A conference on AI, growth, and the role of MSPs in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
In early October 2025, the RAI in Amsterdam will be filled with over a thousand visitors from more than forty countries. It is the second European edition of Beyond, the annual conference of Pax8. After Berlin last year, the American company has now chosen the Netherlands as the location.
According to Harald Nuij, CEO of Pax8 EMEA, the growth of the event reflects the development of the organization itself. “We are active in sixteen countries, provide services in more than thirty, and work with over eight thousand MSPs,” he says proudly. This growth is partly due to acquisitions and partly due to organic expansion. “Pax8 is a mosaic of companies that are one. Some have been around for twenty years. So, although the name Pax8 is still young in Europe, we have a lot of experience on board.”
He acknowledges that the brand is still working on European name recognition. “We are building the recognition of Pax8, but the foundation is solid.”
In Full Transition
Rob Rae, Corporate VP of Community and Ecosystems, kicks off the conference. With a touch of humor, he tries to energize the audience of more than a thousand attendees, then emphasizes that Beyond is about “community, education, and innovation.”
Beneath that lightheartedness lies a serious undertone. With Beyond, Pax8 not only wants to thank its partners but also engage in discussions about the future of managed service providers in a time when AI and automation are emerging. But how significant is this shift really? Pax8 may claim that no company in the MSP market has the same or a comparable offering, but is that necessary? Is every MSP eager to implement AI? Pax8 thinks so and wants it to happen as quickly as possible.
Taking Action
The tone changes as President and Chief Commerce Officer Nick Heddy takes the stage. His opening is direct: “No one is going to save your company. Not AI, not a vendor, not a new product. The only one who can do that is you.”
We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.
Heddy refers to a quote by Martin Luther King: ‘the fierce urgency of now.’ According to him, this perfectly summarizes the situation the MSP market is in. “The economy is shifting, AI is rewriting the rules, and customer expectations are changing faster than ever. This is not the future; this is happening now.”
His message resonates. “The pace of change has never been so high and will never be as low as today.” It is a call to MSPs to keep moving and take responsibility for their own transformation.
AI, AI, and… More AI
As expected, AI is central, although “it won’t save your company.” Pax8 has coined the term Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP) to describe the next phase of the MSP. Where managed services used to focus on infrastructure management, managed intelligence according to the company is about connecting technology, data, and advice.
Chief Product Officer Libby McIlhany explained during the press session: “We are at a tipping point. Technology is not only changing rapidly, but also fundamentally. We want our partners to understand what that means and how they can benefit from it.” According to her colleague Craig Donovan, the transition to managed intelligence requires a new way of thinking. “It’s no longer about the technology itself, but about understanding customers’ business processes and how to apply AI to them.”
Last year I opened with “welcome to the show,” now I say “get to work.”
Nick Heddy
“No one has an excuse anymore,” it sounds. You can take that quite literally. Pax8 has developed a personalized path with its Guided Growth program for different personas. “Not only managers are on board with AI, but all levels of the company. And that’s easy because AI has already become mainstream. Everyone is already using it.”
The idea is elaborated in Pax8’s research report The Agentic Inflection Point, which CEO Scott Chasin presented earlier this year. In it, he writes: “We are at a historic crossroads. The decisions we make in the next 24 to 36 months will determine which organizations grow and which fall behind.”
Belgium Follows the Netherlands Steadily
European employees are more cautious. Timon Bergsma, regional director for Benelux and France, says that the adoption of AI varies greatly by region. “The Netherlands is leading, Belgium is catching up quickly, but the pace differs. The Dutch embraced the cloud early on, and the Belgians are now catching up fast.”
Bergsma sees curiosity among many MSPs, but also uncertainty. “There are challenges: finding talent, stimulating adoption, dealing with new generations in the workplace. We help partners with coaching and frameworks to better manage that change.”
AI has become so ingrained that even my mother uses a language model, even though she doesn’t know exactly how.
Timon Bergsma
His down-to-earth tone contrasts with the visionary language of the American speakers at Beyond 2025. This difference emphasizes that the AI transformation of the MSP market may not be as prominent as suggested. It’s interesting to remain realistic alongside the revolutionary view, which can be quickly forgotten when superlatives are thrown around. For example, VP AI Adoption Chance Weaver states that Pax8 “actually has no competitors.”
AI agents
The Agentic Inflection Point report describes four levels of AI autonomy, from simple chatbots to complete digital agents that independently execute business processes. Pax8 sees a new playing field for MSPs in this, evolving into architects of Managed Intelligence.
According to the report, small and medium-sized businesses are remarkably well-positioned to participate in this. “They are less burdened by outdated systems and can make decisions faster. While large organizations are still making plans, SMEs dare to experiment.”
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Pax8 shines its light on growing AI and the future of MSPs
At the same time, the question remains how feasible this shift is in the short term. Many MSPs are still struggling with security and staff shortages. Pax8 seems to acknowledge this: many sessions focus on concrete steps, from data security to pricing models for AI services. Thanks to the new Agent Store, Pax8 claims that implementation will only proceed more smoothly.
An important caveat emerges from our conversations: implementation does not happen with technology alone, but also with structure, training, and a necessary dose of courage.
New Products and the Role of Microsoft
During the keynotes, Pax8 presents several innovations in its platform. Heddy announces the Integrations Hub, a central dashboard for connecting software, data, and automation. “You no longer have to switch between separate systems; everything can be managed in one overview,” he says. Additionally, Pax8 introduces the Public Storefronts, allowing MSPs to make their services visible online.
The collaboration with Microsoft receives special attention. Pax8 has been named Global Partner of the Year and is launching the Secure Microsoft Copilot Suite. This bundle aims to provide SMEs with a safe and affordable way to use AI tools like Copilot. “Many partners asked how they could offer Copilot without security risks,” says Donovan. “Together with Microsoft, we have designed a solution that makes this possible: OneCloud Guided Growth for structured growth in Microsoft Cloud.” The collaboration is necessary, also from Microsoft’s side. After all, Copilot is not gaining traction as quickly as Redmond might want.
Education as a Common Thread
In addition to the technological announcements, the emphasis is on training and knowledge sharing. The Pax8 Academy plays a key role in this. According to the company, partners who follow the training achieve an average of 37 percent higher profit margins.
The academy offers courses in technology, sales, and business strategy. The Guided Growth program helps again, guiding MSPs step by step in developing AI services. “We want to provide partners not only with tools but also with the skills to work with them,” he says.
Contradiction
Beyond 2025 shows a market redefining its identity, and Pax8 positions itself as the ultimate guide in this era of rapid technological change. “At Pax8, you get a complete package. Competitors may offer training here and there, but it’s not as thorough as ours. We are the only right choice: simple.” The vision is clear and straightforward, yet also clear and convincing. However, it remains doubtful whether the implementation with partners will proceed as smoothly.
“We are still early in the story of AI implementation,” acknowledges VP AI Adoption Chance Weaver. “I have spoken with 500 MSPs to find out how many are selling AI solutions to their clients: there were 13,” he says.
Also, the phrase in Heddy’s keynote still lingers: “AI won’t save your company. The only one who can do that is you.” A simple statement in itself, yet also contradictory to the AI announcements and the message Pax8 wants to convey at Beyond 2025 this year.