MICROSOFT BUILT ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEMS. SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY REMAINS UNTAPPED

The 2026 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmark & Success Index is one of the first independent studies of performance across the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program

Vancouver, B.C., Canada –-A new independent study of Microsoft’s global partner network finds that access to one of the world’s largest technology ecosystems continues to create meaningful expansion opportunities for Microsoft Partners as they prepare for FY27.

Microsoft Marketplace has matured into a central commercial and discovery engine, with 87% of Microsoft Partners present and 60% offering transactable solutions. This data suggests that Partners can benefit from stronger alignment with Microsoft seller motions, while marketplace-first strategies continue to support repeatable, global scale.

The newly released 2026 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmark & Success Index, published by Maven Collective Marketing, draws on more than 185,000 data points spanning Partner maturity, go-to-market strategy, Marketplace performance, and ecosystem engagement. The study offers one of the most comprehensive independent views into how Partners are building visibility, strengthening commercial readiness, and pursuing growth across the ecosystem.

The Numbers

• 87% of Partner companies surveyed are listed on at least one Microsoft Marketplace
• 60% have a transactable offer in place
• 58% report receiving a Microsoft-sourced lead
• 77% hold at least one Solution Partner Designation
• 76% participate in at least one Microsoft-sponsored industry association

The lead generation figure marks the sharpest benchmark in the data. With over half of surveyed companies reporting Microsoft-sourced leads, the findings reflect how Partners are sourcing opportunities today and investing in their own demand generation and go-to-market efforts.

The funding data tells a similar story. Companies with dedicated Microsoft management support are 3x more likely to receive Microsoft funding than those without it, suggesting closer engagement helps Partners access additional growth resources.

“This year’s Index gives Microsoft Partners a meaningful benchmark as they think about their strategy for FY27,” said Erica Hakonson, CEO of Maven Collective Marketing. “What stands out most is the breadth of possibilities across the ecosystem. Partners are participating in many ways, and the data shows where organizations are gaining traction, where they are investing, and where future opportunity may still be realized.”

A Broader View of Partner Growth

The findings land at a moment when cloud marketplaces – Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud – have become the dominant route to market for enterprise software. Billions in software are now sold through these platforms annually, making listing a product and actually selling through a marketplace an increasingly defining part of commercial growth for technology companies operating at scale.

This study is one of the only data portraits of how those dynamics are playing out inside a major hyperscaler Partner program. Rather than pointing to a single path to success, the Index illustrates the variety of ways Partners are building growth, from earning designations and strengthening Marketplace presence to deepening ecosystem engagement and improving readiness for funding and co-sell opportunities.

“Visibility gets attention. Execution builds companies,” said Hakonson. “The organizations winning right now and gaining the most value from the Microsoft ecosystem are the ones approaching it strategically – they’ve built the systems to turn potential into long-term growth.”

The AI Distribution Question

The Maven Collective Index arrives as Microsoft’s AI Cloud Partner Program becomes one of the primary channels through which enterprise AI products reach business customers. For analysts and investors tracking how AI is actually moving through the enterprise market, the Index offers ground-level data on where that distribution is working and identifying opportunities for the next phase of commercial success.

Access the 2026 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmark & Success Index

The full index is available at mavencollectivemarketing.com/insights/resources/2026-microsoft-partner-global-benchmarking-success-index/

About Maven Collective Marketing

Founded in 2012, Maven Collective Marketing is an award-winning B2B digital marketing and business strategy firm specialising in Microsoft ecosystem go-to-market strategy. The agency has helped more than 500 Microsoft Partners drive measurable growth across cloud, SaaS, and enterprise markets and has earned more than 200 global awards, including PR Daily’s B2B Agency of the Year and the Microsoft Advertising Partner Growth Award. Maven Collective is also a Certified B Corporation.

Media Contact: For interview requests with Erica Hakonson or for additional data from the 2026 Index, contact Elliot Chan at elliot@mavencollectivemarketing.com