The 2026 Microsoft Partner Global Benchmark & Success Index is one of the first independent studies of performance across the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program
A new independent study of Microsoft’s global partner network finds that access to the world’s largest technology ecosystems continues to create meaningful expansion opportunities for Microsoft Partners as they prepare for FY27.
This year’s Index gives Microsoft Partners a meaningful benchmark as they think about their strategy for FY27.”
— Erica Hakonson, CEO of Maven Collective Marketing
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 a comprehensive view 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
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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 a primary channel 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.
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