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Scale sales growth through Microsoft Marketplace
Negotiated deals are one of the most effective growth levers - especially when partners are part of your strategy. Explore how customer private offers, multiparty private offers, and partner led reselling can help you deliver flexible pricing, simplify procurement, and empower your sales ecosystem - all without rebuilding your app or agent. Learn how to choose the right deal structure and scale with negotiated deals. Read more and scale smarter: Scale your sales growth with negotiated deals and reselling with ease | Microsoft Community HubWinning 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® Join the movement 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®Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Days: AI Fundamentals
Register now for one of our many upcoming training events in the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: AI Fundamentals series, with several sessions happening in November and December 2023. Join us for these free training events to learn how organizations use AI technology to solve real-world challenges and see how to build intelligent applications using Azure AI services. These trainings are suitable for anyone interested in AI solutions—including those in technical or business roles. Who should attend: IT administrators Developers Data analysts Product managers Technical level: This is a foundational-level course. Attendees should understand the fundamental scope of technology and the opportunity to integrate without practice or hands-on experience. After completing this training, you will be able to: Understand foundational AI concepts and real-world use cases. Get started using AI services on Azure and machine learning in Azure Machine Learning Studio. Identify common AI workloads and ways to use AI responsibly.Moving an app from AWS to Azure
Moving an application from AWS to Azure is more than a simple lift‑and‑shift. Successful replication requires selecting the right Azure services to support scalability, security, and long‑term growth. This article outlines the key migration considerations software development teams must address to successfully replicate AWS‑based applications on Azure. Walk through how to: Map core AWS services to their Azure equivalents Design Azure‑ready architectures with the right identity and security foundations Avoid common pitfalls that slow migrations and increase rework Discover the key Azure resources that help teams: Move faster with confidence Reduce rework during development and deployment Set a strong foundation for long‑term success on the Azure platform Read the full blog here: Replicating your AWS application to Azure: key resources for software development companies | Microsoft Community HubExplore paths for database migration into Azure
As organizations accelerate their multicloud strategies, choosing the right approach to database migration is essential for ensuring performance, scalability, and long-term flexibility. Microsoft’s latest article, “Expanding the Multicloud Advantage: Database Migration Paths into Azure,” provides practical guidance for navigating migration options, evaluating architectural considerations, and maximizing the benefits of Azure’s data platform services. If your team is looking to broader your customer base and enhance your apps's exposute by bringing your AWS-based solution to Azure and listing it on Microsoft Marketplace, this resource offers valuable insights to support informed, strategic decision‑making. Read the full article: Expanding the multicloud advantage: Database migration paths into Azure | Microsoft Community HubISV Success FAQ: Are their limitations for use of the Azure Sponsorship credits?
Q: Are their limitations for use of the Azure Sponsorship credits (offered as part of ISV Success)? A: Azure Sponsorship must be used within 12 months of joining the ISV Success program. Due to current technical limitations Azure Sponsorship also can not be used on Microsoft Customer Agreements (MCA) or Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) agreements. Azure Sponsorship also can not be used to purchase Reserved Instances (RI) or (Reserved Capacity (RC). Note: this FAQ is relevant to participants in ISV Success. Learn more about ISV Success here.New Azure blog on charting AI & agent strategy with Marketplace
In a new Azure blog, Cyril Belikoff, Vice President, Commercial Cloud and AI Marketing, talks about how organizations are using Microsoft Marketplace as a central hub for discovering, buying, and deploying AI models, applications, and agents to support their AI strategy. He emphasizes that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—companies can build custom solutions, buy ready-made ones, or blend both depending on their needs. Marketplace offers thousands of pre-vetted models and AI tools that integrate with existing Microsoft products (like Microsoft Foundry and Copilot), helping teams accelerate time-to-value, maintain governance, and balance agility with oversight as they adopt AI more broadly. Read the full blog and share it with your customers: Design your AI strategy with Microsoft Marketplace SolutionsMicrosoft Ignite- Meaningful Announcements That Create Real Movement
Now that we are officially in 2026, I want to reflect back on Microsoft Ignite as it was more energized than ever. There is real momentum right now across Microsoft Marketplace, and the most meaningful shift I am seeing is around REO( Reseller Enabled Offer )capability. This is opening the door for partners to take Marketplace offers and bring them directly into new regions, new customer segments, and new routes to market without adding operational friction for either side. A true channel selling motion! For ISVs, REO means you can authorize trusted partners to resell your Marketplace offer in the way that works best for the customer. You no longer need to manage every deal yourself. For partners, it means instant access to in demand AI and security solutions that customers are already asking for. It removes barriers, it speeds up the process, and it connects the ecosystem in a much more natural way. If anyone in the community is exploring REO, private offers, multiparty models, or Marketplace strategy in general, it would be great to hear from you or reach out and would love to discuss. Looking forward to connecting with everyone in the new year. justinroyal
Azure customer usage attribution (CUA) - report or validate it is working?
Per this article - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/marketplace-offers/azure-partner-customer-usage-attribution#example-azure-powershell If we use Azure PowerShell along with the ISV/SDC's Tracking GUID (created earlier in Partner Centre), to provision Azure VM's and other resources in end-customer tenants directly related to our IP as an ISV/SDC - how do we report or validate that this CUA is working?Unlock key strategies for Marketplace growth
Looking to strengthen your go‑to‑market strategy in the year ahead? Don’t miss Microsoft’s latest guidance on how partners can accelerate success in the commercial marketplace. At Microsoft Ignite 2025, Microsoft Marketplace emerged as a central platform for cloud and AI innovation, with major enhancements such as expanded resale-enabled offers, deeper integration across Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem, and new tools designed to streamline procurement and accelerate value delivery for customers. This valuable resource distills 10 essential tips to help organizations optimize listings, leverage private offers, improve discoverability, and scale more effectively in the evolving AI-first landscape. It’s a valuable guide for any partner aiming to elevate their marketplace performance and align with Microsoft’s modern go-to-market approach. Read more: 10 Essential tips for Marketplace success: Insights from Microsoft Ignite 2025 | Microsoft Community Hub
