Specialism: Software and cybersecurity
Key vendors: VAST, Microsoft, ManageEngine, SolarWinds, Quest, Canonical, SmartBear, Cloudian, IGEL, ControlUp.
UK revenue: £141.4m (+17%)
Headcount: 139
Active UK reseller/MSP base: 1,800
This US-based distributor is “selling speed”, CEO Dale Foster told IT Channel Oxygen in August as he revealed ambitions for its European business to ultimately generate half of its sales.
Climb’s total gross billings broke the $500m mark in its most recent Q2, with Foster telling us Europe generates around 15% of the total (implying an annual runrate of around $300m here).
UK subsidiary ‘Climb Global Solutions Ltd’ saw revenue hike 17% to £141.4m in calendar 2024. Anglo-Irish acquisition DataSolutions made only one quarter’s contribution to the numbers.
“We’re selling speed – that is, how fast can we get an emerging product in front of as many buyers as possible,” Foster said.
“That’s why we’re acquiring in Europe. We think we can onboard a product in the US and within two to three weeks onboard it in Europe.”
“Distribution isn’t a label we should be afraid to us”
Quickfire Q&A with CRO Gerard Brophy
What’s your top priority over the next 12 months?
AI enablement across the channel. Our Skyward Project and AI Academy gave partners a strong starting point, and our 2025 AI Readiness Report confirmed just how many businesses are looking to adopt AI more effectively. The next step is helping resellers turn that appetite for AI into real results.
At the same time, we’re not chasing every headline. The AI landscape is crowded with promises that may not stand the test of time. That’s why we’re selective, and every vendor we take on goes through a rigorous evaluation process. We only back technologies we believe in, which ensures our partners are building on foundations that will last.
What’s the most under-rated facet of your business?
The agility behind our scale – and the personal partnership that comes with it. Climb operates with the mindset of a fast-moving startup: responsive, creative, and closely aligned to our vendors’ and VARs’ needs, while offering the reach and structure of a major distributor. That combination allows us to adapt quickly and deliver tailored support in ways larger players often can’t. Our strength lies in pairing deep expertise with flexibility, ensuring every vendor and partner experiences the same level of commitment, knowledge, and service excellence that defines Climb.
Name a vendor or technology area that’s been a hit for you in 2025.
Cloudian. Traditionally known in the storage space, they’ve moved decisively into AI by embedding inferencing directly into their platform. It’s exactly the kind of evolution we look for in our vendors: proven technology, now reshaped to solve new problems. For partners, it means delivering AI use cases for customers already holding vast amounts of unstructured data – turning existing estates into a foundation for intelligence, without the need for wholesale infrastructure change.
Are you expecting to grow in this calendar year?
Yes – we already have. UK revenues were up 18% in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2024. That growth reflects stronger relationships with partners, vendors trusting us with more of their business, and a team that knows how to execute.
Our focus now is on keeping that momentum steady and sustainable. That means deepening partnerships where we know we can add real value, bringing genuinely innovative vendors to market, and making sure our service feels just as personable for partner number 1,800 as it does for partner number one.
What distribution news story most grabbed your attention in 2025?
The pace of the QBS acquisition [of Prianto]. Distribution deals are usually slow, drawn-out, and political. This one was fast and decisive. It showed the pressure distributors are under to diversify and redefine their value proposition in line with changing partner expectations.
3 of the 4 largest companies in this report have changed ownership in the last 12 months (or are about to). What does that say about the market?
It tells us investors want distributors to evolve more quickly than they have in the past. Distribution is still seen as essential, but the model has to prove it can deliver more – broader portfolios, meaningful value-add, and closer partner engagement. Changing ownership is one way to get there.
At Climb, we’re focused on delivering those outcomes directly – by backing technologies we believe in and working side by side with partners to turn them into success stories.
How do you feel that one company featured in this report took out a full-page New York Times ad in March blasting the term ‘distributor’?
It was a bold statement, but I believe it left out something important. Distribution isn’t a label we should be afraid to use – it’s what gets great technology into the market faster and more effectively.
At Climb, logistics are just one part of our story. Our real value lies in helping vendors and resellers connect, anticipate demand, and ensure solutions reach the customers who need them, when they need them. We don’t need to reinvent the word “distributor.” We’d rather prove, every day, that great distribution builds relationships and shapes the market conditions that make lasting success possible.
On a scale of 1-10, how optimistic are you about the IT distribution market right now?
7. The opportunities are there, but they’ll only translate into growth for those who can adapt quickly, see through the hype, and add real value for their partners. Not everyone’s going to make it, but the smartest and most forward-thinking distributors will be just fine.
Oxygen 50 Must-Know IT Distributors and Marketplaces 2025 is Powered by Pimberly. See who else made the cut here.
