The $452 Billion Wake-Up Call: Why the Future of Ecosystems Runs Through the Platform

Jay McBain and Canalys just released a clear signal from their research: distributors are no longer just supply chain engines, they’re becoming the digital core of the ecosystem economy. According to their study, the top 15 global distributors moved over $276 billion in tech last year, but the real story isn’t about volume. It’s about velocity and who’s building the infrastructure to support it.

In the past, distribution was linear. It looked like this:

Vendor → Distributor → Partner → Customer

Today, the distributor is the orchestrator. A connected platform sitting at the center of the action where partners learn, engage, transact, and scale. And at the center of that platform? That’s where Impartner lives.

Source by Jay McBain at Canalys (part of Omdia)

You see the visual, Jay shared above, and in the center of The Future sits the distributor, but that green core? That’s us. Impartner powers it all from AI-led automation and co-sell orchestration to scalable campaign syndication, cross-vendor deal reg, and data-backed enablement.

It’s not a concept, it’s operational. Right now, literally today. Powered by automation, orchestration, and real-time partner intelligence.

Take TD SYNNEX’s Destination AI™ initiative for example. Hundreds of thousands of partners will learn how to position AI-powered solutions from across a dozen vendors, all inside a unified experience. They’re not logging into ten separate portals. They’re not guessing how to execute. They’re learning, registering, and selling faster than ever before.

And this evolution isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening in real time.

Just look at the newly launched TD SYNNEX Partner Loyalty program. Built to reward growth-focused partners with real-time incentives, learning tracks, and cross-solution engagement, it’s a perfect example of what happens when you shift from static tiers to dynamic ecosystem enablement. It’s no coincidence that this seamless partner experience, complete with automated tracking, multi-platform access, and engagement analytics, mirrors the kind of orchestration Impartner is known for.

When distributors think platform-first, and vendors plug into unified experiences, everyone wins: vendors grow faster, partners engage deeper, and ecosystems thrive.

Because that’s what a real ecosystem platform does. It makes collaboration seamless. It multiplies partner impact. It accelerates revenue.

This is where the future is headed. A future where distribution is defined by its platform capabilities, not just its product catalog.

The smartest vendors and distributors won’t just survive this shift. They’ll lead it. And the platform partners that power them? They’ll be at the center of it all.

And if you’re a vendor relying on manual motions, one-off campaigns, or disconnected portals, you’re missing untapped revenue sitting right in front of you.

If you’re a vendor working with TD SYNNEX and you’re not connected through Impartner, you’re missing the mark.

Destination AI™ is just the beginning. While the initiative features 15 vendors, the revenue acceleration it delivers through unified partner engagement, co-marketing, and cross-sell orchestration is a model any vendor can adopt.

The platform experience powering Destination AI™ isn’t exclusive. It’s a blueprint for scalable growth that’s available to everyone ready to activate it.

And this isn’t just about one program. This is the new model of distribution: a connected platform experience where multiple vendors share space, strategy, and success and the reseller never has to leave the ecosystem to learn, engage, and transact.

This is the era of shared success.

Most deals today aren’t one vendor, one SKU. They’re five or ten technologies, bundled together. That’s what Destination AI™ gets right and what every vendor can access through Impartner.

You want real ROI from your MDF? You want to scale campaigns without scaling headcount? You want to see who's actually registering deals with your brand? We’re already doing it with your peers.

Don’t get left behind. If you’re a vendor manager, a category leader, or an exec working with TD SYNNEX, let’s talk. If you’re a vendor already using Impartner, let’s connect the dots to distribution.

We’re ready to orchestrate your success. Are you? Send me a message to get going.