Zscaler Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS) and Carahsoft Technology Corp. announced an expanded partnership on Aug. 18, 2026, to deliver enterprise-proven, cloud-native Zero Trust security to the U.S. small and medium-sized business (SMB) and mid-market segments. The initiative aims to address the resource constraints faced by these organizations while countering ransomware, phishing, and identity-based cyber threats.

The companies will leverage Carahsoft’s extensive distribution network and trusted reseller relationships to streamline access to the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform. This approach targets growing businesses that face similar cyber risks as large enterprises but require simpler, more economically predictable security models.

Key Partnership Features

The expanded collaboration introduces several standardized frameworks designed to accelerate adoption and reduce operational burden:

• Standardized SMB-Ready Customer Offers: Curated Zero Trust Exchange bundles and deployment accelerators tailored for rapid time to value.
• Simplified Consumption: Predictable, right-sized pricing and packaging aligned to SMB budgets, with streamlined procurement through Carahsoft’s reseller ecosystem.
• Partner Enablement at Scale: Repeatable onboarding playbooks, reference architectures, and support alignment to enable partners to service the SMB market seamlessly.
• Go-to-Market Partner Velocity: Unified marketing motions and co-selling frameworks built to accelerate channel engagement and market execution.

Strategic Rationale

Anthony Torsiello, SVP of Global Partner Ecosystem at Zscaler, stated that SMB and mid-market organizations need a model built for simplicity, speed, and economic predictability. He noted that the expansion makes the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange more accessible to a large, underserved segment, enabling partners to deliver world-class security outcomes without enterprise complexity.

Craig P. Abod, President of Carahsoft, emphasized that combining Zscaler’s cloud security platform with Carahsoft’s channel expertise helps partners accelerate adoption and simplify the buying process. The goal is to deliver long-term value to customers by replacing legacy security stacks and appliance-based architectures with a unified, cloud-delivered Zero Trust model.

What the Numbers Show

While no financial figures were disclosed in the announcement, the strategic shift highlights a clear dependency on channel partners for market penetration in the SMB segment. By moving from direct enterprise sales to a partner-led model via Carahsoft, Zscaler is effectively outsourcing customer acquisition and deployment costs for this specific tier, trading margin control for volume scalability in an underserved market.

Zscaler and Schwarz Digits announced a strategic partnership on July 28, 2026, to deliver a sovereign Zero Trust Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform for organizations across Europe. The collaboration combines Zscaler’s cybersecurity technology with Schwarz Digits’ European sovereign cloud infrastructure, STACKIT, which is operated from data centers in Germany. This joint offering addresses the rising demand for digital sovereignty alongside strict cybersecurity requirements imposed by regulations such as NIS2, DORA, and the AI Act. The solution is designed to protect mission-critical operations in public administration, defense, financial services, and healthcare against AI-driven cyber threats while ensuring data remains within the EU.

The partnership aims to solve the complex balancing act faced by European enterprises that must meet operational resilience and supply-chain security expectations without compromising on performance or legal compliance. By deploying the Zscaler security platform within Schwarz Digits’ data centers, the companies provide a holistic approach that covers deployment, management, operation, and support. This ensures that customer data and operations are protected against lateral threat movement and third-party access, aligning with European digital sovereignty regulations.

Christian Müller, CEO of Schwarz Digits, emphasized that technological independence begins with infrastructure. He stated that the partnership evolves existing security architectures by focusing on high-performance identity verification, providing stronger protection against cyberattacks for their customers.

Misha Kuperman, Chief Reliability Officer at Zscaler, noted that modern Zero Trust SASE solutions are essential for protecting sensitive enterprise data in an era of AI-driven threats. He described the partnership as a demonstration of Zscaler’s long-term commitment to Europe, enabling customers to eliminate their attack surface while maintaining compliance through EU data residency.

Bernd Wagner, CSO of Schwarz Digits, highlighted the need for secure IT infrastructure that does not compromise digital sovereignty. He explained that the union of Zscaler’s advanced architecture and Schwarz Digits’ sovereign cloud ensures all data remains in the EU, protected against unauthorized access.

Partnership Details

What the Numbers Show

The partnership reflects a structural shift in the European cybersecurity market where regulatory compliance is driving infrastructure decisions. With regulations like NIS2 and DORA elevating cybersecurity to a board-level priority, the demand for solutions that simultaneously address threat prevention and data sovereignty is increasing. This collaboration indicates that hyperscale security providers are adapting their delivery models to host services on local, sovereign infrastructure to capture mission-critical sectors such as defense and public administration.