Manager – Business Development

AvePoint introduced Kinetic Classification, a data sensitivity and recovery solution for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other business applications. The product uses AI to continuously assess data sensitivity and adjust protection policies across connected cloud services. Kinetic Classification integrates automated recovery tools aimed at improving incident response for security and data governance teams. The launch supports AvePoint's positioning as a governance layer for enterprises deploying AI tools across multiple cloud platforms. With a market capitalisation of $2.7 billion, AvePoint operates in cloud data management, targeting enterprises using major collaboration platforms. The product addresses the company's strategy to expand beyond its Microsoft-focused roots, though analysts have noted slower multi-cloud adoption as a potential risk. The solution competes in a market that includes Veeam and Cohesity.

AvePoint launches Kinetic Classification for AI data security. AvePoint has introduced Kinetic Classification, a new capability that continuously evaluates data sensitivity throughout its lifecycle, helping organizations identify and protect sensitive information before AI agents can access it. Unlike traditional static data labeling, Kinetic Classification adapts to changing data contexts in modern AI environments. AvePoint also expanded its Rapid Recovery capabilities with new intelligence that enables security teams to prioritize restoring their most critical data first following a cyber incident. "These capabilities are great examples of how we enable AI trust within organizations all around the world," said John Peluso, Chief Technology Officer, AvePoint. "For 25 years, AvePoint has been the trusted layer beneath the world's most demanding data estates. Kinetic Classification and Rapid Recovery extend that foundation into the AI era, so organizations can classify, govern, and recover their AI estate with confidence. It's an important piece of what we call the Trust Layer for AI: a connected layer of governance, security, recovery, and backup controls that sits across an organization's data, creating the foundation for AI success." Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Confidence in AI security is high, but breaches reveal classification gap. Security leaders are more confident than ever, yet the data tells a different story. In AvePoint's third annual State of AI Report, 82.7% of organizations said they were "very" or "extremely" confident in their ability to prevent unauthorized data access, but 72% of the "very confident" group still experienced an AI-related unauthorized access incident in the past 12 months. This disconnect points to a need for stronger operational control, starting with one foundational problem: knowing what data is sensitive in the first place, at the moment it matters. According to Gartner, as AI ecosystems expand across data, models, and business processes, governance must move beyond static policies toward continuous, embedded, and enforceable controls. This is the same shift driving demand for classification that adapts continuously. Static labeling breaks down as enterprise data changes. "The next wave of AI governance starts with the data itself," said John Hodges, Chief Product Officer, AvePoint. "Our 2026 State of AI Report makes clear that organizations aren't struggling with ambition; they're struggling with readiness: knowing what data is sensitive, who owns it, how it changes, and whether it should be used by AI in the first place. Kinetic Classification gives enterprises a living foundation for that work, continuously interpreting sensitivity, ownership, lifecycle, and risk so organizations can govern the data their AI is already using." Computer Science Kinetic Classification combines AI-driven and automated classification and labeling across both sensitivity and retention, then continuously refines that classification over time as new signals emerge, access policies change, agents interact with content, and labels expire. Kinetic Classification makes it possible for security teams to gain a more current view of sensitive data across the business, with classification that adapts as data evolves. Because sensitive data no longer lives in a single platform, AvePoint's evolving classification capabilities extend visibility across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and a growing ecosystem of business applications, including GitHub, ServiceNow, Jira, Confluence, Box, Okta, Smartsheet, Monday.com, DocuSign, Bitbucket, and AWS S3. By unifying sensitivity intelligence across these environments, security teams get one sensitivity picture instead of stitching together different fragmented tools, and organizations can make more informed governance and security decisions from a single, consistent foundation. When a breach hits, knowing what to restore first is critical. Effective recovery depends on rapidly restoring the correct data in the proper order. New intelligence in AvePoint's Rapid Recovery is designed to deliver that at enterprise scale, including: * Intelligent recommendations that pinpoint the most critical data to restore first and help teams bring back the "minimum viable company," even when the starting point is unclear. * The Rapid Recovery Wizard, which makes it possible for teams to pre-build and sequence recovery plans, so a restore runs smoothly and quickly under pressure. * Express Recovery for Entra ID, which adds the identity layer to the recovery story, building on the Entra External ID protection AvePoint announced in July. One operating model for Classification and recovery. These new capabilities work hand in hand: Kinetic Classification continuously identifies where critical, sensitive data lives, which allows Rapid Recovery to prioritize what returns first. Security Products & Services Now when an incident occurs, organizations no longer have days of manual triage, and instead are equipped with a pre-built, sequenced recovery that a team can execute under pressure. That foundation underpins AvePoint's unified Trust Layer for AI, allowing organizations to scale innovation without scaling risk. For more information and to see the Confidence Platform in action, visit https://www.avepoint.com/

Dicker Data adds AvePoint to A/NZ portfolio. 6 Jul 2026 2 mins Includes the vendor's AvePoint Elements platform paired with Dicker Data's local Microsoft capability and enablement programs. Dicker Data has signed a distribution agreement with AvePoint for Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), enhancing its Microsoft cloud portfolio in the process. The agreement sees Dicker Data distribute the vendor's software-as-a-service-native AvePoint Elements platform, which offers centralised visibility and control over customer environments, covering data protection, governance, policy enforcement, risk management, and security. It will also use its local Microsoft capability, enablement programs, and partner ecosystem to provide partners with a scalable pathway to improve backup and infrastructure offerings. Dicker Data A/NZ cloud general manager Sarah Loiterton said partners are noticing the shift of organisations transitioning from cloud adoption to AI at scale particularly through customer conversations. As such, she said the partnership with AvePoint is about helping customers move up the value chain and "capture the next phase of opportunity in cloud and AI". "Our partners are increasingly being asked to help customers ensure their data is not just accessible, but governed, secure and ready to support AI-driven outcomes," Loiterton said. "AvePoint adds a purpose-built platform layer to our Microsoft ecosystem that enables partners to operationalise those requirements at scale while building high-value, recurring services around governance, protection, and optimisation." The vendor's A/NZ sakes and channel director, Oliver Gohl, added the partner opportunity is "both immediate and significant", especially in the Microsoft ecosystem. "MSPs are sitting on one of the biggest growth opportunities in the Microsoft ecosystem, but most are still yet to take advantage," he said. "Our partnership with Dicker Data is about changing that. Together, we are giving partners the platform and commercial model to build scalable, high-margin services around data protection, security, governance, and AI. That is where the next wave of partner profitability sits." Last month, Dicker Data became one of a few distributors globally to achieve Microsoft's Frontier Distributor status, recognising it as an organisation that can support partners across the full lifecycle of modern cloud and AI delivery. From its editors straight to your inbox. Get started by entering your email address below. Sasha Karen is a nationally recognised highly commended senior journalist at ARN. With a decade's worth of experience, Sasha serves the local channel community with news and inspiration about channel partners.