As technology continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, Microsoft partners are presented with both the challenge and the opportunity to modernize. From transitioning to cloud environments to harnessing advancements in data and AI, the drive for innovation is strong. AI is becoming central to application development, deployment, and user experience. For software development companies—technology-led companies that build, operate, and sell their own software or apps—this transformation paves the way for creating smarter solutions, optimizing workflows, and delivering enhanced value to their customers.
At Microsoft Build, we introduced a new wave of AI capabilities designed to accelerate agentic AI app development and empower developers to become AI developers. From GitHub-native workflows to agent-based models, the focus is on enabling innovation at scale—supporting startups bringing new ideas to market and established companies building enterprise-grade applications.
“We are participating in a $6.5 trillion opportunity that is going to be addressable across our partner ecosystem.”
- Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO and Chairman
A unified opportunity for partners
Whether you are building software products, delivering services, implementing solutions, or advising customers on transformation strategies, the announcements at Build reflect an integrated approach to empowering the Microsoft partner ecosystem. From software companies to systems integrators, managed services providers, resellers, and startups—partners across the ecosystem have roles to play in bringing agentic AI to life.
Our tools, platforms, and opportunities are designed to support diverse business models and partner types, providing practical paths to innovate, differentiate, and grow. No matter where you are in your journey, there is an opportunity to engage and deliver impact with the Microsoft vision for agentic AI.
You can dive into the full slate of announcements in the Azure Build blog and catch the keynote on demand. In addition, recorded breakout sessions are now available, providing in-depth insights tailored to software companies.
Accelerate GTM and customer adoption of agents with new cost management features
We also announced a variety of features that will give partners and customers increased ability to manage cost and consumption of agents. With agent management in the Microsoft 365 admin center, partners and customers will be able to view, monitor, and manage all agents in their inventory. Cost management and usage are also improving, with customers having the ability to set budget limits and monitor usage and consumption. Finally, partners and customers can use the Copilot Studio Agent Consumption Estimator to estimate their consumption costs, bringing peace of mind and helping drive further adoption.
Empower your success: Offerings designed to help you grow and scale
Of course, innovation does not happen in isolation. The momentum we’re witnessing is amplified by our partner community. Software companies across industries are already building next-generation solutions using Microsoft tools and platforms. Partners are continuously innovating, using Microsoft's advancements to create cutting-edge solutions that drive growth and scalability. Discover more about their achievements and explore featured partner innovations to get an idea of how your peers are delivering value with AI.
To support this growth, Microsoft continues to invest in programs designed to meet software companies wherever they are in their development journey. Through the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, we are helping partners build technical skills, accelerate time to market, and unlock new revenue streams. Whether you’re enhancing an existing SaaS platform or launching a new AI agent, this program offers the resources and guidance to turn product vision into business outcomes.
If you’re an early-stage company, Microsoft for Startups offers dedicated support to help you move faster. Founders can access no-cost Azure credits—usable for services like Azure OpenAI—along with technical support, industry-specific tools, and business enablement resources. The program aims to meet startups where they are—with the right support, at the right time.
To help software companies ship faster, ISV Success is the primary path for building on the Microsoft Cloud and growing through the Microsoft marketplace. At Ignite 2024, we introduced the ISV Success Advanced Package—our most comprehensive benefit set to date. High-performing software companies can now access additional financial incentives, including up to $150,000 to accelerate the development and deployment of AI-powered applications and $50,000 to support customer migrations to Azure. And whether you’re building your application or already published on the marketplace, access app advisor, a self-paced, guided experience based on your development stage, to find the resources you need.
The Microsoft marketplace is how we go to market with our software partners to help you scale. The marketplace focus is rooted in customer demand. It helps customers simplify purchasing, negotiate their needs with features like flexible billing, and maximize cloud spend by counting their Azure commitments toward eligible partner solutions. This results in software companies closing faster and larger deals. With 100% year-over-year growth, the marketplace continues to prove a powerful opportunity for software companies to reach millions of global Microsoft customers.
Finally, as partners seek to attract customers and Microsoft sellers in a competitive market, certified software designations, within the Partner Program, offer an added layer of credibility and visibility. Becoming a Solutions Partner¹ with certified software designations² helps validate the quality, interoperability, reliability, and relevance of your software solution, and it also unlocks benefits like customer-facing badging, solution play cards, and go-to-market resources.
We recently streamlined access to top-level benefits for high-performing software companies by integrating them within certified software designations. Partners can now unlock top-level benefits through a unified benefit offering—certified software designations—including Partner Reported Azure Consumed Revenue (PRACR), seller incentivization for eligible solutions, the ISV Success Advanced Package, and prioritized sales leads with Microsoft sellers.
We have also introduced six new certification tracks focused on industry-specific AI—including Energy, Government, Telecommunications, Education, Defense, and Nonprofit—designed to help software companies differentiate themselves and align their solutions to sector-specific needs. Visit these resources to learn more.
Practical skilling and training opportunities
We also recognize that as AI becomes foundational, upskilling is critical. That is why we’ve expanded our skilling programs to support every role within your organization. From AI Agents Day—which introduces agentic AI concepts and implementation best practices—to Certification Weeks and deep technical workshops, partners can choose from a range of formats that meet their needs. Whether you are focused on hands-on development, sales enablement, or customer implementation, there is a training path to help you and your team stay ahead. Here are just some of the skilling opportunities currently available:
Gainsight and Black Forest Labs are transforming their industries using Microsoft technologies—Gainsight with Azure AI and GitHub to scale customer success, and BFL with Flux Gen AI integrated into Copilot and Designer—showing what is possible when you use our tech.
AI innovation is accelerating. For Microsoft partners, now is the time to explore what is possible, build your skills, and move from experimentation to execution. With the right tools, training, and programs, software companies have a clear runway to create AI-powered solutions that solve real problems and deliver measurable outcomes.
Additional resources
*Throughout this document, $ refers to US dollar (USD).
Disclaimer
- “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. rests solely with your business.