NinjaOne plans to at least double its channel spending in 2027, with more support aimed at helping managed service providers (MSPs) grow their businesses rather than simply master its software.
CEO Sal Sferlazza outlined the plans at NinjaOne’s MSP NXT conference in Austin, Texas, Oct. 27–29. The company also expects to hire about 1,000 employees next year, including several hundred in research and development. Alongside the spending increase, NinjaOne is expanding sales resources, business training and peer groups.
For partners, the key question is whether those investments will help them win clients and deliver services more profitably.
NinjaOne prepares larger channel budgets and global expansion
Sferlazza told CRN that NinjaOne could increase channel spending two- to threefold in 2027. The company has not disclosed its current channel budget or the dollar amount behind the planned increase.
“We see MSPs as a critical part of our future,” he said, according to CRN. Planned investments include channel relationships and brand-building, particularly as NinjaOne expands in Japan, other Asian markets and Latin America.
Sferlazza also described an AI monitoring and governance module under development and a goal of introducing one to three products annually. The company has not announced a release date for the AI module, so partners should not treat it as an available service.
MSP program shifts from product training to sales growth
In a separate CRN interview, global MSP partnerships head Paul Redding said NinjaOne’s updated approach includes white-label marketing materials, customer-facing sales guidance and educational resources. Early topics include CMMC compliance, transitioning to managed services and co-managed IT, with more pricing guidance and training planned.
“I don’t need MSPs to sell RMM. I need MSPs to sell MSP,” Redding said in the interview.
NinjaOne is also developing peer groups focused on operational efficiency, financial performance, and growth. Redding expects a limited pilot with existing partners late in 2026, expansion to dozens of groups in 2027 and a wider global rollout by 2028. Although the pilot will start with partners, NinjaOne wants eventual participation to be vendor-neutral.
Co-managed IT and AI services create partner opportunities
NinjaOne sees demand for co-managed IT, where MSPs work alongside customers’ internal IT departments rather than replacing them. Potential engagements include virtual-CIO advice, help desk extensions and assistance with AI governance.
The vendor also wants MSPs to consolidate endpoint operations and reduce repetitive work for technicians. Those improvements could make it easier to take on additional customers without equivalent increases in staffing, but actual savings will depend on each provider’s contracts, tooling, and service model.
MSPs should measure practical benefits before committing
MSPs should judge NinjaOne’s plans by support they can actually use, not the headline budget. Before adjusting 2027 sales targets, ask which resources are available, whether fees or eligibility rules apply, and what results partners can reasonably measure.
- Small MSPs: Explore NinjaOne’s white-label marketing campaigns and sales training, and confirm when these resources will be available to help generate qualified leads, improve conversion rates, and manage customer acquisition costs.
- Growing providers: When expanding co-managed IT services, establish clear responsibilities for patching, alerting, and escalations, and ensure pricing and customer agreements reflect the shared workload.
- Established partners: Before consolidating tools, assess ticket volumes, technician productivity, and integration costs to determine potential savings. Partners should also wait for the features and availability to be confirmed before offering NinjaOne’s upcoming AI-governance module to customers.
Partners should also ask when peer groups will be accessible and whether margins or incentives will change. NinjaOne has not specified partner-level allocations or new financial terms. For MSP owners, the payoff should appear in customer acquisition, retention, and service margins.
Also read: Channel Insider’s NinjaOne RMM review explains the platform’s automation, patching, and pricing considerations for MSPs weighing their technology choices.