# Carbon 9 Defense Wins Splunk Partner Award

Carbon 9 Defense has been named the 2026 Splunk Public Sector Partner of the Year, recognizing its leadership in delivering AI-driven cybersecurity solutions to government clients. This award, presented by Splunk—a Cisco company—highlights Carbon 9 Defense's strong regional partnership and its role in advancing digital resilience through innovative AI capabilities tailored for public sector challenges.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should note Carbon 9 Defense's elevated status as a trusted partner in AI-enabled cybersecurity solutions, signaling potential collaboration opportunities for government IT modernization projects.
- The recognition underscores the growing importance of AI and advanced analytics in public sector cybersecurity procurement.
- Contractors and vendors specializing in AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics may find increased demand for integrated solutions leveraging Splunk's platform.
- Agencies aiming to enhance digital resilience can consider partnerships with firms like Carbon 9 Defense that have proven expertise and strong vendor relationships.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** September 17, 2026

### Vendors
- Carbon 9 Defense (partner)
- Splunk (partner)
- Cisco (parent company of Splunk)

### Key Quotes
> The Splunk Regional Partner Awards honor partners like Carbon 9 Defense who leverage Splunk's AI capabilities to spark innovation and solve some of our customers' most complex challenges by building the kind of digital resilience that businesses need to thrive today.
> — Shannon Leininger, SVP, Global Partner Sales & Splunk Channel Chief, Cisco

> We are incredibly proud to be recognized as Splunk's Public Sector Partner of the Year.
> — Finn Ramsland, President, Carbon 9 Defense

### Sources
- [Carbon 9 Defense Recognized in 2026 Splunk Regional Partner Awards](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/carbon-9-defense-recognized-2026-120000166.html) - Yahoo Finance