“Midmarket organizations are facing real complexity around what we call the ‘digital backbone.’ Hybrid infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud environments … all of those things businesses depend on every day. What they need is a partner who takes accountability for that foundation and stays proactive so their leaders can focus on leading the business rather than worrying about critical IT,’ says Luke Johnson, Katalyst CEO.
A newly launched partnership between Katalyst and e4n aims to build an AI-enabled cybersecurity and infrastructure platform that will scale through potential acquisitions and advanced automation.
Katalyst is now the founding company of e4n’s managed services platform, which will combine Charlotte, N.C.-based MSP Katalyst’s managed services business with New York-based MSP e4n’s operational expertise, acquisition strategy and AI engineering resources. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Luke Johnson, Katalyst CEO, said the broader goal is to create a next-generation MSP platform built around cybersecurity, AI-enabled workflows and the company’s “digital backbone:” the cloud infrastructure, networking and connectivity systems businesses increasingly rely on.
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“I think there’s a few unique things about this,” Johnson told CRN in an interview. “We are bringing a lot of AI into the MSP business. We have some great expertise there that we will be launching, and all of the companies that join us will be able to leverage that.”
Going forward, Katalyst plans to acquire more MSPs to bring into the platform.
Hervé Tessler, co-founder and CEO of e4n, said his MSP’s approach combines operational discipline with practical AI deployment for internal MSP operations and customer-facing services.
“We’ve got an AI playbook,” Tessler told CRN. “One of the co-founders of e4n, [Lucas Fischer], is extremely skilled and highly connected to the ecosystem of AI startups globally, and we’re coming with very practical AI solutions to bring value to both Katalyst itself and end customers.”
Those AI investments will focus heavily on cybersecurity operations, automation and AI-enabled workflows rather than experimental consumer AI tools.
“Midmarket organizations are facing real complexity around what we call the ‘digital backbone,’” Johnson said. “Hybrid infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud environments … all of those things businesses depend on every day.
“What they need,” he added, “is a partner who takes accountability for that foundation and stays proactive so their leaders can focus on leading the business rather than worrying about critical IT.”
The platform is also designed to help acquired MSPs scale faster by sharing operational systems, vendor relationships and technical capabilities.
“What the e4n team brings to Katalyst, and vice versa, is really that idea of one plus one equals three, four, five,” Tessler said. “What we’re going to do is help with different market access, vendor access, access to capital, to double down on what he is already doing very well.”
And there will be continued investment in core infrastructure and cybersecurity technologies from major vendors including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Cisco Systems and Fortinet, Johnson added.
At the same time, the strategy remains deeply human-centered despite the AI focus. Tessler said the partnership itself was built around leadership alignment and cultural fit as much as technology strategy.
“We very much believe in the human in the loop,” Johnson said. “It’s a people business.”
