As we have a good time Microsoft’s fiftieth anniversary, our annual State of the Companion Ecosystem second is a superb alternative to mirror on the unimaginable journey we’ve shared with our companions, workers and prospects. Collectively, we’ve harnessed expertise as a pressure for good, remodeling industries and communities. From our early days of revolutionizing private computing to main the best way in cloud innovation and now AI, our shared milestones spotlight the facility of collaboration and reinvention.
Fifty years in the past, Microsoft began with a daring concept: the idea that expertise might change the world. Due to the biggest accomplice ecosystem within the business, numbering 500,000 and rising, that imaginative and prescient turned a actuality, and I do know we’re simply getting began. From the early days of distributing Home windows PCs and Workplace to now delivering AI transformation methods that resolve probably the most advanced buyer challenges, our potential to remain on the forefront of innovation as expertise evolves is a testomony to our tradition of steady reinvention.
In keeping with IDC, for each $1 of Microsoft income, companies companions earn $8.45, and software program companions earn $10.93. This underscores the immense alternative obtainable to companions of all sorts. As we sit up for the longer term, we all know that generative AI (GenAI) is forecast to develop exponentially sooner than the general IT market. Companions producing not less than 25% of their Microsoft-related income from AI can anticipate larger margins and income progress, unlocking much more potential for transformation and success.*
Microsoft has all the time been a partner-led firm. Our companions are core to our heritage and our future. Their innovation and collaboration have pushed actual transformation and buyer success and can proceed to form the way forward for industries around the globe. As we commemorate this historic second, I need to take the chance to say Thank You to our companions for being on this unimaginable journey with us.
Listed here are just some methods you may be part of us to have a good time this milestone:
- Watch this video from Judson Althoff, Govt Vice President and Chief Industrial Officer, Microsoft.
- Be part of the Microsoft AI Expertise Fest for 50 days of studying and discovery beginning April 8! Acquire expertise that can empower you and your staff to construct revolutionary AI options with Microsoft’s apps and companies.
“For many years, Intel’s partnership with Microsoft has sparked innovation and delivered worth to our prospects. Collectively, we’ve revolutionized industries and established new benchmarks for excellence. We stay up for collaborating for the following 50 years — and past.”
— Jim Johnson, Senior Vice President, Consumer Computing Group, Intel
Getting ready for the longer term with the Microsoft AI Cloud Companion Program (MAICPP)
Microsoft succeeds when our companions succeed. MAICPP has developed to allow companions worldwide to ship buyer outcomes throughout each business, from small companies to the biggest enterprises. Our program is designed to offer our companions with probably the most related instruments and assets they should thrive in a quickly altering market, and it serves as the house for all accomplice sorts.
“As a proud Microsoft alum, I’ve seen firsthand how our collaboration has developed to drive significant change for companies throughout industries. From technique by way of engineering and implementation, PwC and Microsoft drive innovation and ship actual enterprise outcomes for shoppers worldwide.”
— Stephanie Mosticchio, Principal, US and International Microsoft Alliance Chief, PwC
By MAICPP, all companions can entry up to date advantages packages designed to speed up progress and meet particular enterprise wants. Software program growth corporations are inspired to discover ISV Success, a pathway providing extra advantages to broaden growth capabilities and shorten time to market. Whether or not constructing, publishing or rising gross sales, companions can leverage focused presents to get the assist they want.
“As somebody who has led international partnerships at a number of of the world’s main expertise corporations, I’m impressed by how Microsoft has leaned in with their accomplice ecosystem and brought a management place in cloud computing and AI. We, at Snowflake, are excited to proceed to strengthen our partnership within the years to return, and we stay up for collectively driving buyer success within the age of enterprise AI. Congratulations!
— Tyler Prince, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Alliances & Channels, Snowflake
Relying on enterprise targets, companions could pursue a Options Companion designation or specialization, each of which offer tailor-made advantages to assist differentiate their enterprise in a aggressive market. Reaching a designation unlocks precious go-to-market assets, gross sales assist, new incentives and product advantages to assist broaden buyer attain, sharpen expertise and drive progress. For software program growth corporations, changing into a Options Companion** with licensed software program*** additional enhances market presence by validating software program capabilities in high-demand areas.
“Having labored alongside each CEO of Microsoft in my profession, I wish to personally congratulate Microsoft for its 50 extraordinary years of driving relentless innovation.”
“Lenovo is proud to be a significant a part of this superb journey with Microsoft and we’re dedicated to this partnership for a lot of extra many years to return.”
— Yuanqing Yang, Chairman and Chief Govt Officer, Lenovo
For companions holding an Azure designation or Azure specialization, extra incentives can be found by way of Azure Migrate and Modernize and Azure Innovate — each underpinned by Azure Necessities. With complete assets, in depth protection throughout situations and tailor-made incentives in a single easy-to-navigate hub, Azure companions can higher assist prospects from migration to innovation. Be taught extra in What’s new for Azure partner-led choices: ISV Success and specialization updates.
Our program presents advantages for companions aligned to their progress stage and throughout all buyer segments. We’ve got not too long ago made the method of acquiring an Azure Options Companion designation extra aligned to our companions who specialise in working with small and midsize prospects. We’re additionally increasing entry to Azure Migrate and Modernize and Azure Innovate incentives for SMB pathways. Learn extra in regards to the SMB path to Azure Options Companion designations.
Cloud Answer Supplier is our accomplice hero movement for small and medium enterprises
In November at Microsoft Ignite, we highlighted the $661 billion whole addressable market (TAM) alternative for SME&C prospects in FY25 and past. Cloud Answer Supplier (CSP) companions are the trusted advisors who serve these prospects and speed up their AI transformation with the value-added companies and options that create actual enterprise impression. CSP is our hero movement that allows these companions to drive this enterprise transformation.
“Our Microsoft partnership has developed to satisfy the wants of our enterprise and our companions. Collectively we’ve been in a position to assist our companions to ship true answer and worth promoting, leveraging the strong assets obtainable by way of Microsoft AI Cloud Companion Program and benefitting from the wealthy incentives. It has enabled us to drive innovation and ship distinctive experiences for our companions by way of our ArrowSphere platform and broader enablement applications to make sure they’re empowered to ship actual buyer outcomes. Collectively, we’re enabling the channel to ship options that ship actual impression for patrons around the globe.”
— Brendan Murphy, International Director, Public Cloud, Arrow Electronics
We try to offer CSP companions with the skilling, capabilities and investments to make this chance a actuality. Thus far in FY25, we have now:
- targeted our incentives to obviously align to our 5 strategic priorities — Copilot on each machine throughout each function, AI design wins with each buyer, securing the cyber basis of each buyer, a deal with migrations and Microsoft 365 execution
- devoted 70% of our whole incentive spend to companions that serve the Small and Medium Enterprise and Buyer (SME&C) section
- launched a sequence of new promos, together with a new-to-Microsoft 365 E5 provide to allow CSP companions to win new prospects
Increasing our portfolio of CSP presents and capabilities is an ongoing precedence. We share updates as they change into obtainable.
Capturing {the marketplace} alternative
As prospects more and more centralize their answer procurement, marketplaces have change into the popular shopping for platform. For software program corporations, adopting cloud marketplaces accelerates deal closure and will increase deal sizes. Serving as a world B2B commerce engine, our market empowers Microsoft companions to offer options to prospects worldwide. It presents varied gross sales fashions: digital direct, by way of companions or with Microsoft — offering flexibility to align with how prospects need to purchase and the way companions need to promote. Be taught extra on this latest weblog.
Unlocking success by way of skilling and occasions
The velocity of expertise innovation requires steady studying. To assist this, we provide our companions a wide range of skilling alternatives, akin to our widespread in-person Microsoft AI Companion Coaching Days, designed to assist companions develop each technical and gross sales capabilities.
We’re additionally streamlining and simplifying our skilling portals by way of initiatives like Microsoft Gross sales Titan (at present in non-public preview for CSP Speed up companions and obtainable for all companions in summer season 2025), a program tailor-made to equip gross sales professionals with in-depth information of Microsoft Menace Safety SKUs, empowering them to place themselves as business leaders. Uncover these and different skilling alternatives.
Wanting forward, we invite our companions to be part of us at Microsoft Construct, happening Might 19–22, 2025. This flagship occasion presents an unique alternative to discover the newest developments in AI, learn to work smarter and elevate your initiatives. Join with friends, business specialists and Microsoft management whereas diving into the code and improvements that can form the longer term.
“Schneider Electrical and Microsoft have been pushed by a shared imaginative and prescient of a world that’s extra electrical and digital. We’re thrilled to have a good time Microsoft’s fiftieth anniversary and excited to proceed pioneering revolutionary options collectively, harnessing the transformative energy of AI, pushing the boundaries of what’s doable for our prospects and shaping a sustainable future for generations to come.”
— Frédéric Godemel, Govt Vice President, Vitality Administration, Schneider Electrical
Wanting ahead – the following 50 years
As we have a good time this outstanding milestone, we stay targeted on and optimistic for the longer term. We proceed to innovate, collaborate and empower our companions to thrive within the period of AI and past. The previous 50 years have been outlined by shared success, and it will proceed for our future. Collectively, we are going to unlock new alternatives, drive transformation and form the way forward for expertise.
All through this journey, tales of innovation have impressed us. A number of examples of how companions are celebrating our fiftieth anniversary are included on this weblog. See the complete checklist of accomplice quotes on the Microsoft 50th Anniversary celebration website.
Thanks for being an integral a part of our story. We are able to’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish collectively subsequent!
*IDC: Microsoft Companions: Driving Financial Worth and AI Maturity
**“Options Companion” refers to an organization that could be a member of the Microsoft AI Cloud Companion Program and should provide software program, companies, and/or options to prospects. Reference to “Options Companion” in any content material, supplies, assets, internet properties, and so forth. and any related designation needs to be not interpreted as a suggestion, endorsement, assure, proof of effectiveness or performance, a dedication or every other sort of illustration or guarantee on the a part of Microsoft. All choices pertaining to and associated to your online business wants together with however not restricted to methods, options, accomplice choice, implementation, and so forth. relaxation solely with your online business.
***A certification is (A) particular to the answer’s interoperability with Microsoft merchandise and (B) primarily based on self-attestation by the answer proprietor. Options are solely licensed as of the date the answer is reviewed. Answer performance and functionality are managed by the answer proprietor and could also be topic to alter. The inclusion of an answer in market and any such designations shouldn’t be interpreted as a suggestion, endorsement, assure, proof of effectiveness or performance, a dedication or every other sort of illustration or guarantee on the a part of Microsoft. All choices pertaining and associated to your online business wants together with however not restricted to methods, options, accomplice choice, implementation, and so forth. relaxation solely with your online business.
