Kickstarter 2026: The conversations shaping the year ahead

Kickstarter is techpartner.news’ annual, editorially-led event designed to help partners cut through the noise and focus on the trends, decisions, and opportunities that are shaping the year ahead. Bringing together the techpartner.news editorial team, industry leaders, partners, and sponsors, the event provides a grounded, discussion-driven forum to examine where the market is heading and what it means in practice.

Taking place on 25th of February in Sydney at the Establishment Precinct, the event will centre around three key conversations shaping the channel and broader technology ecosystem as the year unfolds.

To register, visit here.

SMB profitability
With margin pressure continuing across the market, this session will take a practical look at which SMB business models and specialisations are paying off in 2026. The discussion will explore where efficiency and automation gains are genuinely being realised, how AI is reshaping cost structures, and where partners are seeing meaningful profitability - as opposed to hype.

Growing your security business
Security remains a priority for customers, but demand is evolving. This panel will examine the areas driving real opportunity in 2026, from rising compliance pressures to identity and cloud protection. The focus will be on what customers are prioritising, how buying behaviour is changing, and where partners can build sustainable security practices.

From MSP to consultant & advisor
As customer expectations shift, many partners are moving beyond traditional support models. This discussion will explore how MSPs are expanding into advisory and consulting roles, the steps involved in moving up the value chain, and the skills reshaping customer relationships in 2026.

The event will feature perspectives from a diverse lineup of industry leaders including: