Accelerating AI Innovation with Microsoft Marketplace: Key Takeaways from AI Tour London
At the recent AI Tour in London, I had the opportunity to connect with partners and customers to discuss how organizations are accelerating artificial intelligence adoption through the marketplace ecosystem. One theme came through clearly: Microsoft Marketplace is becoming a key platform for discovering, purchasing, and scaling AI solutions - and ultimatley enterprise wide deploying through partner-led private offers. In my latest article, I share key takeaways from the event, including how developers and channel partners are using Microsoft Marketplace to bring AI innovations to market faster, simplify procurement for customers, and drive new growth opportunities across the partner ecosystem. Read the full article to learn how Microsoft Marketplace is helping organizations move from AI experimentation to real business impact—and what these insights mean for partners building and selling AI-powered solutions. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/marketplace-blog/how-microsoft-marketplace-is-accelerating…Marketplace trainings and events calendar (updated 03/06/26)
-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. ****Sessions updated as of 03/06/2026**** Partner and Channel Partner sessions Upcoming sessions Date Time Area Title Description Link 03/11/26 8:30 AM PDT Partner Session AI-powered automation for Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell Learn from guest speaker Kyle Heisner, Suger, how software development companies can use AI-powered automation to simplify buying through Microsoft Marketplace, streamline private offers, and optimize co-selling opportunities. AI-powered automation for Marketplace private offers and IP co-sell 03/18/26 8:30 AM PDT Office Hours Build, publish, and optimize Marketplace offers with App Advisor Learn what App Advisor is, how it works, and how it can help partners accelerate Marketplace offer creation. Live demo walk through; validating value to publishing and optimizing your listing. Build, publish, and optimize Marketplace offers with App Advisor 04/15/26 8:30 AM PDT 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 PDT 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 PDT 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 02/25/26 Partner Session Inside Azure IP co-sell: What high-performing software developers do differently Get an inside look at the signals Microsoft uses to evaluate Marketplace and Azure IP co-sell readiness with insights from Barbara Treviño of Labra. Learn what top software companies do differently to accelerate approvals and boost GTM impact. View the recording 02/18/26 Office Hours (Partner) How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practice Building a successful Marketplace practice takes the right people, process, and strategy working together. Learn how top performing partners organize their teams across alliances, operations and leadership View the recording 1/21/26 Office Hours (Partner) Microsoft Partner Center reporting Get to know the Partner Center Insights and Earnings workspaces. Walk through Earnings, Customer, Order, Usage and Revenue reports. View the recording 12/18/25 Office Hours (Partner) Introducing resale enabled offers Explore resale enabled offers through Microsoft Marketplace. View recording 12/04/25 Partner Session 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 Session 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 03/25/26 9:30 AM PDT Office Hours (Customer) Charting your AI strategy for manufacturing with Marketplace Build, buy, or blend? Gain the insights you need as a manufacturer to scale AI apps and agents across the factory floor using Microsoft Marketplace. Hear about practical manufacturing scenarios Charting your AI strategy for manufacturing with Marketplace 04/29/26 8:30 AM PDT Office Hours (Customer) Marketplace Office Hours for Customers Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help use Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. April 2026 Customer Office Hour 05/27/26 8:30 AM PDT Office Hours (Customer) Marketplace Office Hours for Customers Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help use Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. May 2026 Customer Office Hour 06/24/26 9:30 AM PDT Office Hours (Customer) Marketplace Office Hours for Customers Tune in for updates, insights, and live Q&A to help use Microsoft Marketplace. Topic TBD. June 2026 Customer Office Hour Recorded sessions Date Area Title Description Link 02/25/26 Office Hours (Customer) Accelerate AI adoption through Microsoft Marketplace Explore practical AI use cases available through Microsoft Marketplace - from prebuilt AI apps and agents to AI-powered solutions that simplify deployment. View the recording 01/28/26 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 the recording 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. ``Meet with us in Vegas! Marketplace sponsoring Channel Partners Conference
The Microsoft Marketplace team is excited to sponsor the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, April 13–16 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, and connect with the advisors, resellers, and services partners who are delivering value for customers every day. We want to meet you! Throughout the week, Marketplace experts will lead sessions, host conversations at our booth, and support private meetings to help you activate and accelerate your Marketplace strategy. Read the blog to learn how to connect with us and even get FREE or DISCOUNTED passes if you're a channel partner: Microsoft Marketplace at Channel Partners Conference & Expo 2026 | Microsoft Community HubLeading through disruptive change: What partners need now
On February 25th, Ultimate Partner is hosting its annual Executive Winter Retreat in Boca Raton, Florida. We are excited to welcome Nina Harding, CVP, Americas Global Partner Solutions, as this year’s keynote speaker. Nina will share key customer insights during this period of rapid transformation and highlight the critical role partners play in driving meaningful business outcomes. Over the past several months, one thing has become clear: AI is no longer an abstract conversation. Customers are asking how to run it securely, measure its impact, and scale it across their organizations. At the same time, partners are looking for ways to convert the momentum from the Microsoft AI Tour into real execution. Nina will discuss what executives are prioritizing right now, how Agentic AI is reshaping expectations, and how partners can help customers realize measurable value. She will be joined on stage by a strong lineup of Microsoft leaders—Katharine Kennedy, Jason Rook, Erwin Visser, and Steve Cohen—each bringing a real-world perspective on what it takes to build successful, durable partnerships. These leaders will help partners focus on the drivers of momentum: Translating AI strategy into actionable partner plans Understanding how marketplaces now dominate transactions Leveraging ecosystem orchestration as a competitive advantage Navigating a buyer who thinks, evaluates, and purchases differently This retreat is intentionally designed for execution—not theory, not product announcements, and not high-level dialogue. It is a forum where partners gain clarity on how to build, sell, and deliver with Microsoft in 2026. Learn more about Ultimate Partner here: Events - Ultimate Guide to Partnering®Simplify buying and accelerate AI adoption through Microsoft Marketplace
February 25, 2026 |10:00 AM PST Join this month's Microsoft Marketplace customer office hour to explore practical AI use cases available through the Marketplace - from prebuilt AI apps and agents to AI-powered solutions that simplify buying and deployment Learn more and sign up to attend this online event or watch the recording after the session. Accelerating AI adoption through Microsoft Marketplace | February 25, 2026 - Microsoft Marketplace CommunityAgentic AI security: Prompt injection and manipulation attacks
As AI apps and autonomous agents gain more reasoning and independence, they also open new pathways for adversarial attacks. Join this webinar and hear how the most critical risks are broken down—prompt injection, goal hijacking, and memory poisoning—and how they the impact real AI applications. Learn practical defenses your teams can implement today, including input validation, behavioral detection, and robust architectural patterns that keep agentic systems aligned and secure. Learn more and sign up to attend this webinar or watch the recording after. Agentic manipulation: Prompt injection, goal hijacking & memory poisoning | Microsoft Community HubDemystifying Microsoft Marketplace & Azure IP Co‑Sell expectations
Get ready for a practical, insider‑focused session designed to demystify what drives real success in Microsoft Marketplace and Microsoft Azure IP co‑sell. Join us on February 25th at 8:30 AM PST to hear directly from guest expert Barbara Treviño, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances at Labra, as she highlights the signals Microsoft looks for in strong submissions and reveals how high‑performing software development companies set themselves apart. This session gives you clear guidance on aligning your solution, documentation, and customer proof to accelerate approvals and maximize go‑to‑market impact—setting you up to turn Marketplace and co‑sell into true growth drivers for your business. Registration is not required. Learn how you can attend and receive reminders for the session here: Inside Azure IP co-sell: What high-performing software developers do differently - Microsoft Marketplace Community All sessions are recorded, and the link above can be used to watch the recording once the session date has passed. Check our Marketplace trainings and events calendar | Microsoft Community Hub for additional upcoming Microsoft Marketplace events and recordings of past sessions.Microsoft Marketplace partner office hours: How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practice
Building a strong Marketplace practice requires aligned teams, clear ownership, and a solid strategy—not just great offers. Join us February 18th 8:30 AM PT for the February Partner office hour online session with live Q&A, to learn how top partners structure their organizations and use a proven framework to drive Marketplace growth. You’ll walk away with practical tools and templates to accelerate onboarding, publishing, co‑sell, and sales execution. Registration is not required. Learn how you can attend and receive reminders for the session here: Marketplace office hours for partners: February 2026 - Microsoft Marketplace Community All sessions are recorded, and the link above can be used to watch the recording once the session date has passed. Partner office hour sessions are held monthly, typically on the third Wednesday of each month. Check the Marketplace Community Events Calendar for upcoming dates and times. Session topics will be added as the event approaches.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®Unlock Marketplace growth: Office hours for partners
Your gateway to mastering resale-enabled offers and accelerating success. Looking to expand your reach and accelerate growth through Microsoft’s commercial marketplace? Don’t miss this interactive session where experts will walk you through resale-enabled offers, best practices, and answer your questions live. Date: December 18, 2025 Time: 8:30 AM PST This is your chance to gain practical insights, connect with marketplace specialists, and learn how to maximize partner opportunities. Learn more and sign up to attend Office hours for partners: Marketplace resale enabled offers | Microsoft Community Hub
