3 Key Announcements from AWS re:Invent Global Partner Summit
New AWS Partner benefits that help startups drive business growth
*** UPDATE: due to the high demand on learning how to partner with AWS, I have shared my FULL Cloud Partnership Playbook over a comprehensive course. I want to share with the Medium community a free access to the course, click here to get a FREE coupon to the course.***
Every year, AWS Global Partner Summit takes place as part of AWS re:Invent, and introduces new programs and initiatives that affect the AWS Partners ecosystem.
The Global Partner Summit is focused on AWS Partners and provides great insights into how partners can explore opportunities to build, market, and sell their offerings. This year’s Global Partner Summit keynote, delivered by Doug Yeum, Head of Worldwide Channels and Alliances at Amazon Web Services, included new exciting announcements that have a significant impact on AWS Partners, and partners to be.
In this post, I’ll review the 3 key announcements most related to co-sell strategy. Whether you are already an AWS Partner, or just exploring the AWS Partnership, this blog will help you understand how you can leverage the AWS Partnership to drive business growth, especially when running a startup.
Here are the announcements that I will review in this post:
- AWS ISV Partner Path
- AWS ISV Accelerate
- Expansion of AWS Marketplace Benefits
AWS ISV Partner Path: expediting partner benefits
The AWS ISV Partner Path is a program that focuses on Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that have a solution that runs on or is integrated with AWS. This program unlocks several benefits, like funding and co-selling support, that were previously only available to Advanced Partners, by waiving many requirements that might have taken months to meet, especially by startups (see below).
Fewer Requirements
Before the ISV Partner Path program, a partner couldn't access AWS Partners benefits, unless it achieves an Advanced status, which requires to meet several requirements such as technical validation, public references, opportunities registration, etc.
In order to simplify the partners’ experience, and help more partners access valuable benefits faster, AWS introduced the ISV Partner Path. By enrolling in the ISV Partner Path, Partners will be entitled to AWS Partner benefits and resources (see below).
In order to join the program, partners should meet one requirement, which is successfully pass “technical validation” — AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR) (conducted by an AWS Solution Architect). Once the FDR is completed successfully, the company will get a badge of “Reviewed by AWS” and will be entitled to AWS Partner benefits (see below).
Who can join the ISV Partner Path and when? Beginning in January 2021, any AWS Partner with a software solution that runs on or is integrated with AWS can join the new AWS ISV Partner Path.
Enhanced Partner Benefits
With fewer requirements, Partners can access existing Partners benefits faster, and leverage the new programs that were announced.
The main Partners’ benefits are:
- Co-sell support, with the ACE Program.
- Access to differentiation programs, such as AWS Competency, AWS Service Delivery, AWS Service Ready, and more.
- Funding eligibility:
- Innovation sandbox, for solution development.
- Market Development Funds (MDF) for joint go-to-market activities.
- Partner Opportunity Acceleration (POA) to support customer proofs-of-concept.
ISV Accelerate Program
The ISV Accelerate Program structures the AWS co-sell support and accelerates the joint commitment between AWS and its Partners.
As part of this program, AWS provides co-sell support in a few layers:
- Enhanced exposure to AWS Sales teams and prioritized access to the AWS co-sell support team. This access drives more awareness to Partners’ products, which drives deal support and customer referrals.
- Cash incentives for AWS Sales teams for joint wins. These incentives enhance the motivation of field teams to help Partners to close deals.
- Reduced AWS Marketplace listing fees. If a deal is closed via the AWS Marketplace, AWS will reduce the listing fee significantly.
In order to benefit from the ISV Accelerate program, Partners need to comply with these requirements. ***If you are currently an AWS Advanced Technology Partner — you already comply with all the ISV Accelerate program requirements.
Expansion of AWS Marketplace Benefits for Startups
As part of the AWS Marketplace Startup Program, AWS helps companies to accelerate sales cycle and automate customers’ procurement experience.
In 2021, AWS Marektplace will offer APN Global Startup Partners:
- Credits to completely offset listing fees for the first five private offers that Partners launch on AWS Marketplace.
- Significantly reduced AWS Marketplace listing fees for deals renewals.
Get Started
The new announcements demonstrate a partner-centric approach as they significantly simplify Partners’ experience, reducing some of the barriers to existing benefits as well as introducing new opportunities to boost Partners’ co-selling strategy. This approach will make it easier for startups to accelerate their journey as an AWS Partner and develop a go-to-market strategy with AWS.
If you have a software solution that runs on or is integrated with AWS, schedule a technical review, and join the new AWS ISV Partner Path program. As you enroll in this program, you start building your co-sell strategy with AWS, leveraging AWS Partners Program, and AWS Marketplace.
For further discussion about re:invent 2020 partner announcements, join our next AWS Partner Community Meetup.
I’d love to hear your personal experience as you navigate through the AWS partnership.
Feel absolutely free to contact me or check out this Cloud Partnerships course I realeased (free link for the Medium community can be found here). I encourage you to comment and share what worked best for you!
For further discussion about re:invent 2020 partner announcements, join our next AWS Partner Community Meetup.
