Overview
Executive Overview
ThinkOn is a leading cloud service provider (CSP) and wholesale provider of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and data management solutions. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company has expanded its global footprint with data centers across North America, the UK, and Australia. ThinkOn’s primary mission is to empower organizations to protect, manage, and monetize their data through a secure and scalable cloud platform.
The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including cloud compute, high-performance storage, and specialized data protection solutions such as Disaster Recovery (DR) and Backup. ThinkOn has established a strong market presence as a trusted partner for public sector entities, healthcare organizations, and financial institutions that require stringent data sovereignty and compliance. By operating as a wholesale provider, ThinkOn works primarily through a robust network of channel partners, enabling Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs) to deliver enterprise-grade cloud solutions to their own end-users.
Throughout its history, ThinkOn has focused on organic growth and strategic partnerships with global technology leaders. They are a VMware Sovereign Cloud provider and maintain deep technical integrations with Veeam and Hitachi Vantara. This positioning allows them to serve a diverse target audience, from small enterprises needing simple off-site backups to massive government agencies requiring secure, multi-zone cloud architectures. Their business focus remains steadfast on providing a reliable, transparent, and secure alternative to the global hyperscalers.
Company Differentiation
ThinkOn distinguishes itself through a "channel-first" philosophy and a commitment to data sovereignty. Unlike the hyperscale cloud providers where customers are often treated as account numbers, ThinkOn operates as a boutique, high-touch organization that prioritizes the success of its channel partners (VARs, MSPs, and ISVs). Their business model is built on transparency, offering predictable pricing without the hidden egress fees that typically plague public cloud deployments.
Culturally, ThinkOn is defined by its "Data Protector" identity. They view themselves as custodians of their clients' most critical assets rather than just a utility provider. This philosophy extends to their approach to customer success, where they provide direct access to high-level engineering talent rather than tiered support bots. Their independence is a core value; by remaining a privately held, agile organization, they can pivot quickly to meet specific regulatory or technical requirements that larger, more rigid competitors cannot accommodate. This creates a partnership dynamic based on trust, reliability, and mutual growth.
Company Demographics
Product Offerings
- ThinkOn IaaS: Enterprise-grade virtual data centers powered by VMware, providing scalable compute and memory.
- ThinkOn Cloud Backup: Offsite backup repositories for Veeam, Commvault, and Veritas users.
- ThinkOn DRaaS: Near-instant recovery of applications and data with orchestrated failover.
- ThinkOn Object Storage: Scalable, S3-compatible storage for archives and unstructured data.
- ThinkOn Archive: Low-cost, long-term storage for data that is rarely accessed but must be retained for compliance.
- ThinkOn Microsoft 365 Backup: Specialized protection for Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
Product Differentiation
The ThinkOn product suite is engineered for technical resilience and compliance, with a significant emphasis on "Sovereign Cloud" capabilities. Their portfolio spans Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS), and Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS), but it is their vendor-neutral approach that provides a unique technical advantage. By integrating deeply with industry leaders like Veeam, VMware, and Commvault, ThinkOn allows organizations to extend their existing on-premises workflows into the cloud without refactoring their entire stack.
A key differentiator is their "ThinkOn G-Cloud" and secure facility offerings, which are purpose-built for government and highly regulated industries requiring strict data residency and security clearances. Their data protection solutions are characterized by air-gapped storage and immutable backup options, providing a robust defense against ransomware that goes beyond standard cloud storage. Furthermore, ThinkOn’s infrastructure is designed to eliminate the complexity of data movement; their technical architecture optimizes performance for data-heavy workloads, ensuring that large-scale recovery operations are faster and more reliable than generic object storage platforms. This focus on "data-centric" infrastructure makes their products particularly effective for long-term retention and mission-critical recovery.
