Expel Awards Highlight Rise of Collaborative Cyber Defense Ecosystems

HERNDON, VA – February 19, 2026 – Managed detection and response (MDR) provider Expel today announced the winners of its second annual Partner of the Year Awards, recognizing the firms integral to its security operations. While the announcement celebrates individual company achievements, it also casts a spotlight on a much larger industry trend: the move away from siloed security tools and towards deeply integrated, collaborative defense ecosystems.

In an era of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, the notion that any single vendor can provide a complete security solution is rapidly becoming obsolete. Expel's awards underscore this reality, with honorees ranging from technology resellers and incident response specialists to cloud computing giants and private equity firms. The message is clear: effective cybersecurity is a team sport.

"Security is a team sport, and our partners are the essential players who help us drive criminals out of our customers' environments," said Alex Glass, Vice President of Global Channel and Alliances at Expel, in the company's official announcement. This sentiment reflects a foundational shift in how the industry approaches risk mitigation, emphasizing that resilience is built not by a single fortress, but by an allied network of specialized forces.

The Power of a Diverse Ecosystem

The list of 2025 winners illustrates the diverse expertise required to build a modern security posture. GuidePoint Security, named North American Partner of the Year, represents the crucial role of value-added resellers and consultants who help organizations navigate the complex security market. "Our partnership empowers organizations with greater visibility and clarity across their security operations," stated Mark Thornberry, SVP of Partnerships at GuidePoint Security, highlighting the goal of maximizing technology investments.

Other winners showcase different, equally critical specializations. Surefire Cyber, the IR Partner of the Year, brings dedicated expertise for when a breach occurs, focusing on rapid response and recovery. The EMEA Partner of the Year, Babble Cloud, demonstrates the need for regional knowledge and cloud-focused solutions in international markets. This variety proves that a successful security strategy relies on a mosaic of partners, each contributing a unique piece to the puzzle.

This ecosystem approach allows organizations to leverage best-in-class solutions for different needs—from prevention and detection with an MDR provider like Expel, to cloud infrastructure from a provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS), to post-breach crisis management from an IR firm. The goal is to create a security fabric where integrated tools and services work in concert, closing gaps that attackers would otherwise exploit.

Fueling the Channel: The Strategy Behind a "Partner-First" Model

Expel’s emphasis on its partners is not merely philosophical; it is a core business strategy. The company operates on a "partner-first" model, a go-to-market approach that is becoming a competitive necessity in the crowded MDR space. Competitors like Arctic Wolf and CrowdStrike have also invested heavily in robust channel programs, recognizing that partners provide the scale, reach, and trusted relationships needed for rapid growth.

Expel's Partner Program is a multi-tiered system designed to support partners at different levels of engagement, from 'Authorized' to 'Premier'. The program provides access to the Expel Partner eXchange (EPX), a portal offering deal registration, co-branded marketing materials, and extensive training modules. By offering dedicated sales and marketing support alongside lucrative margins, Expel incentivizes partners to lead with its services.

This model benefits all parties. Expel gains access to a wider customer base through its partners' established networks. Partners can add a leading MDR service to their portfolio without having to build a 24/7 security operations center (SOC) from scratch. Most importantly, customers gain a more cohesive security experience, where their chosen security provider works seamlessly with their existing technology stack, which includes over 100 integrations from Expel.

The New Stakeholders: Cloud Giants and Private Equity

Perhaps the most telling awards are those for Cloud Partner of the Year, given to Amazon Web Services (AWS), and PE Firm of the Year, awarded to The Carlyle Group. These selections reveal how the definition of a security partner has expanded to include the foundational pillars of modern business: cloud infrastructure and finance.

The partnership with AWS is strategically vital. As organizations migrate more workloads to the cloud, the ability to secure those environments becomes paramount. By integrating its Expel Workbench™ platform with AWS native security tools like Amazon GuardDuty and AWS Security Hub, Expel provides visibility and threat detection tailored for the cloud. This alliance is not just about technology integration; it's about meeting customers where they are and securing their most critical digital assets.

The recognition of The Carlyle Group points to another powerful trend: the increasing role of private equity in cybersecurity. PE firms are no longer passive investors; they are active stakeholders in mitigating risk across their portfolios. A significant cyber incident can devastate a portfolio company's valuation. Consequently, firms like Carlyle are taking a proactive stance, often recommending or mandating proven security solutions like Expel for the companies they own. This award signals that cybersecurity resilience has become a non-negotiable aspect of financial due diligence and asset management.

This strategic involvement provides cybersecurity firms with capital for growth and innovation, while also creating a significant new sales channel driven by investor influence. It marks the maturation of cybersecurity from a technical discipline into a core component of corporate governance and investment strategy.

By celebrating a diverse array of partners, Expel's awards program does more than just acknowledge sales achievements. It provides a clear map of the modern security landscape, where collaboration is not just an advantage but a necessity for survival. In the face of persistent threats and a global cybersecurity skills shortage, building a strong, interconnected ecosystem of allies is the most viable path toward achieving genuine operational resilience.