Over the past few months, we have continued to add benefits and resources to the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program to help you and your customers realize the most from our latest technology. These changes have been informed by partner feedback and developed with the diversity of the partner community in mind.
In this blog, you’ll find links to expert insights, redesigned learning materials, and updated benefits to accelerate your growth in the coming year.
Announcements
- State of the Partner Ecosystem: Chief Partner Officer Nicole Dezen showcased the latest Microsoft partner business news, changes, updates, and momentum in her annual State of the Partner Ecosystem post on the Official Microsoft Blog. Learn about program updates, including new designations and certifications for partners. Find out how we are equipping partners through AI skilling, and read about partners delivering AI solutions around the world.
- New benefits packages: In January, we launched three new benefits packages designed to help partners at various stages of growth to develop their business. Find out which package is right for you by reading more on the partner blog.
- Realigning global licensing for Microsoft 365: Last year Microsoft updated the way Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Teams were licensed in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. We have recently announced our plan to extend that approach worldwide to ensure globally consistent licensing. Learn more.
Copilot Roadmap
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Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365: In the era of AI, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is an indispensable tool for revolutionizing content marketing, streamlining customer experiences, and empowering organizations. Learn more about this growth opportunity and get started with partner-specific resources to learn how to use Copilot and be equipped to sell to your customers.
- Microsoft Copilot for Security: Microsoft Copilot for Security is the first generative AI security product designed to defend organizations at the speed and scale of AI. Beginning April 1, it is now generally available in all commerce channels, including Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). Learn more on the partner blog.
- Copilot for Microsoft 365 for Sales, Services, and Education partners: We are expanding the partner opportunity with Copilot for Microsoft 365 with the general availability of new offerings for Sales, Services, and Education. Find the announcements on the Partner Tech Community to learn how these provide new ways to embrace AI and achieve your goals.
Events and Campaigns
- 2024 Microsoft partner events: Our leadership shared an update on the event lineup for 2024, including how we are evolving Microsoft Inspire and Microsoft Ignite.
- Microsoft AI Partner Training Roadshows (sponsored by AMD): Join a single-day, in-person event focused on driving customer engagement with the power of AI. The roadshow provides an exceptional opportunity to engage with Microsoft experts, hear about the latest trends in AI from Microsoft executives, and participate in technical or sales training. Register today for your preferred location.
- Accelerating our collective progress with women-led innovation: For Women’s History Month, we celebrated women-owned and led partners leading in their respective industries, from security solutions to health and manufacturing innovations.
- Microsoft Cloud Executive Enablement Series: This new video series features senior Microsoft leaders discussing current cloud trends and technology solutions. Tune in for a unique perspective on the business value of the Microsoft Cloud and ways to engage with your customers.
- Empowering partners: celebrating excellence in tech: This blog post features information on Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offerings designed to uplift diversity within our community and strengthen our collective capacity.
- Microsoft #BuildFor2030 Initiative: Through themes of gender equality, inclusion, sustainability, enabling nonprofits, and empowering communities, the Microsoft #BuildFor2030 Initiative supports partners in making a difference in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Join in with skilling and other benefits that accelerate innovation, changemaking, and collective impact.
News and Program Updates
- New Solutions Partner with certified software designations: To better support partners who develop software, Solutions Partner with certified software designations are now generally available. Attaining one of these designations helps partners differentiate their software solutions, better connect with customers, and unlock additional benefits. Explore the learning path to determine your eligibility and download resources.
- Solutions Partner for Training Services designations: Microsoft Training Services partners play a crucial role in enhancing the capabilities of both IT professionals and developers. To recognize this unique skillset, we’ve announced the new Solutions Partner for Training Services designation, specifically for Microsoft partners who are in the business of delivering deep technical skilling to learners of all types.
- Simplifying Microsoft co-sell for partners providing services: We are evolving co-sell for partners providing services to shift away from sharing leads based on the offers that a partner has listed in the commercial marketplace. Instead, Microsoft will identify partners for co-sell opportunities by viewing their business profiles. Learn more by reviewing our Inspire session.
- Read the Azure Marketplace blog for news, updates, announcements, case studies, and other information related to the Azure Marketplace.
Benefits Changes
- Azure Migrate and Modernize & Azure Innovate: These two offerings help you adopt Azure across all your needs — from migration to innovation — with proven guidance, tools with built-in cost optimization, and security recommendations. Learn more and nominate today to make your cloud transformation create more value, faster.
- New pricing for Microsoft Dynamics 365: Effective October 1, 2024, we will be implementing the first pricing update for Microsoft Dynamics 365 in more than five years. Learn more about these changes and how Dynamics 365 will continue to help organizations adapt to change and transform their business.
Training & Resources
Spotlight: Security
- Network and Information Systems 2 (NIS2) Directive: The most comprehensive European cybersecurity directive yet, NIS2 aims harmonize cybersecurity requirements and their enforcement across member states by setting a baseline of security measures. Use these resources to understand the scope of NIS2 and how you can use the Microsoft Security solutions to support your customers on staying in compliance.
- Secure Productivity for SMBs: Find the latest go-to-market content to help you drive migration to Microsoft 365 Business Premium and upsell and cross-sell your existing customer base by highlighting the benefits of enhanced security, intelligent productivity, and enterprise-grade device and app management.
- Defend against cybersecurity threats: This six-week customizable campaign is designed to help you acquire top-of-the-funnel leads with prospects and customers by providing engaging content that highlights the benefits of defending against cybersecurity threats.
- Security Cloud Week (June 10-14, 2024) helps partners master the intricacies of cybersecurity, security operation analysis, information protections, and identity and access administration solutions.
Azure and AI
- Partner and train with Microsoft to boost your AI and cloud-related knowledge: In this round-up on the partner blog, find flexible and on-demand training to help you gain the necessary skills to leverage AI and other advanced technologies.
- Access key Microsoft Azure resources in one convenient location: Our new Azure for partners experience provides direct access to Azure resources including FastTrack, Well-Architected Framework, Cloud Adoption Framework, partner-led workshops, Azure Migrate and Modernize, Azure Innovate, and more. Explore how these resources and benefits can help you innovate and scale.
- Copilot for Microsoft 365 User Onboarding Toolkit: Leverage this starter kit, which includes ready-to-send emails and community posts for your business users, to help your people quickly realize the full benefit of Copilot for Microsoft 365.
- Create Power Platform solutions with AI and Copilot: Follow this learning path to create Power Platform solutions with Copilot to speed up development and add AI functionality to make your solutions more intelligent (requires a US-based Power Apps Developer environment with a licensed user).
- Broaden your Azure and AI knowledge with Microsoft Fabric, Azure OpenAI, and Build and Modernize AI Apps workshops. Register today.
Role-based readiness
- Microsoft Learn for Organizations: Drive more success by boosting your team’s technical skills with curated offerings from Microsoft Learn for Organizations. Jump-start team training and close skills gaps with the tailored learning and Microsoft-verified credentials your workforce needs to keep pace with fast-evolving technology and new roles and responsibilities. Explore the organizational skilling playbook, your guide to empowering your team for the AI era and beyond.
- Industry Solutions on Microsoft Learn: We have launched a new landing page for all industry solutions training content and learning paths. Learn how to accelerate time to value, speed up innovation, and drive benefits for your customers, employees, and organization.
- Independent Software Vendor resources: As an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner who builds software and SaaS solutions, learn about the support that you have within the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, ISV Success, the commercial marketplace, and more.
- Ready-to-use SMB (Small and Midsize Business) Modern Work campaign resources: Help your small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers navigate market uncertainty and accelerate growth, optimize their investment, and reinvest in solutions that drive their business with new campaigns.
- Reskill: Bridging the talent gap in ERP: To address talent scarcity and training needs, we collaborated with workforce development partners to develop an initiative that transforms new hires into adept Business Central consultants and developers. Learn how we can support your recruitment and retention efforts.
Partner Innovation
- Microsoft Partner Success Stories: Read real-life stories of how Microsoft partners are monetizing AI and driving success with the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program.
- LawToolBox brings AI to legal pros: LawToolBox boosts productivity and efficiency for legal customers with an AI-powered legal calendaring app for Microsoft Teams, as well as a plugin to extend Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 to its apps.
- Quorum Cyber offers peace of mind in unpredictable digital landscape: Through personalized partnerships, Quorum Cyber defends and supports customers before, during, and after any cybersecurity incident.
- Security and reliability are the cornerstones for Axon Evidence, built on Azure: Axon empowers law enforcement agencies to better protect their communities. With cloud-based storage, investigators can manage potential evidence in a secure environment.
- Theom's AI integrations make for a smooth, safe transformation: Theom’s data and AI governance and security solution helps businesses earn and keep trust in a challenging market.
- Kyndryl resolves IT issues with Microsoft AI: Kyndryl, a leading global provider of IT infrastructure services, developed virtual agent capabilities to streamline their IT support and quickly resolve technical issues.
- Nav24 transforms Abriso Jiffy’s legacy ERP system: Nav24’s solution helps manufacturing companies unlock the power of connected data to drive efficiency across the entire business.
- CallTower consolidates communication for Sight & Sound Theatres: With CallTower’s unified communication platform, customers can transform the way they collaborate and work.
- KPMG to revolutionize productivity with Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365: For nearly a decade, KPMG Australia has used AI technologies to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and quality of a range of data discovery tasks. Seeing the potential of generative AI to further enhance its services, the firm tested offerings from multiple vendors before deciding to build a proof of concept of its ESG Comply AI platform using Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Search, and Copilot for Microsoft 365.
- Unlock productivity with Jira Cloud plugin for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365: Atlassian joined other Microsoft partners in extending Copilot to their own Teams apps, developing a plugin that enhances the user experience and speeds up common tasks.
Community
Be sure to visit the redesigned Microsoft partner blog. In response to your feedback, we’ve redesigned the Microsoft partner blog, making it easier to find and discover the content most relevant to your business. With streamlined categories, recommended content suggestions, and the ability to view posts chronologically, you’ll spend less time looking for what you need and more time taking advantage of what you learn. We’re looking forward to sharing more updates as the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program continues to evolve and deepen our offerings.