Additional sources have confirmed ConnectWise Capital‘s investment in Quosal, a tool that allows VARs and MSPs to develop customer business proposals and source IT products from distributors. Sources say the move may be announced at the HTG Peer Groups Spring Conference here in Dallas. The move continues to intrigue me for multiple reasons. Here’s the update… plus some speculation.

I’ve already explained why the ConnectWise Capital-Quosal relationship looks like a smart move. But now the broader MSP industry seems to be echoing that sentiment. Prime examples: Multiple MSPs attending the HTG gathering tell me they’d applaud a tighter ConnectWise-Quosal relationship.

Meanwhile, HTG Founder Arlin Sorensen declined to speculate if the ConnectWise Capital-Quosal deal has happened, but Sorensen says he sees the business logic behind such a potential move. He notes that Quosal has growing acceptance across the HTG membership base. HTG Peer Group members have already standardized on ConnectWise to better share business information. There’s no such HTG standardization mandate for Quosal, but the tool has a good following within HTG, Sorensen added.

Of course, the potential ConnectWise Capital-Quosal relationship could strain some software partnerships in the market. A few examples:

Evolving Market

But let’s not get caught up in the old ConnectWise-Autotask debate. To the credit of both Autotask and ConnectWise, both companies spend less time talking about each other in the market these days. The growing theme in the managed services software market is coopetition — cooperating even as you compete. It’s happening with ConnectWise and Kaseya. And it may soon happen in the IT product sourcing market.

If APIs remain open and if products gain tighter integrations, then MSPs are the winners. Of course there’s always the risk of some mud slinging from salespeople on opposite sides of the fence. But on paper, I think the ConnectWise Capital investment in Quosal makes sense. Sources indicate official details could emerge within the next 24 hours or so. I have yet to reach ConnectWise and Quosal for official comment.

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