Climb Global buys interworks.cloud in EUR €8.0m deal

Climb Global Solutions has bought Greece-based cloud distributor interworks.cloud for about €8.0 million, expanding its software and cloud distribution presence in Southeastern Europe.

The deal adds coverage across Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Bulgaria, along with other regional markets served by interworks.cloud. It also extends Climb's reach into local reseller and managed service provider communities, where interworks.cloud has built more than 600 relationships.

Climb operates as an IT channel distributor across the US, Canada and Europe, trading in Europe through businesses including Climb Channel Solutions and Grey Matter.

Regional footprint

Headquartered in Greece, interworks.cloud distributes cloud products to resellers and MSPs. It has positioned itself around marketplace distribution and local technical support for partners.

The acquisition adds interworks.cloud's vendor line-up to Climb's portfolio. Named vendor partners include Acronis, NinjaOne, ThreatDown, Nord Security, Google, AnyDesk and Blackwall.

Climb also plans to offer its wider EMEA vendor portfolio to interworks.cloud partners. The combined group expects to give channel partners across the region a broader set of software and cloud options.

Microsoft channel

Climb is focusing on Microsoft's Cloud Solution Provider distribution ecosystem in Europe, describing the acquisition as a way to strengthen its position in that channel structure.

It also linked the deal to tightening compliance and partner requirements across the CSP programme in recent years. Distributors and indirect providers have faced closer scrutiny around customer verification, partner controls and security requirements across cloud environments.

For Climb Channel Solutions, adding interworks.cloud brings marketplace infrastructure and regional operational capacity. It also increases Climb's ability to onboard vendors and extend its distribution model into more European territories.

Dale Foster, chief executive officer of Climb Global Solutions, said the acquisition supports the group's European plans and its relationship with Microsoft.

"The acquisition of Interworks builds upon our strategy to expand our cloud and software distribution capabilities across Europe while strengthening our pan-European Microsoft partnership," Foster said.

Foster added that Climb has worked with interworks.cloud for nearly a decade and sees close alignment between the businesses.

"Having worked alongside Interworks for nearly a decade, we have developed strong alignment in culture, strategy, and partner focus. Interworks brings an experienced management team, established Microsoft CSP business, multi-country footprint and deep expertise in cloud marketplace and MSP-focused distribution, enhancing our ability to drive cross-sell opportunities, build greater depth with our partners and position Climb as the distributor of choice across Southeastern Europe," he said.

Staff and continuity

The full interworks.cloud team will join Climb as part of the transaction, which both companies framed as supporting continuity for partner support and local operations in Southeastern Europe.

Interworks Managing Director Stamatis Barbounakis described the company as a partner-led distributor providing local support and marketplace services across multiple countries.

"Since our inception, Interworks has built a partner-first cloud distribution model across Southeastern Europe, supporting more than 600 resellers and MSPs with high-quality local enablement, support, and marketplace capabilities," Barbounakis said.

He said both companies share a focus on distribution within the Microsoft ecosystem and that the deal increases interworks.cloud's scale and reach.

"Climb shares our culture, our standards, and our focus on scalable, partner-centric distribution, particularly within the Microsoft CSP ecosystem. Joining Climb is a major milestone for our team and our partners, and we believe it positions Interworks to increase reach, broaden our vendor and solution capabilities, and deliver even greater value across our markets," Barbounakis said.

Climb cited interworks.cloud's existing presence, management team and multi-country footprint as factors in the purchase. The group will integrate interworks.cloud into its European operations while continuing to serve resellers and MSPs across Southeastern Europe.