We've taken your feedback and have made the process of obtaining your Azure Solutions Partner designation more aligned to our partners who specialize in working with smaller customers.
For the last 50 years, we’ve been evolving and innovating our offerings to better serve our partners and customers. The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program is a key part of that evolution and innovation, and we’re excited to share that we have created a streamlined path for partners who primarily work with small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to attain Azure Solutions Partner designations.
SMBs are searching for experienced partners to help them achieve their business goals, and Solutions Partner designations help them identify and validate your proven cloud and AI capabilities—showing them you’re a partner they can count on. Plus, attaining a designation unlocks a suite of go-to-market, sales, new incentives, and product benefits to help expand your customer reach, sharpen your skills, and grow your business.
What is the new SMB path?
The SMB path—which is already active for the Business Applications and Modern Work solution areas—is designed with tailored requirements that simplify the qualification process for partners, making it easier for them to differentiate their businesses and reach more SMB and SMC customers.
Effective January 31, 2025, the SMB path for Azure Solutions Partner designations—either through Data & AI (Azure), Digital & App Innovation (Azure), or Infrastructure (Azure)—is now available! While the SMB and Enterprise paths have different requirements, both lead to the same designations and benefits.
The SMB path is for partners with:
- Less than $1 million in Azure Consumed Revenue (ACR) in the trailing 12 months and
- 80% or more total customer count in the SMB/SMC customer segments.
The Enterprise path is for partners with:
- Greater than $1 million in ACR in the trailing 12 months or
- More than 20% of total customer count in the Enterprise customer segment.
A key difference in this SMB path is that the threshold for customer adds has been reduced from $1,000 ACR to $500 ACR per month. Also, the skilling requirements are configured to better enable smaller partners to activate. This includes earning points for some prerequisite certifications and a smaller number of unique individuals required. The criteria for attaining a Solutions Partner designation remains the same—determined by your partner capability score across the categories of performance, skilling, and customer success—and partners who qualify for the SMB path must reach 70 points and have at least 1 point in each subcategory.
Expanded incentives for the SMB path
As part of these designation benefits, Microsoft is expanding the Azure Migrate and Modernize and Azure Innovate partner-led offerings to help partners drive business in the SMB and SMC segments.
Starting March 1, 2025, Azure Solutions Partners enrolled on the SMB path can unlock Azure Migrate and Modernize and Azure Innovate SMB offers with a corresponding Azure Solutions Partner designation. Infrastructure designations unlock access to Azure Migrate and Modernize, and either Azure Data & AI or Digital App Innovation designations unlock access to Azure Innovate.
Azure Migrate and Modernize
- Azure Migrate and Modernize Partner-led: Infrastructure and Database Migration XS (SMB)
- Azure Migrate and Modernize Partner-led: Infrastructure and Database Migration S (SMB)
- Azure Migrate and Modernize Partner-led: Infrastructure and Database Migration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud XS (SMB)
- Azure Migrate and Modernize Partner-led: Infrastructure and Database Migration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud S (SMB)
Azure Innovate
- Azure Innovate Partner-led: Analytics Deployment XS (SMB)
- Azure Innovate Partner-led: Analytics Deployment S (SMB)
- Azure Innovate Partner-led: Build & Modernize AI Apps Deployment XS (SMB)
- Azure Innovate Partner-led: Build & Modernize AI Apps Deployment S (SMB)
Please note that these new engagements will be available within Partner Center once you’re enrolled in Microsoft Commerce Incentives (MCI), and they will follow the same customer and claiming eligibility requirements as the current Azure Migrate and Modernize and Azure Innovate partner-led engagements. Partners can find more detailed information on how to access these incentives in Partner Center.
We recommend exploring Azure go-to-market resources like partner-ready campaigns in a box, complete with high-quality, customizable content and tools. These resources provide you with ready-to-launch campaigns that are tailored to drive growth within the SMB sector, helping you effectively engage and expand your customer base.
Coming soon: SMB path for Security
The SMB path for the Solutions Partner for Security designation is also in progress and will be available later this year. To prepare for the launch, we encourage partners to register for Certification Weeks—five-day training events that help you prepare for advanced role-based certifications so your organization can meet the skilling criteria needed to attain a designation.
Our commitment to partners
To help our partners and customers continue to lead the way in AI and digital transformation for the next 50 years and beyond, we’re committed to investing in and providing more opportunities to help you grow—starting with these expanded paths to attain Solutions Partner designations.
Learn more about the SMB paths for Azure designations, check your progress toward attaining one in Partner Center, and register for SMB-focused Certification Weeks to prepare for qualification.