Office hours for partners: Marketplace rewards for FY26
If you are a software company or channel partner selling through the Microsoft commercial marketplace, don’t miss our first Office Hours session of the new fiscal year! We start with an update on Marketplace Rewards for channel partners, which is now generally available for FY26. We then dive into the following topics and answer your questions live: Marketplace Rewards benefit tiers and changes from the pilot program Essential tips for utilizing Microsoft Azure Sponsorship to win multiparty private offer deals Lessons learned from successful partners Where can I access the deck? Click here to download the slides presented in this session of Office Hours. When is the next Office Hours session? Bookmark the Marketplace Community for announcements about upcoming Office Hours events.Certified Software Designations: FY26 Benefits Updates
If you are a software development company selling through the Microsoft commercial marketplace, don’t miss this office hours session. Learn how to stand out to Microsoft customers and sellers -- and unlock the top-tier of benefits available to software development company partners. Walk away with a better understanding of: Certified software designation: What it is and why it matters FY26 updates: New benefits and incentives for designated partners Getting started: Steps to begin your designation journey Where can I access the deck? Click here to download the slides presented in this session of Office Hours. When is the next Office Hours session? Bookmark the Marketplace Community for announcements about upcoming Office Hours events.AI-powered acceleration: scale faster on Microsoft Marketplace
Go beyond the basics of listing and explore what truly drives velocity. For SaaS companies, the Microsoft Marketplace is no longer just a procurement convenience, it’s a strategic revenue engine. Yet while publishing a listing is simple, reaching that first transaction quickly is what separates software development companies who scale from those who stall. Dive into operational readiness, CRM-native automation, seller engagement, trust signals, and AI-enabled acceleration. Whether you're just getting started or looking to optimize your Marketplace motion, this session will provide you with information that will turn your first sale into a repeatable growth engine. What we will cover Accelerate your launch. Learn how embedded deep links and guided tasks cut down publishing time from weeks to hours. Ask AI, get answers. Find out how to access expert marketplace knowledge 24/7; no docs, no guesswork. Stay on track. See how automated roadmaps and adaptive progress tracking keep you from missing critical steps. Ready to turn your sales into repeatable growth engine? Join us December 4 at 9:00 AM PST to learn more and ask questions. How do I participate? Select Add to calendar to save the date, then click the Attend button to save your spot, receive event reminders, and participate in the Q&A.* If you can’t make the live event, don’t worry. You can post questions in advance and catch up on the answers and insights later in the week. * Don’t’ see the Attend button? Sign in to your Marketplace Tech Community account or Register for the Tech Community and join the conversation! Where do I post my questions? Scroll to the bottom of this page and select Comment. This session will be recorded and available on demand immediately after airing. It will feature AI-generated captions during the live broadcast. Human-generated captions and a recap of the Q&A will be available by the end of the week.Office hours for partners: Marketplace resale enabled offers
Tune in to explore resale enabled offers through Microsoft Marketplace. This recently announced capability enables software companies to expand into new markets globally, at scale, and without additional operational overhead. Dive deep into the workflow and requirements for these deals. Learn about reporting and best practices from those that are already selling globally with resale enabled offers. Walk away from this informative office hours with an understanding of: The resale enabled offer workflow, including the Microsoft Marketplace agreement that must be in place between the software company and the channel partner Software company and channel partner requirements for selling resale enabled offers Reporting and managing a resale enabled offer business This office hours will prioritize channel partner questions so post your questions in advance! Simply scroll to the bottom of this page and select Comment. We'll do our best to address as many questions as possible during the Q&A portion at the end of the event. How do I participate? Select Add to calendar to save the date, then click the Attend button to save your spot, receive event reminders, and participate in the Q&A.* If you can’t make the live event, don’t worry. You can post questions in advance and catch up on the answers and insights later in the week. This session will be recorded and available on demand immediately after airing. It will feature AI-generated captions during the live broadcast. Human-generated captions and a recap of the Q&A will be available by the end of the week. * Don’t see the Attend button? Sign in to your Marketplace Tech Community account or register for the Tech Community and join the conversation!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® 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®
Event Training: Sponsors and Sponsorships - Jan 2026
Join MGCI Board Members Wes Preston and Sharon Weaver who host our Monthly Microsoft Global Community Initiative (#MGCI) Event Production Training & Office Hours – and we'd love for you to join the conversation! All are welcome! Hosts: Wes Preston and Sharon Weaver This month's topic: Sponsors and Sponsorship - everything you need to know Dive into the dynamic world of sponsorship and discover how the right partnerships can supercharge your community’s impact. This training pulls back the curtain on finding the perfect sponsors, crafting irresistible value propositions, and turning one‑time supporters into long‑term champions. You’ll learn battle‑tested strategies for maximizing every sponsorship dollar and building relationships that fuel sustainable growth. Come ready to elevate your approach and walk away with the confidence and tools to win big. 📅 January 29 ⏰ 8:10 AM PT https://aka.ms/MGCITrainingMTG Bring your ideas too! Let’s share, learn, and capture best practices for producing events. Sign up to receive our newsletter and reminders for our meetings: https://aka.ms/MGCISignUP Learn about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative: https://aka.ms/MGCI Post-event all meetings are available on demand on our Microsoft Community Learning YouTube channel: https://aka.ms/community/learningEMEA GTM Business Applications Q3 Partner Update Call | 12 March 2024
You're invited to the EMEA GTM Business Applications Q3 Partner Update. This event is exclusively curated for Partner Sellers, Alliance Managers, Practice Leads, Pre-Sales professionals, Sales Managers, and Marketing Managers. Key Topics: H2 Strategy and Priorities Programme and Product Updates Trainings and Events Calendar Stay at the forefront - don't miss the opportunity to stay ahead of the ever-evolving Business Applications landscape. Save Your Spot: Secure your place now on the 12th of March from 09.30 – 10.30 GMT to be part of the conversation. Register nowMicrosoft AI Office Hours Sessions 2026 (DACH Region)
We’re preparing the launchpad for several exciting AI Office Hours sessions in 2026! These sessions are specifically designed for Microsoft partners in the DACH region and will focus on relevant AI topics. 🛰 23 January 11:00-11:45 | Detecting Fraud with Multi-Agents – Agent Framework / MCP A live demo of end-to-end fraud detection using Microsoft’s multi-agent stack, from orchestration to anomaly detection and human-in-the-loop control. Speakers: Benjamin Tokgöz, Florian Follonier, PhD 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eXfZDCrr 🌌 27 February 11:00-11:45 | Becoming Frontier – What it means for Customers and Partners What Frontier Firms look like, how human –agent teams reshape operating models, and how Microsoft partners can help customers on journey and benefit along the way. Speaker: Lutz Jannausch 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ees8U279 🪐 27 March 11:00-11:45 | Microsoft Fabric – FabCon Updates and AI-Readiness Key takeaways from FabCon 26 and practical guidance on preparing data estates for AI-ready Microsoft Fabric architectures. Speaker: Lisa Wolffhugel 🔗 https://lnkd.in/etCeuu_J 🚧 April - Date coming soon | Microsoft Partner Programs and Incentives An overview of partner programs, incentives, and how to align them with AI- and agent-driven opportunities. Speaker: Franziska Schäfer Cascalho Registration link coming soon.Join us for the SharePoint at 25 Birthday Event
For nearly 25 years, SharePoint has powered how organizations connect, collaborate, and manage knowledge at scale. Today, more than a billion people rely on SharePoint every month to store content, share ideas, and turn information into impact. As SharePoint celebrates its 25th birthday, we’re marking the occasion with a global digital event that reflects on this journey and looks ahead to what’s next. Join global leaders, innovators, and the SharePoint product team for a premier digital event that honors SharePoint’s evolution and its role as the knowledge platform for Copilot and agents, marking both a celebration and a look ahead at the future. Tune in to celebrate and participate. During the event, we’ll spotlight SharePoint’s most defining innovations while sharing a forward-looking view of the platform’s next chapter. One shaped by AI, Copilot, and agentic experiences designed for modern knowledge work. Tune in live to hear what’s new, what’s coming next, and how you can be part of where SharePoint goes from here, including details on how to participate in this year’s SharePoint Hackathon. What you can expect: Explore new content AI capabilities that help structure and enrich information to improve Copilot responses. Discover what’s changing in the way teams create, manage, and collaborate on content in SharePoint. Understand how SharePoint continues to serve as the knowledge platform for Copilot and agents, and what that means for organizations adopting AI at scale. Understand how the community of enthusiasts play a pivotal role in SharePoint’s history and future. After the broadcast, stick around for a live Ask Microsoft Anything (AMA) with the SharePoint product team to dig deeper, ask questions, and help shape the future of the product. Early information about the 2026 SharePoint Hackathon Get ready for the SharePoint Hackathon Following the SharePoint at 25 celebration, we’ll also be hosting a SharePoint Hackathon! A hands-on opportunity to build modern employee experiences using SharePoint, Copilot, and the latest AI capabilities. Whether you’re an end user, designer, maker, developer, or intranet leader, the Hackathon invites you to experiment, build, and share ideas that shape the future of work. Kickoff: During the SharePoint at 25 live event Dates: March 2 – March 16, 2026 What to expect: Additional Microsoft‑led live streams, guidance from product teams, and opportunities to showcase your ideas This 2-week hackathon event is open for anyone to join with some great awards ready for the participants. Learn more about participation and submission categories at: aka.ms/SharePoint/Hackathon Register today Registration is open so claim your spot now! Event Details Date: March 2, 2026 Time: 9:00 AM PT Format: Global Digital Event One registration gives you access to: The full SharePoint 25th birthday broadcast Exclusive previews of new AI and Copilot powered capabilities A live AMA with the SharePoint product team For those engineers, customers, and administrators that like myself, have been here since the beginning of SharePoint- I am so proud of what we've delivered to millions around the world for decades. And the best is yet to come. Stay connected Learn more about SharePoint’s 25th birthday: aka.ms/SPat25 Stay connected with monthly product updates: aka.ms/SharePointShowcase Explore the global SharePoint community: aka.ms/SPCommunity Get ready for SharePoint Hackathon 2026: aka.ms/SharePoint/HackathonMarketplace trainings and events calendar
-Welcome to our calendar for accessing upcoming Marketplace trainings and events, along with links to recent resources. This page is a go-to resource for discovering training sessions and events designed specifically for software development companies related to Microsoft Marketplace. Whether you’re building innovative solutions or publishing to the commercial marketplace, you’ll find content to help you stay ahead in today’s fast-moving tech landscape. We’ve organized dedicated areas for partners and customers, making it easy to find sessions most relevant to your needs. Some events are upcoming, while others are past recordings that remain valuable for learning and growth. This page is updated frequently with new opportunities. Be sure to subscribe for notifications; instructions are provided at the bottom of this post. Explore the upcoming AI events below, revisit past sessions, and feel free to comment with any questions. Partner and Channel Partner sessions Upcoming sessions Date Time Area Title Description Link 01/21/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Join us for a deep dive into Microsoft Marketplace reporting in Partner Center. Learn how to navigate the Insights and Earnings workspaces and use available reports to maximize your Marketplace data. January 2026 Office Hours 02/18/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help you sell through Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. February 2026 Office Hours 03/18/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help you sell through Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. March 2026 Office Hours 04/15/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help you sell through Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. April 2026 Office Hours 05/20/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help you sell through Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. May 2026 Office Hours 06/17/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours Marketplace Office Hours for Partners Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help you sell through Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. June 2026 Office Hours Recent Recorded Sessions Date Area Title Description Link 12/18/25 Office Hours (Partner) Introducing resale enabled offers Explore resale enabled offers through Microsoft Marketplace. View recording 12/04/25 Partner AI-powered acceleration: scale faster on Microsoft Marketplace Go beyond listing basics and explore how Microsoft Marketplace can act as a strategic revenue engine. View recording 11/04/25 Partner How to structure your Microsoft Partner Center account for long-term success Learn best practices for setting up your Partner Center account for operational and marketplace success. View recording 08/28/25 Office Hours (Partner) Certified software designations: FY26 benefits updates Overview of certified software designations and FY26 benefit updates. View recording Customer sessions Upcoming sessions Date Time Area Title Description Link 01/28/26 8:30 AM PST Office Hours (Customer) Optimize cloud cost and performance Learn proven strategies to accelerate time-to-value for cloud and AI investments using Microsoft Marketplace. View event Recorded sessions Date Area Title Description Link 12/11/25 Office Hours (Customer) Chart your AI app and agent strategy Insights into build, buy, or blend approaches for AI apps and agents using Microsoft Marketplace. View recording 07/30/25 Office Hours (Customer) FinOps and the Microsoft Marketplace Learn how Microsoft Marketplace supports FinOps practitioners and accelerates AI transformation. View recording Subscribe to this post If you're not already a Tech Community member, create an account at techcommunity.microsoft.com. Select Subscribe from the three‑dot menu in the upper‑right corner of this post. Under Notification Settings, choose to be notified of edits and comments, and select whether you'd like updates immediately, daily, or weekly (weekly recommended). You can also subscribe to the entire Marketplace Community via the Marketplace Community homepage. ``
