Marketplace Partner Digest
Welcome to the February edition of the Marketplace Partner Digest. This month’s roundup brings together the most important Microsoft Marketplace updates, program changes, and partner‑focused resources to help you strengthen your co‑sell motions, optimize your listings, and accelerate revenue through Microsoft Marketplace. Inside, you’ll find insights from Microsoft leaders on Marketplace’s role in driving partner profitability, key updates to specializations and Partner Center workflows, new App Advisor capabilities to streamline publishing, and a full lineup of upcoming events designed to support your Marketplace and AI go‑to‑market strategies. Whether you're planning your next offer, refining operations, or prepping your teams for FY26 execution, these updates will help you take clear, actionable steps to grow your business. Microsoft Marketplace as a modern growth engine A recent Marketplace blog post from Microsoft’s own Darren Sharpe explores how Microsoft Marketplace has become a core engine for business growth—enabling earlier co-sell alignment, accelerating deal velocity, and expanding partner reach through ecosystem channel-led sales motions. Unlocking scalable growth through Microsoft Marketplace Register for the February 18 Marketplace office hour: How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practice In his blog post yesterday, Mason McCoy, Director of Partner Experiences at Microsoft, highlighted why Microsoft Marketplace has become a true profitability multiplier for partners. As organizations build AI first strategies, Marketplace is accelerating how partners scale solutions, reach customers, and shorten time to value. To better understand the overall value of Marketplace, we asked Omdia to study the partner revenue opportunity. The Omdia study found that among partners that sell through Marketplace (compared to direct go-to-market and sales motions): 88% report revenue growth 75% close deals faster 69% secure larger deals 👉 Unlocking the profitability multiplier: Maximizing revenue with Microsoft Marketplace 👉 Explore the full Omdia report App Advisor updates Choose the right offer type when publishing your solution App Advisor now helps partners quickly determine which Marketplace offer type best aligns with their solution, business model, and go-to-market approach. With App Advisor, partners can: Receive scenario-based offer type recommendations Save time during planning and pre-publishing Reduce uncertainty when aligning to the right Marketplace motion Read how to leverage App Advisor from Microsoft's Brady Bumgarner 📱Try App Advisor for yourself Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program updates SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization ⚙️Microsoft is updating the SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization to make it more accessible while maintaining strong capability standards. Key changes: 🔽 Lower ACR requirement: ACR threshold reduced from $30,000 → $7,500 over three months. ⚡ Streamlined skilling verification: Required Microsoft learning coursework can now be validated directly within Partner Center, eliminating the need to provide evidence during the third-party audit. Microsoft Azure VMware Solution specialization ⚙️The skilling requirements for the Microsoft Azure VMware Solution specialization will change in January 2026. Microsoft is updating this specialization to make it easier to obtain. Key changes: ❌Technical Assessment removed: The Azure VMware Solutions (AVS) Technical assessment requirement will be removed from the skilling requirements ❌ Broadcom Certification requirements removed: The Broadcom certification requirements will also be removed, which were previously checked as a portion of the audit 👉 Learn more Partner Center updates Smarter referral submissions The first phase of enhancements to the Referrals workspace launched in January and will continue over the coming months. A couple noteworthy updates include: ⚙️ Automated completeness checks Inbound co-sell referrals now undergo automated validation to ensure required data is included before they progress—no additional partner action needed. This update improves data quality and lays the groundwork for future capabilities such as: Real-time referral insights Quality scoring More intelligent routing 👉 Learn more ✅ Marketplace purchase intent now mandatory for API-submitted co-sell referrals As of January 5, the "Marketplace Intent" field is required for all API and connector‑based submissions of IP co-sell opportunities. This field captures the customer’s intention to purchase via Microsoft Marketplace, with accepted values: Yes; No; Have not decided This change improves data consistency, downstream reporting, and alignment with Microsoft field sellers. 👉 Learn more Events Ultimate Partner session with Microsoft’s Cyril Belikoff On January 13, Ultimate Partner hosted a livestream conversation where Omdia’s Chief Analyst Jay McBain unpacked his 2026 predictions across cloud, AI, co‑sell, Marketplace, and broader ecosystem shifts, while Microsoft’s Cyril Belikoff, VP of Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing, outlined key Microsoft changes coming in 2026 and how partners can align their go‑to‑market strategies to stay ahead. 🎥 Watch on demand Marketplace office hours Microsoft continues to host regular Marketplace office hours for both partners and customers. We've highlighted the most recent topics below. To register for upcoming sessions and find a list of past events available on demand visit the Marketplace training and events calendar. 💡Tip: Forward these session links to relevant team members within your organization. Marketplace reporting in Partner Center Streamed live on January 21, 2026, Justin Royal and David Najour Jr. kicked off the new year with a focused walkthrough of Microsoft Marketplace reporting in Partner Center. The session broke down how partners can use the Insights and Earnings workspaces, which roles and permissions unlock access, and how to interpret the most important reports—including Earnings, Customers, Orders, Usage, and Revenue—to better understand performance and identify growth opportunities across their Marketplace motions. This session is great for alliance managers, sales operations and finance teams. 🎥 Watch on demand Cloud cost optimization for customers Streamed live on January 28, 2026, this session—presented by Kristyn Maddox and Justin Royal—focused on practical strategies customers can use to optimize cloud cost and improve workload performance. The conversation walked through actionable techniques and Microsoft cost management tools built into Azure portal that help organizations take control of resources, reduce unnecessary spend, and ensure their cloud environments are operating efficiently. This session is great for FinOps leaders and IT directors. 🎥 Watch on demand Upcoming events Register for the next Partner Marketplace office hour for partners scheduled February 18, 2026 Inside Azure IP co-sell: What high-performing software developers do differently February 25, 2026 Join guest speaker Barbara Treviño, Labra, to get an inside look at signals Microsoft uses to evaluate Marketplace and Azure IP co-sell readiness. 📅 Microsoft AI Tour February brings a series of in‑person opportunities for partners to connect with Microsoft experts through the Microsoft AI Tour. 📍February 2026 Tour Locations: 🇸🇦 Riyadh — February 11 🇧🇷 São Paulo — February 11 🇲🇽 Mexico City — February 12 🇬🇧 London — February 24 🇩🇪 Munich — February 25 🇳🇴 Oslo — February 25 🇪🇸 Madrid — February 26 👉 Find your city and register Partner actions for February Top 5 actions to take this month Align GTM and sales teams on the Omdia Microsoft Marketplace findings to sharpen FY26 Marketplace motions. Use App Advisor before publishing any new offers or offer updates. Update your co-sell submission workflows to ensure Marketplace Intent is captured. Re-evaluate specialization plans in light of updated SAP on Azure and AVS requirements. Register for relevant events—especially AI Tour stops and Marketplace office hours.December edition of Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest
Microsoft Ignite 2025 - Marketplace highlights Microsoft Ignite was packed with announcements and insights for Marketplace partners. From new commerce capabilities to AI-driven innovations, here are some key takeaways: Global expansion of Microsoft Marketplace - Microsoft announced that the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace, which launched in the U.S. earlier this year, is now globally available. This expansion includes new APIs for distribution partners, enabling them to link their own cloud marketplace with Microsoft’s, opening significant opportunities for software companies in SMB and mid-market segments. 🎬 Watch a recorded webinar with TD SYNNEX on the power of distribution to accelerate SMB marketplace sales. Global availability of Resale Enabled Offers - This capability allows software development companies to and channel partners to resell software solutions directly through Marketplace, simplifying transactions, expanding reach, and scaling revenue. 👉 Read more about this announcement and get started Introducing App Accelerate - A unified offer that brings together incentives, benefits, and co-sell support across the Microsoft Cloud. App Accelerate provides end-to-end technical guidance, developer tools, and go-to-market resources so software development companies can innovate and scale. Previews are beginning now, with full availability planned for 2026. ✅ Sign up to receive updates Enhanced Partner Marketing Center - Discover, customize, and launch campaigns faster with intelligent search and AI-powered tools—all on one connected platform. The current Partner Marketing Center will remain available as the new and enhanced Marketing Center platform launches in early 2026 with 24 campaigns-in-a-box, aligned to FY26 solution plays. ✨ Get ready for the new era of partner marketing Frontier Partner badge – New customer-facing badges recognize top services, channel, and software development company partners that are driving AI transformation with customers and offer them an opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition. 🛡️Differentiate your AI-first leadership Catch up on Microsoft Ignite sessions Ignite 2025 delivered powerful insights and announcements for Marketplace partners, and now you can catch up on the sessions you missed. Explore these recorded keynotes to learn about new capabilities, partner programs, and strategies to accelerate growth through Microsoft’s ecosystem. Ignite opening keynote Ignite partner keynote: Powering Frontier Partnerships Additionally, we’ve compiled recordings of relevant Marketplace partner and customer sessions so you can watch on-demand. Revisit Marketplace-focused sessions and resources. Just look for the ✨ icon below. Partner sessions: PBRK415 Grow your business with Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Find out how the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program helps you grow with new benefits, designations, and skilling opportunities. This session covers updates like the Frontier Partner Badge, Copilot specialization, and streamlined Marketplace engagement—all designed to accelerate your AI transformation journey. PBRK416 Accelerate Growth through Partner Incentives Explore how Microsoft is boosting partner growth with streamlined incentives, AI-first strategies, and new designations like Frontier Distributor. This session covers expanded investments in Azure Accelerate, Copilot solutions, and security practices—plus insights on how to capitalize on evolving programs and co-sell opportunities. PBRK417 Partner: Connect, Plan, Win – Enhancing Co-sell Engagement Discover how to enhance collaboration, optimize joint efforts, and drive success in shared initiatives. Gain insights into improving interactions with Microsoft sellers and leveraging opportunities, along with guidance on proactive co-selling to align your goals with Microsoft's for sustained growth. PBRK418 Partner: Benefits for Accelerating Software Company Success Learn about the resources and benefits available for software development companies across all stages of the build, publish and grow journey in MAICPP. Whether you’re developing a new agent solution or working toward a certified software designation, there are targeted skilling opportunities, technical resources, and GTM benefits to help. Tap into new investments for AI apps and agents and hear from your peers on how they’ve used rewards such as customer propensity scores and Azure sponsorship. PBRK419 SI & Advisory Partner Readiness: Accelerating the Journey to Frontier Understand how Microsoft is empowering our SI and advisory partners to accelerate frontier firm readiness for our Enterprise customers by driving AI transformation with agentic solutions and services. ✨PBRK420 Executing on the channel-led marketplace opportunity for partners See how Microsoft’s unified Marketplace drives partner growth with resale-enabled offers, creating scalable channel sales and co-sell opportunities. This session shares practical steps to build a sustainable Marketplace practice and leverage the partner ecosystem for greater reach and profitability. PBRK421 Enabling a thriving partner ecosystem: New CSP Authorization Criteria Dive into what’s new for Cloud Solution Providers, including updated authorization requirements and designations that help you stand out. This session covers steps to choose the right tier, build trust as a customer advisor, and prepare for growth with AI-driven solutions and Copilot offerings. PBRK422 The Future of Partner Support: Customer + Partner + Microsoft Discover ‘Unified for Partners,’ Microsoft’s new support model designed for CSP partners to deliver customer success at scale. This session introduces the Support Services designation, offering faster response times, financial incentives, and integrated tools to strengthen your support capabilities. PBRK423 Partner Execution at Scale with SME&C Explore growth opportunities in the high-potential SME&C segment. This session highlights investments in co-selling, AI-first strategies, and what it means to become ‘customer zero,’ with examples of frontier firms driving innovation at scale. ✨PBRK424 Marketplace Success for Partners—from SMB to Enterprise Learn how to build, publish, and monetize AI-powered solutions through Microsoft Marketplace. This session shares a proven approach to align your Marketplace strategy with your sales motion and unlock new revenue opportunities. PBRK272 Accelerate Secure AI: Microsoft’s Security Advantage for Partners Explore Microsoft’s integrated security solutions and learn how to help customers strengthen their defenses in the AI era. This session highlights partner opportunities, resources to grow your security practice, and what it takes to lead as a next-generation security partner. Customer Sessions: ✨Microsoft Marketplace: Your trusted source for cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents | STUDIO47 Hear from Cyril Belikoff, VP of Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing, sharing the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace—the gateway to thousands of AI-powered apps, agents and cloud solutions—all built to accelerate innovation and drive business outcomes. Discover how customers benefit from faster deployment, seamless integration with Microsoft tools, and trusted solutions, and how partners can scale their reach, accelerate sales, and tap into Microsoft’s global ecosystem. Azure Accelerate in action: Confidently migrate, modernize, and build faster Join Cyril Belikoff for a rapid Q&A that spotlights real-world customer success and the transformative impact of Azure Accelerate. Hear how customers like Thomson Reuters achieved breakthrough results with our powerful offering that provides access to Microsoft experts and investments throughout your Azure and AI journey. ✨BRK213 Microsoft Marketplace: Your trusted source for cloud and AI solutions Discover how the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace is reshaping the future of cloud and AI innovation. In this session, we’ll explore how Microsoft Marketplace—unifying Azure Marketplace and Microsoft AppSource—empowers organizations to become Frontier Firms by streamlining the discovery, purchase, and deployment of tens of thousands of cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents. ✨BRK215 Boost cloud and AI ROI using Microsoft Marketplace As organizations embrace an AI-first future, cloud adoption is accelerating to drive innovation and efficiency. This session explores practical strategies to optimize cloud investments—balancing performance, scalability, and cost control. Learn how Microsoft Marketplace enables rapid solution deployment while maintaining governance, compliance, and budget discipline. Build a resilient, cost-effective cloud foundation that supports AI and beyond. Community Recap Partner of the Year Award Winners Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2025 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards in the Marketplace category! 🏆 Explore all winners and finalists Fivetran earned the top honor as Marketplace Partner of the Year for its innovation in automating data movement on Microsoft Azure, enabling enterprises to accelerate AI and analytics initiatives. Varonis Systems Inc. and Bytes Software Services were recognized as finalists for delivering exceptional solutions and driving customer success through Marketplace. What’s Coming Up AI-powered acceleration: Scale faster in Microsoft Marketplace 📆 Thursday, December 04, 2025, at 9:00 AM PST Microsoft Marketplace is no longer just a procurement convenience; it’s a strategic revenue engine. 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. Scale smarter: Discover how resale enabled offers drive growth 📆 Friday, December 05, 2025, from 11:00 - 12:00 PM GTM+1 Discover how resale enabled offers help software development companies to scale through the Microsoft Marketplace by simplifying transactions, expanding reach and accelerating co-sell opportunities. Chart your AI app and agent strategy with Microsoft Marketplace 📆 Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 8:30 - 9:30 AM PST Organizations exploring AI apps and agents face a critical choice: build, buy, or blend. There’s no one-size-fits-all—each approach offers unique benefits and trade-offs. Tune in for insights into the pros and cons of each approach and explore how the Microsoft Marketplace simplifies adoption by providing a single source for trusted AI apps, agents, and models. Office hours for partners: Marketplace resale-enabled offers 📆 Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 8:30 AM PST 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. Microsoft Ignite will return to San Francisco next year 📆 November 17-20, 2026 Sign up now to join the Microsoft Ignite early-access list and be eligible to receive limited‑edition swag at the event. 💬 Share Your Feedback! We truly appreciate your feedback and want to ensure these Partner Digests deliver the information you need to succeed in the marketplace. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can continue to improve the content to best support you, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
New To The Community
Hello ISV Success Community, As a new member to the community, I decided to start with an introduction. I’m Aubin Bakana, Founder and CTIO (Chief Technology & Innovation Officer) of Baobab Logix LTD, now based in Leeds, UK. I lead technology and innovation, driving solutions that are secure, ethical, and intelligent. At Baobab Logix, we’re building future-ready platforms that empower businesses to thrive. One of our flagship innovations is KeepComm Intel, a next-generation contact center solution that combines AI-driven automation with human-in-the-loop architecture for speed, accuracy, and trust. As a Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Harvard CS50 certified, and full-stack developer, I bring deep technical expertise and a vision for sustainable innovation. I’m here to connect, collaborate, and share insights with fellow innovators who believe in shaping technology for good. Looking forward to engaging with this amazing community and exploring opportunities to build impactful solutions together! thank you.Welcome to the FY26 Q1 Partner Digest!
Stay up to date on the latest Microsoft Marketplace news, tools, and resources to help you grow your business. Subscribe to the Partner Digest label to never miss an update. 🚀 Noteworthy Highlights Introducing Microsoft Marketplace: Growth starts here. Turn your agents and other cloud-based innovations into sales, at scale, with Microsoft Marketplace. Learn more Updated Agreement: The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Agreement has been updated, effective September 22, 2025. Review now Partner Center Security: Multifactor authentication (MFA) is now required for Partner Center access. API enforcement beings April 2026. Learn more App Advisor Enhancements: Six new features help software developers build, publish, and sell apps faster and smarter on the Microsoft Marketplace. Explore now Fabric Extensibility Toolkit: Software companies can help customers bring apps to Fabric, speed development, and integrate workloads. Get started today Azure AI Foundry Updates: Now featuring GPT-5, OpenAI gpt-oss, Foundry Local support, and a new Browser Automation tool to help you build intelligent agents using natural language. Learn more Partner Center AI assistant: Now localized and smarter than ever with support for additional languages, providing quick answers to your day-to-day questions. Learn more Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Concierge: Your go-to resource for all program related desk engagements, streamlined and more impactful than ever. Learn more 🌟 Microsoft partner resources: New for FY26 MCAPS Start recap Microsoft kicked off FY26 with a bold vision for partner growth in the AI era. Nicole Dezen outlines how partners can lead with innovation and scale impact. Explore strategic solution areas, expanded MAICPP investments, and GTM support.👉 Read the full post New benefits & resources New AI-powered benefits and tools are here to help partners thrive. Julie Sanford details how to get Azure credits, Copilot seats, and custom GTM materials to accelerate agentic AI adoption.👉 Read the full post Blog Series & Playbooks: Catch up on our Cloud and AI Platforms blog series. Part one: Capturing the market opportunity Part two: Migrations & Modernizations Explore the latest Cloud and AI platforms and Agentic AI partner playbooks which includes key skilling resources, investments, win formulas and more. Unlock your Microsoft AI Cloud potential with Partner Skilling Hub: Visit our skilling hub for the latest training resources to earn designations and specializations. Explore the most recent skilling blog for key skilling-related announcements. Incentives ISV Success Advanced Package: Top-performing partners with Certified Software Designations can qualify for financial incentives to build AI solutions or migrate customers to Azure. The package supports every stage of ISV Success. Learn more. Migration Incentives: New end-customer migration incentives are now available to help software companies and advanced specialized system integrators securely and efficiently move software companies’ end customers to modern applications running on Azure. See Azure Incentives > ISV Engagements tab in the incentive guide for details. 🗓️ Events & Office Hours June-September recaps June: The Microsoft Marketplace Ecosystem Opportunity Explore how AI is reshaping solution development and customer engagement in this conversation with Cyril Belikoff, Microsoft’s new leader for Marketplace. Learn how the marketplace is simplifying procurement and accelerating growth. A “lightbulb moment” for the industry and the critical role partners play in delivering innovation on Microsoft’s platform. 👉 Watch the recording July: Marketplace Rewards FY26 Learn how channel partners can benefit from multiparty private offers and new rewards tier thresholds to unlock $200K in sponsorship. 👉 Watch the recording August: Co-Sell Blueprint & Certified Designations Gain real-world co-sell strategies and learn about Microsoft’s Customer Engagement Methodology from industry experts. Plus, get the latest on Certified Software Designation benefits for FY26. 👉 Watch the recording from Ultimate Partner session on Co-sell 👉 Watch the recording on Certified Software Designations and download the slide deck 📖Explore Microsoft Customer Engagement Methodology (MCEM) September: Migrate and Modernize Summit Our Sep 23-24 event is now available online to help services partners learn how agentic AI can boost their agility by moving to the cloud quickly and effectively. Catch the replay. Upcoming Events Microsoft AI Tour for Partners is back- Join a free, one-day event to accelerate your AI journey with sales best practices, growth opportunities, hands-on labs, and technical deep dives. Discover upcoming events in cities around the globe. Join the Fabric Global Hack (Sept 15–Nov 3, 2025) to build data and AI solutions with Microsoft Fabric, collaborate globally, and compete for prizes up to $10,000. Participants get 50% off Fabric certifications. Join us at the Azure Dev Summit from October 13-15, a Microsoft-sponsored event designed for developers, architects, and technology leaders. Explore the latest in Azure, .NET, and Microsoft AI, gain insights from inspiring speakers, and connect with peers driving innovation. Participate in AgentCon 2025 by Global AI Community—a global series of one-day conferences designed exclusively for developers building the future with autonomous AI agents. 🔥 Microsoft Ignite 2025 Microsoft Ignite 2025 will empower you to get the edge you need to drive impact in the era of AI. Join us in San Francisco or attend virtually from November 18-21 to bolster your knowledge, build connections, and explore emerging technologies. Hear from Microsoft executives and other leaders on their vision for AI. Explore the latest in Cloud and AI platforms, AI business solutions, and Security. Celebrate the winners and finalists of Partner of the Year Awards 👉 Register now and stay up to date with event news at Microsoft Ignite Unplugged. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Stay tuned to the https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/marketplace-blog/bg-p/MarketplaceBlog for upcoming recaps and new office hour announcements. 💬 Share Your Feedback! We truly appreciate your feedback and want to ensure these Partner Digests deliver the information you need to succeed in the marketplace. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can continue to improve the content to best support you, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Request for Private Link Support in Microsoft Office Add-in Store
I'm currently in the process of publishing an Office Add-in. From what I’ve observed in Microsoft’s add-in review process, there doesn’t seem to be a way to create a preview or private link for an add-in published to the store. I’d like to obtain a private link to test the add-in across different platforms before making it publicly available. This would help ensure there are no issues when users install it from the store on various platforms. Other cloud providers, such as Google, offer similar functionality for their Google Workspace add-ons, allowing developers to test and share private versions before public release. Microsoft should consider providing a similar feature for Office Add-ins to support better testing, validation, and rollout strategiesAccelerate your growth on Azure Marketplace [French]
Hi everyone, If you’re a French speaker looking to ramp up on Azure Marketplace, join us today at 15:00 CET for a focused, no-fluff webinar. We’ll hit the accelerator from four angles: Fundamentals, fast – a concise refresher to get everyone on the same page Co-sell the Microsoft way – practical examples that actually land deals Resell like BeCloud – tactics for turning Marketplace listings into revenue Archera’s best practices – proven plays you can put to work tomorrow Cut the guesswork—come ready to level up. Registrations: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/fa1f174d-6e04-4dcd-8eb7-cf95ea0d1ac9@cc399a02-f38a-4820-a991-894e8c59d676.The Marketplace Partner Digest | May 2025
Welcome to the monthly partner release notes for the Microsoft marketplace! The marketplace is central to how we help you reach more customers, simplify sales, and drive growth. Dive into this month’s roundup of announcements and updates to stay informed about the latest marketplace developments. Don’t miss an update! Subscribe to the “Partner Digest” label to get notified whenever a new Marketplace Partner Digest hits the community blog. Check out this community post for how-to guidance on configuring your settings. 🚀 Noteworthy Highlights Flexible billing improvements now available in the marketplace We're excited to announce improvements to flexible billing for private offers are now generally available. With supported scenarios for quarterly, semiannual, bimonthly billing, and much more, flexible billing for private offers makes it easier to align customer payments to unique budget cycles. The value for you and your customers: With flexible billing schedules, customers can buy with confidence knowing that private offers can be customized for virtually any contract value and billing timeline to align with their requirements. For partners, you can tailor customers’ private offers and multiparty private offers to meet unique business requirements, helping you to unlock larger deals by aligning with customer billing expectations, while streamlining sales and accelerating deal velocity. Resources: For more on how to build a flexible billing schedule, check out the documentation at aka.ms/flexbill-docs. Learn more by checking out these demo videos for examples of how partners and customers are using flexible billing. 🌟 ️Partner Resources Discover exclusive resources designed to help you maximize your success in the marketplace! Explore our latest resources, blogs, and much more below: Partner blog series: Capturing the marketplace opportunity by selling path Dive into our four-part blog series to explore how you can grow your business across different marketplace selling paths. Whether you're just getting started or refining your marketplace strategy, these blogs are a great place to find guidance. Part one: Explores how adopting the marketplace as a core go-to-market strategy can help you close deals faster and increase deal sizes. Part two: Delves into the power of always-on selling with the digital self-serve motion to help you grow your pipeline. Part three: Offers tips and insights to maximize success when selling with channel partners through multiparty private offers. Part four: Focuses on strategic co-selling with Microsoft field sellers to accelerate enterprise-grade deals through the Microsoft marketplace. Co-sell Coaching Series Hosted in the Marketplace Community, Co-sell Coaching features Microsoft partners walking you through their best practices on how to effectively co-sell through the Microsoft marketplace. These sessions also include live Q&A with Microsoft subject-matter experts. The next session is scheduled for June 18 th featuring Contentsquare. Stay tuned for this session and catch up on past sessions on-demand: Episode 1: Carve Partners Episode 2: Abnormal Security Episode 3: Silverfort Mastering the Marketplace webinars Whether you’re new to the marketplace or focused on growing sales, our Mastering the Marketplace webinars cover a broad range of business and technical session topics to help accelerate your marketplace success. Check out these upcoming webinars, register, and mark your calendars. All times are listed in Pacific Time. June 3 at 9 AM: Learn how to use the multiparty private offers campaign in a box June 9 at 9 AM: ISV to CSP private offers - experience walkthrough June 11 at 9 AM: Unlocking sales through the marketplace Access the full library of webinars, including live and on-demand options at aka.ms/MTMwebinars. 🔮 Marketplace Events Marketplace Office Hours June 12, 2025, 8:30 am PST: Customer office hours Q&A: what we learned at FinOpsX Get a recap of insights from the FinOpsX 2025 event on what we learned from practitioners on best practices to manage cloud, SaaS, and AI investments. Discover strategies we shared on how to unlock faster time-to-value by using the marketplace to source thousands of pre-vetted solutions that accelerate AI transformation while better managing technology spend. Invite your customers to register and view previous sessions office hours session on-demand here. Prepare for the 2025 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards (POTYA) are driven by a self-nominating process and acknowledge outstanding successes and innovations by partners across our global ecosystem. We especially encourage nominations for the Marketplace Partner of the Year Award, which recognizes partners that have embraced the Microsoft marketplace as core to their GTM strategy. The nomination window for this year’s program is June 18 – July 18, 2025, but you can prepare now by reviewing the guidelines for all awards. Partners can contact potyasup@microsoft.com with any questions. 💬 Share Your Feedback! We truly appreciate your feedback and want to ensure these Partner Release Notes deliver the information you need to succeed in the marketplace. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can continue to improve the content to best support you, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below! Thank you!The Marketplace Partner Digest | April 2025
Welcome to the monthly partner release notes for the Microsoft marketplace! The marketplace is central to how we help you reach more customers, simplify sales, and unlock growth. Dive into this month’s roundup of announcements and updates to stay informed about the latest marketplace developments. Don’t miss an update! Subscribe to the “Partner Digest” label to get notified whenever a new Marketplace Partner Digest hits the community blog. Check out this community post for how-to guidance on configuring your settings. 🚀 Noteworthy Highlights New private offer enhancements As part of our ongoing commitment to improving your Microsoft marketplace experience, we recently rolled out new updates to streamline the private offer purchase process. Here’s what’s changed: Clearer terminology: We’ve changed "recurring billing" to "auto-renew" across private offers, private plans, and public offers to better reflect this functionality. New settings: Auto-renew is now set to “off” by default for SaaS private offers and private plans, preventing unwanted renewals and reducing refunds and cancellations. Simpler interface: The auto-renew option now uses a toggle button to improve its on/off functionality. Customer notifications: Customers will now receive email notifications about their upcoming renewals or expirations, helping them stay informed and take action when needed. The value for you and your customers: These enhancements will further streamline the private offer purchase experience, reducing friction and giving customers more confidence when transacting through the marketplace. For you, this means more seamless marketplace sales and higher customer satisfaction. Resources: For more details, explore the technical documentation to learn about these private offer improvements. 🌟 ️Partner Resources Discover exclusive resources designed to help you maximize your success in the marketplace! Explore our latest resources, blogs, and much more below: Partner blog series: Capturing the marketplace opportunity by selling path Check out our ongoing four-part blog series on how you can make the most of the Microsoft marketplace across different selling motions. Part one: Learn how adopting the marketplace as a core go-to-market strategy can help you close deals faster and increase deal sizes. Part two: Discover the power of always-on selling with digital self-service to help you grow your pipeline. Part three: Published this month, get tips and insights to maximize success when selling with channel partners through multiparty private offers. If you're looking to optimize your marketplace strategy, these blogs are a great place to start. Catch up on parts one to three now and stay tuned for the final blog in May, which will cover how to drive successful joint sales opportunities when co-selling with Microsoft. Co-sell Coaching Series Hosted in the Marketplace Community, Co-sell Coaching is where your peer Microsoft partners will walk you through their best practices on how to effectively co-sell through the Microsoft marketplace. These sessions also include live Q&A with Microsoft subject-matter experts. Episode 2: Abnormal AI, On Wednesday, April 23 Brett Ferancy, Global Alliance Leader at Abnormal AI will share: The value of co-selling with Microsoft Proven best practices for effective co-sell execution Scaling through the marketplace and multiparty private offers (MPOs) Episode 3: Silverfort, On Wednesday, May 14 Jonathan Nativ, Senior Director of Strategic Alliances at Silverfort will talk about how Silverfort: Went from $0 to over $10M in marketplace billed sales (MBS) in two years Used the Microsoft marketplace to help close deals faster and with minimal friction Closed a recent marketplace deal with a large UK oil and gas company Take action: Register for Episode 2 | Register for Episode 3. You can also view all past and future sessions here. Check out the updated marketplace playbook on Microsoft Learn Access a new comprehensive guide with best practices and step-by-step instructions to streamline your marketplace onboarding and enhance your selling experience. Check out the playbook here. Mastering the Marketplace webinars Whether you’re new to the marketplace or focused on growing sales, our Mastering the Marketplace webinars cover a broad range of business and technical session topics to help accelerate your marketplace success. Visit aka.ms/MTMwebinars to find upcoming webinars, register, and mark your calendars. 🔮 Marketplace Events Marketplace Office Hours April 24, 2025, 8:30 am PST: Channel partner office hours Q&A During this channel partner office hours session, the team will provide updates on the marketplace roadmap, including upcoming features like flexible billing to support enterprise deals. We will also discuss strategies for closing end of year deals. Join to learn: Insights on the roadmap with a deep dive on enhancements to flexible billing How to close the year by getting your deals to land in May What you can expect in FY26 with Marketplace Rewards and new marketplace features Please note, this office hours will prioritize channel partner questions, please submit questions in advance when registering. Pre-submitted questions will be discussed during the Q&A portion at the end of the event. Register here! April 30, 2025, 8:30 am PST: Customer office hours Q&A with a preview into new marketplace functionality In our next customer office hours, the team will walk through new marketplace functionality that helps further streamline financial operations to help your organization be more efficient. Customers will get a deep dive into our private offer with new enhancements in flexible billing and more that will help safeguard the customer’s organization from shadow IT while fuelling innovation. Invite your customers to register and join us for a preview into new marketplace functionality and view previous sessions office hours session on-demand here. Marketplace at Catalyst 2025 The Microsoft marketplace team will be at the Catalyst conference, hosted by Partnership Leaders in Seattle from May 13–15, 2025. Microsoft Chief Partner Office Nicole Dezen will deliver the keynote, and Jason Rook, Sr. Director of Marketplace Product Marketing, will host a mainstage session on "Activating the channel and co-sell opportunity through the Microsoft marketplace," which will dive deep into partner-to-partner selling opportunities and how to co-sell with the Microsoft field. Plus, receive guidance on how to boost marketplace success with benefits and incentives. Take action: Register for Catalyst! Microsoft Build 2025 Mark your calendars! Microsoft Build returns to Seattle and online from May 19 – 22, 2025. Register now to receive the most up-to-date information about the event. Opportunity for 1:1 meetings the week of Microsoft Build 2025 During the week of Microsoft Build (May 19-22), executives from software development companies can request meetings with Microsoft leaders from Azure Marketing, Engineering, and Marketplace. This is a unique chance to engage directly with key decision-makers at Microsoft, as we work together to build the future. Whether you’re driving innovation, scaling your business, or exploring strategic partnerships, these conversations can help unlock new possibilities. Complete this form by Apr. 30 to submit your request. The Microsoft team will reach out to confirm availability and the next steps. Please note: These meetings will take place offsite and are not part of the official Microsoft Build agenda, so event passes are not required or provided. Also, due to high interest and limited availability, submitting a request does not guarantee a meeting slot. Take action: Register to attend for Build and complete the form by April 30 th to submit a request for a 1:1 executive meeting (if you plan on attending in person). 💬 Share Your Feedback! We truly appreciate your feedback and want to ensure these Partner Release Notes deliver the information you need to succeed in the marketplace. If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can continue to improve the content to best support you, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below! Thank you!Dalikoo Achieves ISO 42001 Certification: Pioneering Responsible AI Management System
We are proud to announce that Dalikoo has achieved ISO 42001 certification, making us one of the world’s first AI providers to meet this globally recognized standard for Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS). As AI continues to transform industries, ensuring transparency, fairness, and ethical compliance is more critical than ever. Why ISO 42001 Matters AI adoption is accelerating—but so are concerns about security, trust, and ethical AI usage. Verified research shows: 🌐 54% of business and IT leaders are worried about the increasing challenges of secure data management with AI. (Source: https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-it/). 🌐 According to the https://www.capgemini.com/news/press-releases/73-of-consumers-globally-say-they-trust-content-created-by-generative-ai/?utm_source=chatgpt.com, 73% of consumers globally say they trust content created by Generative AI—highlighting the critical need for organizations to protect and maintain that trust through responsible AI governance. 🌐 https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/ai-trust-and-ai-risk?utm_source=chatgpt.com emphasizes that strong AI governance is essential to ensure compliance, fairness, reliability, and data protection—helping security teams reduce risk while building stakeholder confidence in AI-powered solutions. ISO 42001 provides organizations with a structured framework to strengthen AI governance, build trust, and minimize risks—ultimately reducing friction in business processes and accelerating responsible AI adoption. Key Benefits of ISO 42001 Certification 🕛 Enhanced Trust & Compliance – Demonstrates a commitment to ethical AI and regulatory alignment. 🕛 Stronger Risk Management – Reduces AI biases, security risks, and unintended consequences. 🕛 Competitive Advantage – Positions certified companies as leaders in AI governance. 🕛 Scalability & Innovation – Enables responsible AI growth without compromising integrity. At Dalikoo, we have always prioritized AI ethics, governance, and risk management. This certification validates our dedication to transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI. The process involved rigorous assessments, policy enhancements, and operational improvements to align with industry best practices. Why Your Organization Should Get Certified With increasing regulatory scrutiny, organizations need to proactively manage AI risks and compliance. ISO 42001 certification helps businesses: 🚀 Build stakeholder trust by demonstrating AI integrity. 🚨 Ensure compliance with evolving AI regulations and standards. 🏎️ Optimize AI performance while minimizing security and ethical risks. Join the Responsible AI Management System Team We encourage other organizations to take the next step toward ethical AI adoption. By achieving ISO 42001, companies can future proof their AI strategies and drive sustainable innovation. 💬 If you have any questions or thoughts, drop them in the comment box below! Let's discuss and shape the future of Responsible AI together. #ISO42001 #ResponsibleAI #AIethics #AIgovernance #TrustworthyAI #Dalikoo #MicrosoftAI
