Maximizing Value and Profitability: 10 Upgrades to the AWS Partner Experience

The “AWS Partner Experience Transformation” blog series unveils updates to the AWS Partner Programs, AWS Marketplace, and AWS Partner Central.

At AWS re:Invent 2023, we introduced ten significant enhancements aimed at elevating our partners’ productivity and profitability. Earlier this year, we embarked on a transformative journey to improve the partner experience, allowing you to seize opportunities at every phase of your AWS journey and advance within the AWS Partner Profitability Framework, regardless of your starting point. In July, we shared a roadmap outlining these enhancements.

Our goal is to position the AWS Partner Network (APN) alongside AWS Marketplace as your ideal route to market. We aim to empower you to deliver unique value to millions of AWS customers, enabling you to secure more wins, larger contracts, and quicker success.

We are aligning the AWS Partner experience—including programs, incentives, and enablement—around AWS services and partner business models: business outcome solutions, technology solutions, managed services, services, and resale. These enhancements offer more relevant and actionable guidance, ensuring consistency and predictability. Your profitability, coupled with driving new business, is our top priority.

1. Introduction of Solution Building Enablement

With a growing demand for business outcome solutions, we are launching Solution Building Enablement for all partners at no cost. This initiative aids you in constructing and validating your solutions with AWS. Following the successful preview of the Partner Solution Factory with self-serve templates and guidance at re:Invent 2022, we are expanding its availability to all partners.

Solution Building Enablement presents prescriptive steps for constructing and validating industry-specific or use case solutions, complete with reference architecture, validated open-source code, and go-to-market resources. You can access Solution Building Enablement immediately in AWS Partner Central (login required) under the “Guides” section of the Resources tab.

2. Encouraging Multi-Party Engagements for Accelerated Business Outcomes

Profitability is rooted in delivering unique value to customers by providing the best solutions for their challenges. Today’s customers are in search of integrated solutions that yield measurable outcomes, typically involving multiple components and organizations.

With global IT spending projected to reach $4.5 trillion in 2023, and line-of-business buyers being the largest group of tech purchasers, we are facilitating ways for you to expedite business outcome solutions through:

Multi-partner collaborations via Partner Matchmaking events to develop innovative solutions that can be constructed with technology from various partners and delivered either solely or in collaboration with others.
Standardized collaboration, solution development, and go-to-market processes with a formal Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA).

In 2024, we will continue to invest in multi-partner engagements through Partner Matchmaking events and Partner Summits. To learn more about our partners’ successes in delivering Business Outcome Solutions, you can submit your interest in participating.

3. Tailored Programs and Experiences for Technology Solutions Partners

For technology solution partners developing their own intellectual property on AWS services, we’re simplifying the process to access our programs, unlocking greater benefits. We’ve aligned core ISV programs to help you create, market, and sell solutions in AWS Marketplace, expanding your customer reach and generating additional revenue. Updates include:

Tailored programs for ISVs, applicable across both commercial and public sector partners, such as AWS SaaS Factory and the Partner Transformation Program.
Improved Software Path experience within AWS Partner Central, offering automated tasks and next-step recommendations.
Streamlined program requirements to lessen administrative burdens.
A formalized approach for ISVs, including mid-to-late-stage startups, to enhance go-to-market strategies and co-sell with AWS effectively.

Engage with the new Software Path experience today in AWS Partner Central (login required).

4. Upgraded Program for Managed Service Providers

AWS Managed Service Providers (MSPs) play a vital role as trusted partners for customers, overseeing continuous management, optimization, and support of IT infrastructure and applications. Feedback from a recent cloud customer survey highlighted that MSPs are among the top influencers of customer purchase decisions.

Based on extensive interviews with our MSPs, we’re enhancing the MSP program to help you create and grow additional managed service revenue streams, with an improved program launching in Q2 2024. To join the waitlist for the private preview, submit your request here.

5. Revised Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) for Services Partners

To support customers in achieving migration goals and enable partners to enhance migration project delivery, we are revising the existing Migration Acceleration Program (MAP). The standard MAP construct will be available to services partners with the Migration Competency or relevant workload specialization. Additionally, we’re:

Simplifying the partner experience with a cash and/or credit investment combination.
Streamlining the approval process in the Partner Funding Portal.
Adjusting investment levels for lift-and-shift migrations.
Introducing new incentives for further funding above lift-and-shift, including greenfield and modernization projects.

Changes to MAP will be reflected in the Partner Funding Portal in AWS Partner Central by mid-2024, allowing ample time for partners to adapt.

6. Expanded Benefits for Resellers

We are introducing enhancements to enable resellers, which will be detailed further in upcoming communications.

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In conclusion, these enhancements are designed to better equip you as an AWS Partner, ensuring that you can navigate the complexities of the market and maximize your profitability with AWS’s support.