Veeam Software announced the Veeam Sovereign Service Providers Programme, a phased global initiative designed to help customers identify trusted local service providers that combine sovereign operating capabilities with Veeam-powered sovereign data resilience and security. The first phase introduces the Data Sovereignty Competency within the Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) programme, with additional programme offerings planned for later this year.
Through the programme, Veeam provides the technical capabilities for sovereign data protection, while participating service providers contribute local operating models, governance, jurisdictional expertise, and established market presence to deliver services aligned with customer needs. Together, these complementary strengths enable customers to assess solutions across data location, operational control, access governance, and legal jurisdiction without compromising cyber resilience or recoverability.
Data sovereignty requirements are expanding as governments and regulators introduce or develop rules concerning data residency, access, control, portability, and jurisdiction. At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty, cross-border dependencies, and accelerating AI adoption are increasing scrutiny of where sensitive data resides, who can access it and which laws apply. Organisations that previously treated sovereignty as a specialist public-sector or regulated-industry concern may increasingly need to demonstrate greater control and transparency across their data estates.
“Sovereignty is defined by each customer’s regional government, legal, regulatory and operational requirements. Meeting those requirements depends on both technology and the way a service is operated,” said Michelle Graff, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships at Veeam. “The Veeam Sovereign Service Providers Programme brings those two dimensions together. Veeam provides the technical foundation for resilient data protection, while trusted local partners contribute sovereign operating models, governance expertise, and established in-market capabilities. The VCSP Data Sovereignty Competency gives customers a clearer way to identify providers that have invested in both.”
Recent Veeam research found that 70% of organisations admit AI workflows are interacting with sensitive corporate data without full oversight, while 67% report employees are creating autonomous AI workflows that IT teams cannot fully track. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in business operations, strong data governance, local control, and resilient protection are becoming increasingly important.
The VCSP Data Sovereignty Competency is designed to help customers identify providers that have demonstrated capabilities against defined programme criteria covering operational, legal, technological, and governance considerations. Requirements include evidence relating to local operating models, jurisdictional controls, in-region personnel, data governance processes, customer oversight, and resilient data protection. The competency recognises provider capabilities against Veeam’s programme requirements; it does not replace a customer’s own legal, regulatory, risk or compliance assessment.
Veeam’s existing product capabilities, together with continued investment in additional sovereignty capabilities to address rapidly evolving regulatory requirements, provide the technical foundation for participating partners’ services. Combined with the sovereign operating capabilities of qualified local providers, these joint solutions are designed to help customers address current data sovereignty requirements while adapting to an increasingly unpredictable regulatory and geopolitical environment.
Built on Veeam’s commitment to customer choice, the Data Sovereignty Competency is intended to sit alongside other VCSP competencies. Customers can identify the combination of service provider capabilities relevant to their requirements, including data sovereignty, disaster recovery as-a-service, and off-site backup.
According to the Gartner Hype Cycle for Digital Sovereignty, 2026, “Digital sovereignty is transitioning into a critical board-level imperative, with its urgency escalating as continued geopolitical events increasingly weaponise access to global infrastructure, services and AI. If you lack comprehensive control over your technology stack, a single geopolitical action can terminate your business operations overnight.”
“Across Europe, sovereignty has evolved from a compliance consideration into a strategic business requirement,” said Tim Pfaelzer, General Manager and Senior Vice President, EMEA at Veeam. “As regulation expands and organisations scale AI initiatives, they need greater certainty over where data resides, who can access it and which laws govern its use. Veeam’s technology, combined with the local operating capabilities of trusted service providers, gives customers a practical and defensible route to strengthen data control without sacrificing resilience or recovery.”
“Sovereignty isn’t a checkbox. It is proof of jurisdiction, residency and control, verified end to end,” said Ahsan Khan, Chief Technology Officer, ThinkOn. “This recognition reflects the standard we set in Canada’s most regulated environments, and it is the same discipline guiding how we build for regulated customers across every market we serve.”
Only service providers that meet the competency requirements will qualify. Customers will be able to discover approved providers through Veeam partner profiles that highlight data sovereignty capabilities, regional coverage, and competency status.
The VCSP Data Sovereignty Competency is the first phase of the Veeam Sovereign Service Providers Programme. Veeam plans to introduce additional offerings later this year as it continues working with product teams and selected service providers to extend the programme. Further details will be announced when those offerings are ready for market.
Discussion about this post