ConnectWise PitchIT Unveils Cohort Defining the Future of MSPs

TAMPA, Fla. – May 21, 2026 – ConnectWise and its IT Nation community today announced the selection of 20 startups for the 2026 PitchIT program, an annual initiative that has become a crucial barometer for innovation within the managed service provider (MSP) industry. Now in its eighth year, the program aims to accelerate the next wave of technologies poised to redefine how MSPs operate, secure their clients, and drive growth.

While the names of the 20 companies remain under wraps as they enter the intensive accelerator, the cohort’s focus is clear: AI-enabled operations, automation-first workflows, and security-driven service delivery. This direction mirrors a profound shift in the MSP landscape, where providers are under immense pressure to enhance efficiency and combat an increasingly sophisticated threat environment. The global managed services market is projected to reach over $424 billion in 2026, and success in this competitive space hinges on leveraging next-generation tools.

“The MSP market doesn’t reward standing still,” said Sean Lardo, VP of IT Nation Communities, in a statement. “PitchIT exists because our partners need to see what’s coming before it hits them. This cohort is giving us a window into the tools that will actually move the needle on scale, efficiency, and resilience, and that’s exactly the kind of innovation we’re here to find.”

The Engine Room of MSP Innovation

More than just a competition, PitchIT has solidified its reputation as a powerful launchpad. It provides emerging vendors a 16-week growth program featuring mentorship from industry veterans, strategic guidance on go-to-market execution, and unparalleled access to the sprawling ConnectWise ecosystem. For startups building solutions for MSPs, this access is invaluable, offering a direct channel to the partners, community leaders, and infrastructure needed to gain traction.

The program's track record speaks for itself. Over the past eight years, PitchIT alumni have collectively raised more than $10 million in investment funding, a figure that underscores the program’s ability to identify and validate promising ventures. However, the impact extends far beyond capital.

Strategy Overview, the winner of the 2025 competition, exemplifies the program’s transformative potential. The company, which provides an MSP lifecycle management platform, gained immediate credibility and market momentum. “Winning PitchIT created a major inflection point for our business,” said Alex Markov, founder of Strategy Overview. “The visibility, industry validation, and access to the ConnectWise community helped accelerate opportunities that would have otherwise taken years to build.”

Similarly, the 2023 winner, Thread, which focuses on automating IT support tickets, saw a dramatic increase in demo bookings and a significant revenue boost following their participation. This history of success demonstrates that PitchIT is not merely an academic exercise but a high-stakes proving ground that forges market-ready companies.

A Strategic Bet on the Ecosystem's Future

The PitchIT program is a cornerstone of ConnectWise's broader strategy to cultivate a thriving and innovative partner ecosystem. In an industry grappling with tool sprawl and operational complexity, ConnectWise has positioned its Asio platform as a unified solution built for the “automation-first era.” By fostering a new generation of startups, the company is actively seeding its own ecosystem with innovators whose solutions can potentially integrate with and enhance the platform, ultimately benefiting the thousands of MSPs that rely on it.

This commitment to forward-looking technology is also reflected in ConnectWise's recent strategic moves, including acquisitions designed to bolster its capabilities in cybersecurity and AI. The 2024 acquisitions of data protection specialists Axcient and SkyKick, along with the early 2026 purchase of AI agent provider zofiQ, signal a clear focus on building a comprehensive, AI-driven technology stack for MSPs. PitchIT serves as the organic, ground-up component of this strategy, identifying external innovation that complements its internal development and acquisition efforts.

This model distinguishes ConnectWise in a competitive landscape. While rivals also offer partner programs and invest in innovation, PitchIT's structure as a dedicated, cohort-based startup accelerator culminating in a public competition is unique. It creates a focal point for the industry, drawing attention to emerging trends and providing a curated look at the future of managed services.

The 2026 program will culminate in November at IT Nation Connect™ Global, where finalists will present their solutions live on stage. For the wider MSP community, this event offers more than just the excitement of a competition; it provides a vital look at the technologies expected to influence the next era of managed services, offering a roadmap for building more scalable, resilient, and profitable businesses.