Nerdio Co-founders on Growth, Channel Strategy, and NMM V6

From the stage at NerdioCon in Palm Springs, Nerdio co-founder and CEO Vadim  Vladimirskiy took MSP and enterprise customers through various tooling announcements, all aimed at driving complete Microsoft ecosystem adoption.

We spoke with fellow co-founder and CRO Joseph Landes after the keynote address to learn more about Nerdio’s approach to the channel, why the VDI market is such a strong opportunity, and more.

Windows 365 joins AVD, M365, and more as the next-gen focus for MSPs

The latest version of Nerdio Manager for MSP (NMM), made generally available on April 8, unifies and centralizes management not just of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) but also of everything from Entra ID, Defender, M365, and Windows 365 for a partner’s entire client base.

Version 6 of the NMM solution includes previously announced capabilities to benchmark security posturing against the CIS controls, more effectively manage policies with backup and configuration tracking, and manage Exchange Online.

Newly announced features include new integrations with leading PSA tools, including ConnectWise, Kaseya, and NinjaOne, plus new support for Azure government solutions and a refreshed UI that now includes dark-mode functionality.

Vladimirskiy reiterated Nerdio’s commitment to being an “outside-in company,” emphasizing that new features and capabilities are developed with partner needs and their feedback in mind.

“We have partners all the time who come to us and say, I want to move into the world of the Microsoft cloud, how can you help me today,” Landes said in an interview with Channel Insider.

“Not everything that every partner asks for is immediately available… but we have a pretty incredible release cadence. Every six weeks there’s a new point release based on things customers and partners have asked for.”

For Nerdio partner Helient Technologies LLC, the partnership has driven simplicity in an increasingly complex world.

“At the end of the day, all the end user customer really cares about is that they can log in and have the same experience day in and day out,” said Helient CTO Will Fulmer.

“Nerdio, honestly, is a no brainer for us, because we’re able to deliver all of these features through a single pane of glass,” Fulmer continued. “It’s been hugely beneficial to us.”

Enablement, education, and community: what partners need to maintain success

Landes followed Vladimirskiy’s product overview with his own presentation on the wider Nerdio partner ecosystem. He focused on how the Nerdio community fuels not only product innovation from Nerdio but successful outcomes through partnership as well.

“We’re very proud that our technology is used by the smallest businesses in the world, like the two-person doctor’s offices, and the largest organizations in the world, and everyone in between,” Landes said. “To do that, you need to have a very vibrant partner ecosystem, because you can’t do it yourself.”

He also spotlighted recent additions to the company’s global events offerings while repeating Nerdio’s commitment to build a strong channel ecosystem.

To do this, Nerdio works with MSPs and resellers, enterprise integrators, various marketplaces, distributors, and other vendors. Landes says the Nerdio team hopes events like NerdioCon and other, more localized initiatives facilitate partner-to-partner relationships.

“We’re one company, but there’s hundreds of companies here who no doubt can learn from each other,” Landes said.

Ultimately, while the company has grown significantly in the last year and recently closed a new funding round at a $1B+ valuation, Landes thinks the opportunities ahead are endless.

“I think we’re still really in the story, and there is so much more we can do to help the ecosystem succeed,” Landes told Channel Insider.

The new VDI landscape

Landes also emphasized a point made by Vladimirskiy and many partners at the event: the VDI market has changed significantly, with legacy players like Broadcom and Citrix cutting vast amounts of partners and shifting strategies. Microsoft, with Nerdio as a close partner, now wants to fill that gap with its AVD and Windows 365 solutions.

Like most VDI tools, these can become complex very quickly. Nerdio focuses on simplifying how MSPs provide these new solutions for their customers and stay competitive in the market.

“We’re in this incredibly unique time right now where legacy providers like Citrix and VMware, in particular, have changed the way they work, and doing that has offered us a lot of opportunities to be successful,” Landes said. “That success, though, you can’t take for granted. We have to make sure we’re delivering things today that customers want.”

Landes spoke with Channel Insider in February to share his perspective on why cloud efficiency and cost optimization are crucial to MSPs’ success. Catch up on the trends shaping cloud adoption in the channel.