Channel Velocity: Tech Leaders to Tackle AI and Change at 2026 Expo

LAS VEGAS, NV – December 18, 2025 – As the technology channel braces for a period of unprecedented transformation, the industry’s largest independent gathering is setting its agenda to match the blistering pace of change. The Channel Partners Conference & Expo, co-located with the MSP Summit, will return to Las Vegas from April 13–16, 2026, under the ambitious theme of 'Channel Velocity.' The event aims to arm thousands of technology advisors, MSPs, integrators, and channel leaders with the strategy and insights needed to navigate the disruptive currents of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud services.

This year’s theme is not just a marketing buzzword; it reflects a critical industry mandate. The channel ecosystem is at an inflection point where speed, agility, and strategic adaptation are no longer advantages but prerequisites for survival and growth. The conference, held at The Venetian, is positioning itself as the essential forum for partners to build the momentum necessary to capitalize on the next wave of opportunity.

“This year’s event represents one of the most important gatherings the channel has seen in a decade,” said Kelly Danziger, General Manager of Channel Events at Informa. “Between the pace of AI adoption, rapid shifts in partner-led services, and the expanded expectations from customers, 2026 represents a defining moment in our industry. Our goal is to deliver the insights, relationships, and real-world tools that allow every attendee to walk away ready to lead the next evolution of the channel.”

The Urgency of 'Velocity' in the AI Era

The focus on 'Velocity' is a direct response to market forces reshaping the IT landscape. Artificial intelligence, once a futuristic concept, is now a powerful commercial reality creating both immense opportunities and significant challenges. Industry analysis indicates the AI market is poised for explosive growth, projected to contribute nearly $16 trillion to the global economy by 2030. For channel partners, the race is on to move beyond reselling AI-powered products to delivering tangible business outcomes. Research suggests that within two years, nearly 44% of channel partners plan to offer AI-centric solutions, a clear signal of the technology's pervasive impact.

This rapid AI integration is compounded by an evolving cybersecurity landscape. As businesses adopt more complex digital tools, their attack surfaces expand, creating vulnerabilities that malicious actors are quick to exploit. According to Gartner, spending on security services is forecast to climb nearly 14% in 2025, driven by the persistent cybersecurity talent shortage and the need for advanced threat detection, increasingly augmented by AI. Channel partners, particularly those serving small and medium-sized businesses, are becoming the frontline defense, making advanced security expertise more critical than ever.

Simultaneously, the cloud and managed services sectors continue their relentless expansion. The global managed services market is on a trajectory to exceed $500 billion by 2029, with partners acting as the strategic engine for customer innovation. While hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud dominate the infrastructure layer, significant opportunities exist for partners who can provide specialized, multi-cloud competencies. Cloud marketplaces are becoming a dominant route to market, with analysts from Canalys predicting that over half of the projected $85 billion in marketplace sales will flow through the channel by 2027.

Beyond Tech: A Mandate for Leadership and Resilience

Navigating this high-velocity environment requires more than just technological acumen; it demands a new caliber of leadership. In a move that underscores this focus, the conference will feature a keynote address from an unconventional source: celebrity chef and entrepreneur Robert Irvine. Known for his high-stakes interventions on the Food Network show “Restaurant: Impossible,” Irvine will deliver a keynote titled “Overcoming Impossible.”

Drawing from his experience turning around failing businesses under extreme pressure, Irvine will challenge tech leaders to build more resilient and agile organizations. His message centers on executing with speed, making smarter decisions, and maintaining momentum in the face of constant change—principles that directly mirror the conference’s core theme. This focus on leadership and grit acknowledges that the channel's biggest hurdles are often operational and psychological, not just technological. Irvine’s background as a military veteran and relentless entrepreneur provides a powerful, real-world parallel for leaders tasked with steering their companies through market turbulence.

Forging Strategy in a Vendor-Neutral Arena

While the high-level themes address the industry's macro trends, the conference agenda is packed with practical programming designed for immediate application. A key addition for 2026 is an all-new CEO track, created specifically for technology advisor and agent leaders to tackle critical issues like market expansion, team performance, and financial optimization. This dedicated track recognizes the unique pressures faced by C-suite executives in the channel.

Furthermore, the event will feature expanded tracks on AI and peer-led sessions, providing a platform for partners to learn from one another's successes and failures. This collaborative, vendor-neutral environment is a cornerstone of the event's value proposition.

“The Channel Partners Conference and Expo is the industry’s largest independent gathering for partners who want to learn best practices from their peers in a vendor and platform neutral environment,” noted Robert Demarzo, Senior Conference Director for Channel Events at Informa. “This unique value proposition is driven by our channel partner board which serve as the voice of today’s partners.”

The centerpiece of the event remains the sprawling 350+ exhibitor expo hall, a marketplace showcasing next-generation solutions across connectivity, infrastructure, security, and SaaS. With extended hours, the expo floor will also host networking events, a podcast zone, and even golf competitions, blending deal-making with community building. The co-located MSP Summit, now in its sixth year, continues its growth, offering dedicated content and networking for the managed services community, which now accounts for over 2,000 of the event’s attendees.

With over 150 speakers and an expected attendance of more than 7,800 professionals, the 2026 gathering is poised to be a critical juncture for an industry in motion. Early-bird registration for the event is open now through February 13, 2026, offering a chance for leaders to secure their place at the forefront of the channel's next evolution.