Expanded Avant Analytics Division Tackling What 'Large Research Firms Really Can't Do'

Avant is harnessing part of its funding from Pamlico Capital to expand its research division.

The Chicago-based tech solutions distributor is adding more resources to Avant Analytics. Chief strategy officer Alex Danyluk added the title of Avant Analytics managing director. The company lists about 12 analysts and producers who will help build media that partners and customers can consume.

Avant’s Alex Danyluk

Danyluk said Avant will add new video briefings and alerts. He said Avant’s 6-12 reports functioned as a resource agents could share with their customers. Now Avant is gearing its new resources toward partners.

“What we’re trying to accomplish right is to be the leader in informing the industry of technology decisions that they need to make,” Danyluk told Channel Futures. “At the heart of that is information.”

He said his team will use data that come from the sales that partners make through Avant’s contracts with suppliers.

“It’s not just our opinion; it’s based what we’re seeing out at the edge. And we can do this in a way that many of the large research firms really can’t do, because they’re not involved in those transactions. They don’t see what’s really happening. We see it in near real-time,” Danyluk said.

Avant CEO Ian Kieninger said Avant Analytics reports has helped drive prospect inquiries.

“Avant Analytics has been one of the most strategic and smartest investments we’ve made to aid trusted advisors in differentiating their value to clients, and we’re confident that Alex will lead the charge in this ongoing success,” said Kieninger.

Funding

Avant announced in 2021 that it had accepted funding from Pamlico. Kieninger told Channel Futures last year that the funding would in part help Avant use market research in a more strategic fashion.

Avant’s Ian Kieninger

“Our market research needs to be the next version of Gartner, Forrester or a supplement to what they’re doing, so that we all look amazing in front of decision makers. Our data needs to be used and monetized in different ways, or as a defensive mechanism,” he said. “When other people enter our space, how do we ward them off? We ward them off by controlling the information.”

Avant president Drew Lydecker praised Danyluk’s expertise.

Avant’s Drew Lydecker

“We affectionately refer to Alex as the ‘mad scientist’ at Avant, as he consistently brings a wealth of insightful analysis and data visualizations to the table,” Lydecker said “Combine Alex’s breadth of experiences and analytical skills with the depth of our incredibly talented Avant engineers, and the sky’s the limit. Data is the new oil, speed is the new currency, and with the investments we are making in Avant Analytics, we have the ticket to the future of technology decision making.”

According to LinkedIn, Ken Presti is no longer working for Avant as of December 2021. He had been serving as vice president of research and analytics for Avant.

Avant’s 6-12 reports have touched on SASE, cybersecurity, UCaaS and other technologies.

Drew Lydecker predicted at last year’s Special Forces Summit that cybersecurity would reach a top three position among Avant’s technology categories. Danyluk told Channel Futures that year-over-year security growth totaled about 200% year over year.