Dutch email security firm Zivver launched today in the UK, revealing plans to establish a 100% sales channel.
The firm has picked up 2,700 customers in its home market since it launched there in 2017, including 40% of Dutch hospitals and a 30% share of local government, helping them prevent data leaks linked to human error and helping to ensure compliance under GDPR. Now, after raising $12 million in funding last year, Zivver is looking to establish a presence in the UK with a view to creating its second biggest market.
Zivver has so far signed up VARs RnD Systems Integration and C-STEM, alongside distributor Progress Technology Services (PTS) to deliver its outbound email security solution.
"We chose a channel-first approach because we see that that is more effective in the UK, which is a more channel-oriented country than the Netherlands," CEO & co-founder Rick Goud told Channel Pro. "But we've also gained credibility, we're not just a start-up and we have grown to be a substantial [company] in difficult-to-penetrate markets... We are solving a problem instead of just being lucky and finding early adopters."
"We're looking at a broad selection of channel partners: cybersecurity-focused consultancies, traditional networking players, and larger SIs that we hope to start courting over time," said Darren Parker, Zivver's channel manager EMEA, who adds that he hopes to have 10 partners on-boarded, trained and producing pipeline by the New Year.
"PTS and their extensive list of channel partners that are focused within our space, and the complementary products they have within their vendor portfolio, is going to give us the exposure that we need within the first 12 to 18 months, to generate pipeline and establish ourselves in the UK," adds Parker.
Mounting a challenge
Goud established the company after working as a strategy consultant in the healthcare sector, where he saw employees using consumer apps like Dropbox WhatsApp to share sensitive information in the absence of a secure and user-friendly enterprise solution.
The firm is looking to challenge the likes of Egress and Cryptshare with its outbound email and file transfer security offering, which uses machine-aided software to scan emails and attachments, flagging any unusual behaviour patterns, while asymmetric encryption protects all the data on the move. Zivver also claims to be the only vendor of its kind to secure emails and large files, up to 5TB, before, during and after sending emails.
Parker says the firm has been in discussion with rivals' partners, claiming to have a "massively positive" response. "We've been told 'you've entered the market at the right time', because there is absolutely a need out there for what we do."
Zivver has a partner programme in place with Authorised and Certified partner tiers with plans to launch an MSP level later in the year. "We're not just after partners who want to sell licencing, but the ones that want to embrace professional services and support services as well, as we have no major aspirations to deliver our own PS. We'd much rather empower the partners as this represents excellent margin opportunity around Zivver products," says Parker.
