SuperOps CEO On Tripling Customer Base, Kaseya CEO Change And Message To MSPs

‘ At SuperOps, we’re excited about the future. The growth we’ve seen this year is just the beginning, and with AI shaping the future, we’re in a great position to lead the way. It’s a dynamic time and we’re ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead,’ says Arvind Parthiban, co-founder and CEO of SuperOps.

After tripling its customer base in 2024 and inching towards 200 percent growth this year, SuperOps is making big bets on AI and is looking to be a leader in the IT channel.

“We definitely want to lead the market, but I don’t think leadership changes should drive that,” Arvind Parthiban, co-founder and CEO of SuperOps, told CRN. “We’re focused on building something valuable. AI is the big shift. The next five to ten years are going to change the market and we’re positioning ourselves for that.”

Last month, Miami-based Kaseya, a SuperOps competitor, announced that CEO Fred Voccola was stepping down in an unexpected move that shocked the MSP community. The move came more than 10 years after Voccola took the helm of the IT service management provider and had become the face of the company.

For Delaware-based AI-focused professional services automation (PSA) vendor SuperOps, the impact of Voccola’s departure is “significant.”

"The AI revolution is forcing companies to reconsider how they handle data,” Parthiban said. “Kaseya’s stronghold in on-prem solutions is being challenged, especially with AI in play."

But despite competing with established names like Kaseya, SuperOps is determined to focus on its own growth rather than capitalize directly on leadership changes.

Last week, SuperOps secured $25 million in Series C funding to expand AI R&D, scale its solutions for mid-market and enterprise MSPs and further extend its global footprint.

“The MSP industry is growing, especially as businesses look for ways to optimize and cut costs,” he said. “Compared to other industries where software spending is controlled by CFOs, MSPs are still looking to invest in tools to improve operations. So, we’re in a great place. If we continue building the right products and solving the right problems, we see a lot of opportunities.”

Parthiban emphasized the importance of innovation and AI, especially in an industry that must quickly adapt to technological shifts. While the company has seen some market traction at the lower end, its ambition of competing with giants like Kaseya in the coming years is clear.

"If we don’t evolve with AI, we’ll get left behind. It’s not about where you are now, it’s about where you’ll be in the future,” he said.

CRN spoke to Parthiban about SuperOps’ commitment to AI, company growth and how it plans to go head-to-head with Kaseya.

How might the Kaseya leadership transition impact the competitive landscape for SuperOps?

The way I see it, AI will create a clear distinction between companies that are pure-play platforms and those that are stitched-together solutions from multiple acquisitions. If your platform doesn’t have seamless data flow and the ability to harness AI effectively, it’ll fall short. Kaseya has a big advantage with its massive customer base, which means they can generate data models faster and potentially more accurately. But the cost of AI is extremely high. Companies have to decide: absorb the cost themselves or pass it on to the customers, but most of the MSP market is price-sensitive so it’s a tricky balance.

What was your initial reaction to the recent news surrounding Kaseya’s leadership change?

When I first heard the news, my immediate thought was, "Is this driven by the pressure from the board around an IPO?" Kaseya has been preparing for an IPO for a while, but with the market not fully recovered, many companies are holding off on going public. So, I wondered if the leadership change was tied to that pressure and getting the company ready for that move. Another factor I considered was the technological shift happening, particularly with AI and how that plays into IPO readiness. think it has a lot to do with how AI is going to impact the MSP market, especially considering that much of Kaseya’s market share is still on-prem. That’s a big talking point for any company preparing for an IPO.

With Kaseya’s dominance in the market, how does SuperOps position itself against a leader like Kaseya?

We’re growing fast. We tripled our customer base last year and we’re seeing significant traction. We’re still relatively young at just four-and-a-half years old, but we’ve made great strides in a market that’s expanding. The MSP industry is growing, especially as businesses look for ways to optimize and cut costs. Compared to other industries where software spending is controlled by CFOs, MSPs are still looking to invest in tools to improve operations. So, we’re in a great place. If we continue building the right products and solving the right problems, we see a lot of opportunities. This year, we’re on track for almost 200 percent growth, and that’s something we’re proud of.

So do you see the leadership change at Kaseya as an opportunity to attract Kaseya’s partners?

We definitely want to lead the market, but I don’t think leadership changes should drive that. We’re focused on building something valuable. AI is the big shift. The next five to ten years are going to change the market and we’re positioning ourselves for that. It’s not about jumping on the opportunity created by someone stepping down. We want to be the best we can be in the industry.

Have you seen partners switch from Kaseya to SuperOps over the last year or so?

Not directly, no. We’re still primarily focused on the SMB and mid-market segments and, in that space, we’re winning deals against other players, but not head-to-head with Kaseya just yet. As we continue adding features and maturing our platform, we’re seeing better commercial results. I’d say we’re starting to compete more directly with larger players, but for now we’re carving out our own space.

Speaking of competition, can you clarify what happened with the flash mob campaign SuperOps did at DattoCon a few years ago?

It wasn’t a protest, just a creative branding campaign. We had a flash mob outside DattoCon in 2022. The idea was to get people’s attention and let them know that if they were uncertain about Kaseya’s direction, SuperOps was a viable alternative. It wasn’t about stealing customers, it was about raising awareness and making a statement. Sometimes you need to disrupt the status quo to get noticed. We got over 800 leads from that campaign, so I’d say it was a success.

How do you think Fred stepping aside will impact the competitive landscape for MSP tools?

Kaseya has been a dominant player and the market knows it. They’ve built a huge empire and many companies, even competitors, have worked alongside Kaseya. So the leadership change could definitely shake things up. There’s a lot of uncertainty around how this will play out and that could create openings for other companies, including us, to step up and capture market share. But ultimately, it’s about what value you bring to customers in a rapidly changing market.

What lessons can be learned from Fred’s time at Kaseya?

Fred has done an incredible job. He didn’t just lead Kaseya, he shaped the entire MSP market. The way he acquired companies, integrated them and set up a business model that worked for MSPs is something to admire. His consistency over the years is remarkable. Many companies have come and gone but Kaseya has been around for nearly 25 years. It takes a lot of winning to stay on top that long. I definitely look up to his leadership and hope to achieve something similar with SuperOps.

What would you say to an MSP partner considering a switch to SuperOps?

We’re at a crossroads in the industry right now. AI is resetting the game for everyone, whether you’re a big player or a small one. It’s not about where you’ve been, it’s about where you’re going and how you’re going to innovate. We need to think differently about how we serve customers. It’s like what happened with Nokia, they were a giant but they didn’t adapt to the smartphone revolution. If you’re not keeping up with AI, you risk falling behind. We’re here to build for the future and we’re offering MSPs a platform that can grow with those changes. If you’re not considering AI as part of your strategy, it could be a problem.