MCAPS Start for Partners is a no-cost, digital-only event taking place Wednesday, July 22, 2026, starting at 7:00 AM Pacific Time. This year’s event is designed to give partners a fast start to FY27, with guidance on Microsoft priorities, innovation, investments, and go-to-market motions.
As customers move from AI experimentation to scaled execution, partners play a critical role in turning Frontier Transformation into measurable business outcomes. MCAPS Start for Partners is designed to give you a clear view of where Microsoft is focusing in FY27 and how those priorities translate into partner opportunity across sales planning, technical readiness, Microsoft Marketplace strategy, co-sell motion, security practice growth, and customer transformation.
This event is designed for the teams responsible for FY27 execution, including alliance leaders, sales, presales, technical and practice leaders, marketing, Microsoft Marketplace, customer success, and business decision-makers. Whether your organization serves small and medium-sized businesses, enterprise customers, or both, MCAPS Start for Partners can give your teams the guidance they need to align early, reduce rework, and move faster into the year ahead.
FY27 starts here, together. Hear from Microsoft leaders and partner voices about where we are investing, what is changing, and how to activate AI-led opportunities to drive growth this year.
Featured sessions at MCAPS Start for Partners
This year’s sessions span AI Business Solutions, Cloud & AI Platforms, Security, the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, co-sell, Microsoft Marketplace, and partner investments.
Whether your organization is building solutions, expanding services, scaling through Marketplace, or aligning with Microsoft sellers, these sessions are designed to accelerate turning FY27 priorities into execution.
Keynote: Powering Frontier Transformation
AI is moving into broad, scaled deployment, and partners are essential to turning that momentum into customer outcomes. This session will frame the FY27 opportunity across build, go to market, and growth while showing how Microsoft is simplifying the way partners capture that opportunity.
AI Business Solutions: The partner opportunity to turn Copilot and agents into customer impact
As AI changes how work gets done, customers need partners who can move beyond deployment and work toward measurable business outcomes. This session will focus on Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents, including how partners can connect real customer scenarios, reimagined business processes, and scalable impact.
Outpace and innovate: How the Cloud & AI platform powers partner success
Customers are moving quickly, and they expect their partners to lead. This session will show how the Cloud & AI platform supports Frontier Transformation by accelerating modernization, unlocking the value of connected data, reshaping businesses with agentic AI, and redefining how software gets built for customers of all sizes.
Security in the era of AI: Win customers and accelerate your security business
AI transformation depends on security customers can trust. This session will show how partners can turn the Microsoft security platform into high-impact, repeatable services that deliver measurable outcomes. Partners will learn how to build fast-growth, efficient security practices aligned to FY27 priorities, as well as how to differentiate in market, scale globally, and drive long-term customer value.
Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program: Fueling the Frontier ecosystem
Frontier Transformation requires the right partner ecosystem. This session will cover what is new in FY27 across the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, including updated benefits, offers, and investments aligned to AI and cloud priorities. Partners will see how to use the program to expand reach, differentiate in Microsoft Marketplace, and identify growth opportunities.
How Frontier partners build a repeatable co-sell engine with Microsoft
Co-sell remains a powerful growth motion for partners. This session will show how Frontier partners use data to target accounts, engage Microsoft sellers early, and build execution rhythms that grow deal size across segments. Partners will also learn how Microsoft Customer Engagement Methodology (MCEM) creates a shared deal language, how Solutions and Services co-sell differ, and how FY27 incentives reward strong execution.
Drive your business with Microsoft Marketplace
Microsoft Marketplace is core to how Microsoft goes to market at scale with the partner ecosystem. This session will focus on how partners can operationalize Marketplace for business growth, grounded in FY27 priorities. It will cover practical go-to-market models, what is driving results today, and how to turn Marketplace momentum into sustained, measurable impact.
Maximize your opportunity with Microsoft through partner investments
Strategic partner investments are designed to fuel customer transformation and partner growth. This session will explain how FY27 partner investments align to the Microsoft strategic solution areas across the customer journey, from solution ideation through value realization. Partners will learn how incentives connect to shared priorities across AI, cloud, and security.
An exciting speaker lineup
MCAPS Start for Partners features sessions led by Microsoft leaders who will connect FY27 priorities to clear customer demand signals, Microsoft innovation, and partner investments.
Judson Althoff, CEO of Microsoft commercial business, Nicole Dezen, Chief Partner Officer and Corporate Vice President, Global Channel Partner Sales, Stephen Boyle, Corporate Vice President, Enterprise Partner Solutions, and Mala Anand, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, will kick things off with a keynote focused on how Frontier Transformation is shaping partner growth opportunities, where customers are moving fastest, and how Microsoft is investing to empower partner success.
They will be joined by additional Microsoft leaders across channel sales, AI Business Solutions, cloud innovation, small and medium business, software development company strategy, Marketplace, partner investments, and regional partner leadership, including:
- Ralph Haupter, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, Small, Medium Enterprises and Channel (SME&C)
- Alex Zagury, CVP, Global Channel Sales, SME&C
- Aarti Borkar, CVP, Microsoft Security
- Zia Mansoor, CVP, Cloud & AI Platforms
- Rashida Hodge, CVP, AI Business Solutions
- Matthew Kerner, CVP, Worldwide Sales & Solutions CTO
- Allison West Hughes, CVP, Global Small and Medium Business, SME&C
- Heather Gordon, Chief Partner Officer, Asia
- Sandy Gupta, Vice President, Global ISV Ecosystem
- John Corwin, Vice President, Global Partner Investments
- Michelle Westlund, Vice President, Enterprise Sales & Operations
- Mira Ayad, General Manager, Marketplace Strategy and Operations
- Andrew Smith, General Manager, Partner Programs & Experiences
- Ananthram Balakrishnan, Director, Partner Strategy GPS
- Dave Miller, Cloud & AI Platforms Partner Strategy Lead
- Kate Long, Global Head of Partner GTM Strategy - Security
- Steve Thomas, Director, Partner Programs & Experiences
- Fabian Grote, Global Leader, Business Sales Strategy & Partner Co-Sell
- Meera Venkatesh, Leader-Global Partner Solutions-Partner Investments
You will also hear from featured partners who are already building momentum with Microsoft. Their examples will give you practical perspective on how partners are activating AI-led opportunities, scaling repeatable motions, and turning Microsoft priorities into customer impact.
How to get the most from the event
Encourage your teams that are responsible for FY27 execution, including alliance leads and sales, presales, technical, marketing, Marketplace, and customer success roles to register.
Use the sessions to identify where your current offers align to Microsoft priorities, where your team needs additional readiness, and which go-to-market motions should be refreshed for the year ahead.
After the event, go to the Partner Activation Zone for session recordings, featured announcements, and key resources. Use it to keep momentum moving with the teams responsible for co-sell, Microsoft Marketplace strategy, partner benefits, skilling, and customer execution.
Next steps