the Year, North America, in 2022.
No. 1: Integris
Location: Cranbury, N.J.
Two-Year Growth Rate: 3,627.54 percent
Top Executive: Rashaad Bajwa, CEO
MSP and IT service provider Integris tops this year’s Fast Growth 150 list with an astounding 3,627.54 percent two-year growth rate.
Much of that growth is due to the company’s history: Integris was formed in October 2021 through the merger of four IT companies: ProviDyn, Domain Technology Partners, Compudyne and MyITpros. Three months later that entity merged with IconicIT, creating a nation-wide channel powerhouse in fully managed and co-managed IT support, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, network connectivity and IT consulting services.
The acquisitions have continued into this year with the Jan. 4 purchase of CalTech, an MSP with offices in Texas and Kansas that’s focused on community banking. With that acquisition Integris now has more than 20 offices in 10 states.
In February Integris expanded its Virtual Chief Information Security Officer program for small businesses, previously offered only in the northeast, to cover the entire country.