Partner Blog | Build. Monetize. Scale. Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace launches to power software companies on Microsoft Marketplace
For software development companies building the next generation of AI-powered apps and agents on the Microsoft Cloud, getting a solution ready for customers is only part of the commercial journey. Publishing, becoming transactable, reaching customers, aligning with Microsoft sellers, and building Marketplace momentum all require different resources as their business progresses. Today, we are announcing the availability of Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace, a new Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program experience that brings those resources into one connected journey, while providing updated benefits and additional value. The experience follows three stages: Build & Publish, where partners prepare their solutions for Microsoft Marketplace and transactability; Grow, where they turn Marketplace presence into customer acquisition, transactions, and early commercial momentum; and Differentiate, where they build on established Marketplace performance through deeper go-to-market engagement, benefits, and opportunities to further differentiate their solution. As partners progress, a unified Partner Center experience connects guidance, skilling, Marketplace resources, and milestone-based benefits to the stage their business has reached. Eligible partners can choose the level of engagement that fits their strategy: The no-cost experience provides self-service tools, guidance, skilling, and milestone-based benefits that expand as partners progress through the Marketplace journey and meet applicable performance milestones. Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace Premium is available for a fee and adds deeper Microsoft engagement and investment across the journey. Eligible Premium partners can access up to $30,000 in Azure sponsorship for eligible build and test activities, along with technical consultations and a named engagement manager. 1 As they move into growth, Premium partners also receive customer propensity scoring, immediate access to Partner Marketing Center Pro, and additional go-to-market guidance and benefits. Both experiences follow the same Build & Publish, Grow, and Differentiate journey, giving partners the flexibility to choose the level of guidance and investment that fits their business. Continue reading herePartner Blog | Build the skills to turn AI opportunity into customer execution
Customers are moving from AI interest to implementation. They want to understand where AI can create meaningful business value, which solutions fit the opportunity, and how to deploy, secure, govern, and scale those solutions with confidence. For partners, readiness now must extend across the customer journey. Sales teams need the skills to identify and position the right opportunity. Technical teams need the depth to design it. Delivery teams need practical experience to turn a promising AI conversation into a successful customer project. Building that capability takes time and investment, and you do not have to fund it alone. One of the best ways to get skilling is through partner benefits packages: bundled, discounted offerings of licenses, credits, and support that help your teams skill, build, and grow faster. Pair the learning journeys below with the benefits your organization is eligible for, and training turns into customer-ready delivery in the same quarter. This month’s skilling opportunities connect those capabilities. Whether you are building a Microsoft Copilot practice, expanding into agents, serving small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, or developing deeper Frontier Transformation engineering expertise, the goal is the same: build skills you can apply in your next customer engagement. Build Copilot and Cowork skills around the customer opportunity Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork creates new opportunities to connect AI with the work customers need to get done. For partners, the starting point is the customer scenario: where could delegated, AI-powered work create value, and what skills does your team need to take that opportunity from conversation to implementation? Continue reading herePartner Blog | Plan today, grow tomorrow: Turn partner investments into sustained demand
The customer journey is changing, and partners have more opportunities to influence technology decisions across it. But taking advantage of those opportunities requires more than individual campaigns or one-time investments. Recent Omdia research maps 28 critical presales touchpoints, with additional customer success opportunities after the sale. Yet 62% of partners surveyed invest 10% or less of their marketing budgets in demand generation. For FY27, we see three areas that can reinforce one another: build the expertise customers increasingly expect, invest in sustained demand generation around the challenges they need to solve, and apply those capabilities to opportunities such as Microsoft Copilot and Frontier Transformation. 1. Build the expertise customers increasingly expect As AI becomes part of more business decisions and processes, customers are looking for partners that can connect technology to specific industries, workflows, and business challenges. That makes skilling a business investment. Marketing teams need enough technical and industry fluency to communicate value clearly. Sales and presales teams need to connect customer priorities to solutions. Technical teams need the depth to design and deliver them, while customer success teams need the expertise to drive adoption and identify opportunities to extend value. Start with the customer opportunities you want to pursue, then identify where your teams need greater depth. The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub provides partner-focused learning across Microsoft Cloud solution areas, roles, and technical certifications. For partners that have earned co-op, eligible Partner AI Adoption activities may also provide an opportunity to build AI capability within your own organization. Applying AI and agents to your internal workflows can give your teams practical experience that strengthens customer conversations. Review the current Microsoft Commercial Partner Incentives Guide for applicable eligibility and requirements. 2. Invest in sustained demand generation around customer challenges Expertise creates more value when customers can discover it throughout their buying journey. Omdia's research shows that buyers use sources ranging from AI tools and search engines to social media, events, peer groups, partners, review sites, and digital marketplaces. A single webinar, email, or paid activation is unlikely to carry that entire journey. That makes isolated tactics less effective than a connected program that builds relevance and trust over time. Continue reading hereBuild the right skills faster with the AI Agent
Finding the right training shouldn’t slow down your growth. The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub AI Agent helps you spend less time searching and more time building the skills that move your business forward. Available directly within the Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub, the AI-powered assistant delivers tailored training recommendations, answers skilling-related questions, and generates personalized technical skilling plans based on your role and learning goals. The agent surfaces relevant content from the Partner Skilling Hub, LevelUp, and Microsoft Learn, making it easier to find the training that matters most to your business. Whether you're developing technical expertise, preparing for certifications, or building new AI capabilities, you can receive a customized path in seconds. Getting started is simple. Open the Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub and select the AI Agent icon in the lower-right corner of the homepage. No separate installation or application is required. View the demo video for more information. Build your plan now in the Skilling Hub. Be sure to follow our Partner Skilling Discussion board to connect with subject matter experts with your questions and comments!Partner Blog | Your FY27 partner skilling roadmap: What’s new and where to start
Welcome to FY27 and the latest Microsoft Partner Skilling updates. As AI continues to reshape how customers evaluate, buy, and adopt technology, skilling is becoming a practical growth lever across partner roles, from sales and presales to solution architecture, delivery, and customer success. Whether you are building AI solutions, scaling Microsoft 365 Copilot practices, preparing for agent opportunities, or aligning your team to Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program requirements, this month’s updates give you a clearer path to build the capabilities customers expect. The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub is the central destination to start, offering no-cost partner skilling across Microsoft Cloud solution areas, with live, in-person, virtual, and on-demand learning tracks for multiple roles and technical certifications. What’s new in FY27 FY27 starts with new skilling resources designed to make it easier for you to plan learning, build AI expertise, and move from readiness to execution. First, the Partner Skilling Hub now includes a new Skilling Plan AI Agent. You can use the AI Agent to get personalized training recommendations, build a complete learning plan, or quickly find a specific course based on your role, solution area, or readiness goal. This update matters because many partner teams are balancing multiple priorities at once. A seller may need a fast path to position Microsoft 365 Copilot for small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, while a technical consultant may need deeper implementation guidance for agents, governance, and security. The AI Agent gives each learner a more direct starting point. Continue reading blog here Don't forget to follow the new Partner Skilling discussion board to connect with subject matter experts!Introducing the new Partner Skilling Discussion Board on Tech Community
Be a part of a dedicated partner community where you can discover skilling resources, engage directly with Microsoft subject matter experts, and get real-time support as you grow across Microsoft solution areas. This new space empowers you to connect, scale your business, and drive customer impact through resources and expertise. Visit the new Partner Skilling Discussion Board
