Winning in 2026 and beyond: Key insights from Ultimate Partner’s Livestream

2026 is reshaping partner strategy at a pace we’ve never seen before. AI, cloud marketplaces, ecosystem-led growth, and shifting buyer behavior are transforming how partners influence, co-sell, and win.

During Ultimate Partner’s January 13 livestream, analyst Jay McBain and Microsoft leader Cyril Belikoff offered deep insight into the trends defining the year ahead.

Cyril Belikoff,(VP of Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing at Microsoft) Key takeaways

• Frontier Firm Framework: Enrich Employee Experiences → Reinvent Customer Engagement → Reshape Business Processes → Bend the Innovation Curve.
• Microsoft introduced Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ to help organizations operationalize AI.
• Agent 365 enables governance, security, and observability for AI agents.
• Microsoft Marketplace is now unified into a single experience and growing rapidly.
• Resale-Enabled Offers (REO) unleash scale by connecting ISVs with resellers/MSPs globally.

Jay McBain (Chief Analyst at Omdia) Key takeaways

• “Opportunity — that’s the word for partners in 2026.” Tech is expected to grow more than 10%, with massive upside in AI-related services.
• 96% of enterprise deals involve multiple partners. Co-selling and influence—not resale—drive the majority of wins.
• Marketplaces are accelerating. Indirect influence is rising even in areas where resale declines.
• “Early partner involvement determines who wins the deal.” Visibility into the ecosystem is becoming essential. Many deals are shaped months before a vendor or seller ever see activity.
• Certifications matter. 80%+ of customers evaluate partners based on competencies and continuous learning.
• AI services are the fastest-growing partner opportunity, with >35% CAGR projected through 2030.

Partner action plan for 2026

• Invest in continuous AI upskilling and certifications.
• Use ecosystem tools to detect early influence moments.
• Publish or resell offers in Microsoft Marketplace.
• Prioritize data modernization to unlock AI impact.
• Lean into co-selling and multi-partner orchestration.

The partners who embrace ecosystem visibility, continuous learning, and marketplace-driven growth will be best positioned to win in 2026 and beyond.  If you missed the livestream, you can watch a recap here: Podcast - Ultimate Guide to Partnering®

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Ultimate Partner® is built for one thing: helping partnership leaders achieve their greatest results by staying ahead of the tectonic shifts in AI, marketplace, co-sell, and ecosystem-led growth.

Learn More and attend upcoming events here: Events - Ultimate Guide to Partnering®