Images: IBM PartnerWorld at Think 2019
We've got highlights and a recap of the massive event in San Francisco.
February 25, 2019
![IBM Think 2019 Cover IBM Think 2019 Cover](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/bltae6e305674b0e359/65245c2951b6a571f6b16e48/IBM-Think-2019-Cover.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
John Teltsch, general manager, IBM partner ecosystem, opened IBM PartnerWorld at IBM Think 2019, and told partner attendees about new investments and initiatives, discussing his strategy for consistency and stability to drive the next wave of change.
A big announcement at IBM PartnerWorld was the launch of a new, global MSSP program to help partners build and grow a security practice, or to fuel an existing MSSP practice.
Partners have long been key players driving IBM’s security business, with about half of the company’s business coming from the channel. The new MSSP opportunity seizes on an industry trend for managed security services, estimated to be worth about $40 billion.
Reliaquest is an IBM MSSP partner.
“Neon” Deion Sanders is a retired NFL player with two Super Bowl championships under his belt, and 14 seasons in the game. The talented sports star also had a part-time career in Major League Baseball.
Exuding a serious case of confidence on the IBM stage, he talked to partners about communication, commitment and consistency.
Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO, kicked off IBM Think 2019 with the Chairman’s Address, “Building Smarter Businesses.”
Rometty talked about the first chapter of digital transformation as being customer-focused and chapter two as being enterprise-driven, meaning scaling digital and AI, including hybrid cloud and mission-critical applications.
The Think 2019 show floor was laid out in Think Campuses that included theatre sessions, think tanks, hands-on activations and interactive demos. The three campuses included: Cloud and Infrastructure; Security and Resiliency; and Data and AI. There was also a Smarter Business Showcase.
More than 150 sponsoring IBM business partners could be found on the show floor.
Jim Whitehurst, president and CEO of Red Hat, joined Rometty on stage during her keynote. Whitehurst gave his perspective on the technology landscape, what’s driving change, and where it’s going.
Red Hat made Forbes’ list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies six of the past seven years. In 2018, it was added to Forbes’ list of Most Admired Companies. Whitehurst joined Red Hat in 2008, when it was a $500 million company. Company revenue today is on its way to reaching $4 billion.
“We’ve [IBM] been dating for 20 years before we decided to acquire them,” said Rometty. The purchase price: $33 billion.
IBM recognized 15 Beacon Award winners in San Francisco at Think 2019 — it was, in fact, the 20th anniversary for the Beacon Awards.
Partners get honored for stepping up to the plate with IBM across a number of award categories. For example, Flagship Solutions Group received an award for Outstanding Infrastructure Services Solution and Outstanding Storage Systems Solution; GlassHouse Systems received recognition for Outstanding Enterprise Linux Solution on IBM Z or LinuxOne; and Cognizant got an award for Outstanding Hybrid Cloud Solutions.
Now in its second year, IBM Watson Build Challenge winners were announced at IBM Think.
The Watson Build Global Champion is Compta Emerging Business SA, headquartered in Portugal. The solution provider developed Bee2FireDetection, a complete system of automatic fire prevention, prediction and detection for forests, industrial yards, and natural parks.
Aponia Data’s Smart Audit tool got the partner to the top of the heap among IBM Watson Build entrants in North America.
The tool enables companies to deliver robust cognitive integrated risk management (CIRM) capabilities to the midmarket by helping them assess and predict risk in real time.
Here, Jason Juliao, CEO at Aponia (right) and Richard Connelly, managing director, at Aponia (second from left), talk with attendees about their solution.
Aponia Data’s Smart Audit tool got the partner to the top of the heap among IBM Watson Build entrants in North America.
The tool enables companies to deliver robust cognitive integrated risk management (CIRM) capabilities to the midmarket by helping them assess and predict risk in real time.
Here, Jason Juliao, CEO at Aponia (right) and Richard Connelly, managing director, at Aponia (second from left), talk with attendees about their solution.
About 30,000 attendees showed up for IBM Think 2019 this month in San Francisco. More than 8,000 of the company’s ecosystem partners attended IBM PartnerWorld at Think, an invitation-only conference.
IBM PartnerWorld attendees learned about IBM’s strategic priorities, partner program enhancement and new product introductions, such as Watson Anywhere, and other strategic news across key areas such as AI, blockchain, cloud and more. Keynote attendees heard company CEO Ginni Rometty talk about “chapter two” of the digital transformation.
While still going through the acquisition process for Red Hat, IBM alluded to the pending acquisition, its own decades-long history with open source, and the big opportunity ahead for IBM, its customers and partners.
Show attendees also had access to educational sessions; innovation talks; the Think Campus, filled with the vendor’s ecosystem partners; Think Tanks; technology talks; and the Think Academy, where attendees could get certifications, visit hands-on labs, and so on.
Scroll through our slide show above for all the sights from IBM PartnerWorld at Think.
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