Microsoft partners bring the deep expertise and innovation needed to deliver transformative solutions to their customers—and we are committed to helping you stay at the forefront of AI transformation. That’s why we continue to invest in product innovation, support, and a broad set of partner benefits.
At MCAPS Start for Partners, our annual digital sales readiness event, we announced several exciting updates to the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, including an evolution of solution areas, enhancements to benefits and incentives, and a more partner-centered skilling experience.
We have consolidated our six solution areas into three new commercial solution areas based on customer demand. This streamlined approach will not only make it easier for partners to align their capabilities with the market but will also enable Microsoft to focus FY26 investment in these areas. Here is how the six solution areas have been consolidated:
- Business Applications and Modern Work have combined to form AI Business Solutions. Read the FY26 playbook to learn what this means for you.
- All three Azure solution areas (Data & AI, Digital & App Innovation, and Infrastructure) have combined to form Cloud & AI Platforms. Explore the FY26 playbook for more information.
- Security will remain its own commercial solution area. Dive into the FY26 playbook to learn what to expect.
These new commercial solution areas are in market now, and changes to Solutions Partner designations and specializations will follow later in FY26. No immediate action is required. We’ll share updates in the coming months to ensure you’re ready to take advantage of this opportunity.
Refreshing benefits, designations, and specializations
Strengthen your cloud and AI practice through benefits that are purpose-built to meet your needs. Our refreshed benefits offerings follow partners through every element of the partner journey: from creating your solutions, to going to market, to differentiating your organization in the marketplace. Compare our offerings and review the below updates, which are planned for February 2026:
- Azure credits for Copilot Studio
- Additional seats for Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Updated benefits within partner benefits packages (Launch, Success Core, and Success Expanded), ISV Success packages (Core, Expanded, and Advanced), Solutions Partner designations, and specializations
We’re also introducing four new Solutions Partner designations later in FY26. These designations, which will help you differentiate your business in the Microsoft marketplace, include:
- A support services-focused Solutions Partner designation: This designation will demonstrate a partner’s capability to provide customers with a purpose-built support experience for Microsoft products.
- A distribution-focused Solutions Partner designation: Distributors (formerly known as indirect providers) are Microsoft-endorsed intermediaries that act as strategic enablers of Microsoft technology for customers around the globe. This Solutions Partner designation will validate their capability to drive digital transformation through their value-added services, and it will also increase discoverability of those capabilities by resellers.
- Two device-focused Solutions Partner designations: One designation will be designed for partners who sell and deploy Windows commercial devices—including Copilot+ PCs—with value across the full deployment lifecycle. The other will recognize partners who build modern, hybrid-ready Windows devices. These new designations will help partners unlock edge-to-cloud revenue, deepen customer relationships, and lead confidently in the evolving Windows device ecosystem while supporting the Windows 10 refresh cycle; accelerate Microsoft 365 adoption; and build trusted relationships through secure, AI-ready devices.
We’re also excited to announce three new specializations. Specializations signify partners’ deep expertise in specific technical scenarios. The new additions include:
- Microsoft Copilot specialization (now available)
- Clinical Applications specialization (launching later in FY26)
- Sovereign Cloud specialization (launching later in FY26)
Join the specializations community space to explore these offerings and stay up to date on future changes.
Driving growth with updated partner incentives
We’re making bold investments in partner incentives this year, with expanded funding, deeper alignment to solution areas, and a focus on measurable outcomes.
One key investment is in our Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) incentives. The CSP offering is our new hero co-sell motion, and by rewarding growth through new customer acquisition and supporting the renewal of existing relationships, we aim to create a more predictable and profitable environment for our CSP partners. To support our FY26 growth goals, we moved the effective date of these incentives to July 1, 2025. This shift enables a faster start to the year—helping partners accelerate execution, capture opportunities earlier, and drive impact from day one.
We’re also investing in Azure Accelerate, which was released on July 1 as a unified offering that combines Azure Migrate and Modernize, Azure Innovate, and Cloud Accelerate Factory, built on the foundation of Azure Essentials. Designed to deliver richer investments plus ROI consistency across products and scenarios, partners with Azure designations and specializations can expect exclusive incentives, migration and delivery assistance, and increased sales velocity when they tap into Azure Accelerate. Additionally, here are the investments Microsoft is making in each of the three commercial solution areas:
- AI Business Solutions: There will be a 50% year-over-year increased Copilot investment and a double-digit increase in year-over-year investment for the Modern Work core.
- Cloud & AI Platforms: Expect a 70% year-over-year increased investment in Azure Accelerate.
- Security: We’re increasing our already significant security investment by 15%.
Across all three commercial solution areas, we’re earmarking 70% of partner investments for the Small Medium Enterprises and Channel (SME&C) segment.
For a deeper dive into these massive investments—and for more information on how to capture the opportunity of our incentives—please review the recent “Accelerate growth through partner incentives” session. For a comprehensive view of all current incentives, view our commercial solution area narratives and incentives guide in the incentives resource gallery.
Simplifying the partner experience
Guided by your feedback, we’re simplifying three core partner experiences: skilling, going to market, and getting support. The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub (now in preview) contains all the trainings you need in one streamlined platform; our upcoming through-partner marketing experience will offer a robust gallery of customizable marketing resources that tap into the power of AI; and the Partner Center AI assistant, currently in preview, will be ready to provide personalized assistance with your navigation and support requests. These three updates will help you spend less time finding the resources you need and more time doing what you do best: delivering your transformative solutions to customers around the globe.
Get your software solutions to market faster—and win new customers
The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program offers powerful opportunities for software development companies. To build and publish your apps faster, you can enroll in ISV Success to access AI services, developer tools, and expert consultations (which include advice on developing AI applications and agents).
Once your software solution is published on the Microsoft marketplace, you can attain a certified software designation by meeting certain requirements. Becoming a Solutions Partner* with certified software** demonstrates your solution’s sound architecture and record of delivering customer success. In addition to key benefits being added to your portfolio, your solution will receive a customer-facing badge to show that it’s been vetted by Microsoft. Starting in FY26, a certified software designation now also unlocks Azure Sponsorship tiers of up to $1M to help accelerate deals and support customer scenarios.
Unlock your benefits and incentives today
We are proud to work with partners who empower organizations around the world to achieve more. As we increase our investments, we encourage you to take full advantage of everything the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program has to offer. To start, access the resources linked throughout this post.
Thank you for your partnership—and for everything you do to help customers achieve more.
*“Solutions Partner” refers to a company that is a member of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and may offer software, services, and/or solutions to customers. Reference to “Solutions Partner” in any content, materials, resources, web properties, etc. and any associated designation should be not interpreted as an offer, endorsement, guarantee, proof of effectiveness or functionality, a commitment or any other type of representation or warranty on the part of Microsoft. All decisions pertaining and related to your business needs including but not limited to strategies, solutions, partner selection, implementation, etc., rests solely with your business.
**A certification is (1) specific to the solution’s interoperability with Microsoft products and (2) based on self-attestation by the solution owner. Solutions are only certified as of the date the solution is reviewed. Solution functionality and capability are controlled by the solution owner and may be subject to change. The inclusion of a solution in the marketplace and any such designations should not be interpreted as an offer, endorsement, guarantee, proof of effectiveness or functionality, a commitment or any other type of representation or warranty on the part of Microsoft. All decisions pertaining and related to your business needs including but not limited to strategies, solutions, partner selection, implementation, etc. rest solely with your business.