2026 ASCII Cup Honors Technology Partners Driving ITSP Success
Pax8 Named ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year by the ASCII Community
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OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ASCII, a Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) community, announced the winners of the 2026 ASCII Cup, with Pax8 named Vendor of the Year based on votes from ASCII members throughout the year. The annual award recognizes technology partners whose innovation, partner programs and overall value help IT Service Providers (ITSPs) grow their businesses.
The 2026 ASCII Cup awards were presented on October 22 at the final ASCII Edge event of the year in San Antonio, Texas. The celebration brought the ASCII community together to recognize the technology partners who support ITSP success, continuing a longstanding tradition established by The ASCII Group, now part of GTIA.
The ASCII Cup is determined through a yearlong, peer-driven voting process at regional ASCII Edge events across North America. At each event, ASCII members evaluate participating technology vendors across 12 categories, with results from the event series ultimately determining the ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year and the year’s other top-ranked technology partners.
“The ASCII Cup is a great example of the IT channel connecting and growing together,” said Jerry Koutavas, Vice President, Community ASCII, at GTIA. “These awards come straight from our members, recognizing the technology partners who help ITSPs build stronger businesses. Congratulations to Pax8 and all of this year’s honorees.”
The 2026 ASCII Cup award recipients are:
- Pax8 – 2026 ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year
- Atakama – First Runner-Up
- Kaseya – Third Place
- SonicWall – Fourth Place
- ThreatMate – Fifth Place
- Monjur – Sixth Place
- RYTHMz – Seventh Place
- Vircom – Eighth Place
- Proofpoint – Ninth Place
- Cynet – Tenth Place
Rob Rae, Corporate Vice President of Partner Experience at Pax8, added, “Recognition from the MSP and MIP community means a lot because these are the partners we work alongside every day. Being named the 2026 ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year tells us our focus on community, education and partner success is making a difference, and we’re honored by that vote of confidence.”
Pax8’s 2026 win follows its ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year recognition in 2024 and first runner-up finish in 2025. This year’s award again puts the company at the top of a field selected by the ITSPs its partner programs serve.
About the Global Technology Industry Association
The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is the only vendor-neutral, 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership community connecting and representing the worldwide IT channel. We set our members up for success by providing benefits that include trusted resources and networking opportunities. In addition, the association sets industry standards that enable companies to build sustainable, secure, and profitable businesses in an ever-changing technology landscape. With The ASCII Group, which has served North American MSPs, MSSPs and solution providers since 1984, now part of GTIA, the association’s community continues to grow. Internationally, GTIA represents hundreds of thousands of professionals from nearly 4,000 ITSPs, vendors, distributors and other companies serving the IT channel.
For more information, visit gtia.org.
Media contact: Suzanne Collier WhiteFox Marketing for GTIA suzanne@whitefoxpr.com
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