Partner Insight

MongoDB in 2024 won AWS Tech Partner of the Year (NAMER) after winning GCP Tech Partner of the Year - Marketplace. Here's 📊 3 insights we can learn from their Cloud GTM strategy: MongoDB (~$2Bn in ARR in FY25) offers database software, including cloud-hosted on AWS, Azure, and GCP and self/managed, giving customers flexibility to deploy workloads across/multi cloud and on-prem. 🛠️ Deep Cloud Integration + Field Sales Alignment = Win-Win MongoDB's CEO Dev Ittycheria emphasizes #partnerships with hyperscalers as crucial for #growth. He highlighted deep cloud integrations, close field collaboration, and marketplace focus: "We partner very closely with AWS, Azure, and GCP in the field." Amazon Web Services (AWS) Beyond winning Tech Partner of the Year (NAMER), CEO highlighted in Dec that Mongo with AWS "closed a ton of deals this past quarter. Some of them very, very large deals. We're doing integrations to some of the new products like Q and Bedrock and the engagement in the field has been really strong." Microsoft Azure After a measured start, their partnership gained momentum. "We've closed a large number of deals. We're part of what's called the Azure native IC service program and have a bunch of deep integrations with Azure, including Fabric, Power BI, ... and Azure OpenAI Studio. And we're also one of Azure's largest marketplace partners." Google Cloud Ittycheria emphasized that incentive alignment with cloud teams drove co-sell growth. "GCP made some comp changes... that were favorable to working with MongoDB that we saw some results in the field, and we're focused on closing on -- closing a handful of large deals with GCP in Q4." 🤝 Navigating Co-opetition Through Customer Value How does MongoDB thrive when every cloud has their own database offerings?  This million-dollar question faces companies starting to sell on marketplaces: Ittycheria's insight is revealing: "since day one, the hyperscalers have been bundling their database offerings with every offering that they have and that's been their predominant strategy... I think we've executed well against strategy because databases are not like a by-the-way decision. It's an important decision. And I think the hyperscalers are seeing our performance and realize it's better to partner with us." 💡 Success in #cloud partnerships requires technical integration and field alignment. It's not about avoiding competition – it's about being so compelling that hyperscalers choose to partner despite having competing offerings. ⚡ Bonus: The AI Workload Reality Check MongoDB's position in data layer, provides unique visibility into AI adoption patterns: "We predominantly see most of the AI workloads in the cloud, but there are definitely lots of customers who are looking at using open source LLMs, in particular, things like Llama, and running those workloads locally." This confirms our discussion that AI and Cloud go hand in hand. 👍 Follow for more insights

McKinsey's research on future growth predicts a transformation of tech markets. While AI will grow the fastest, Cloud (currently “just” 8% of global IT spend) could 💎 capture up to 41% by 2040. Is it even possible? 💡 Let’s start 2025 with a big picture breakdown: In recent research, McKinsey & Company, identified key sectors (arenas) expected to grow the fastest in the next 15 years. Three Fastest Growing Tech Arenas of all? #AI Software/Services: $85B → $1.5-4.6T (17-25% CAGR) in 2040 #Cloud Services: $220B → $1.6- 3.4T (12-17% CAGR) Robotics: $21B → $910B (13-23% CAGR) 🔎 Projections on Cloud and AI seem overly ambitious - until we examine the underlying transformation Today 94% of enterprises use the cloud, but only 20% of workloads are currently in the cloud (McK). The survey of $1B+ revenue companies showed that most plan to 2X+ (double) their cloud usage by 2026. Why? By 2030, cloud could generate $3T of EBITDA uplift for Forbes 2000 by helping them digitize operations, accelerate product development, etc. Turns out, we're still in the early innings of the migration journey. ☑️ Growth Numbers Reality Check: McKinsey pegs global external IT spending at ~$3T (2022) and expects it to grow to $8T in 2040, at 6.5% CAGR. Cloud, which was 8% of global IT spending in 2022 will take 19-41% of its share by 2040. So IT spend is expected to 2X+, while cloud to grow 7-10X and AI will 18- 50X. This is the power of compounding growth at 2-4X multiple of the market rate. 2024 acceleration showed us that cloud hyperscalers can indeed grow at 20%-30% range rates. Many experts predict cloud #growth to somewhat moderate from 2026. ✳️ AI as Cloud Growth Multiplier McKinsey highlights that “all cloud providers are likely to see themselves as AI providers, and cloud is necessary for the computation-at-scale requirements of AI, these two arenas are inextricably linked”. AI is set to re-shape and accelerate the IT spend, growing itself from $85B to $1.5-4.6T. Speaking of Gen AI - McKinsey predicted that 3/4 of its value would be in 4 areas: Customer operations Marketing and sales Software engineering  R&D 🎯 But here's the elephant in the room: The largest McK tech “arena” by 2040 isn't even cloud or AI - it's e-commerce at $14-20T! Similar to cloud adoption, the retail e-commerce segment is currently “just” 20% of global retail revenues, and is expected to reach 27-38% by 2040. ♾️ Connect the dots: These are B2C e-commerce numbers, but if B2B follows B2C's digital transformation path (as it historically has), B2B e-commerce (including cloud marketplaces) is similarly positioned to become a dominant B2B distribution channel. Cloud providers therefore aren't just laying and selling cloud/AI infrastructure - they're building the whole ecosystems where software is built, bought and sold. The implications for the IT industry and its GTM is profound. How are you changing your strategy in 2025? 🤝 Follow for more insights Partner Insight

As 2024 comes to a close, I'm amazed how cloud marketplaces transformed enterprise software distribution. For companies leveraging cloud and AI platform shifts for growth, it's been ⚡ a year of breakthroughs. 📈 Record-Breaking Numbers That Tell the Story Hyperscalers added $1.8T in market cap, cloud commits hit $380B, and enterprise marketplace deals reached record volumes. With almost half (47%) of software companies now using marketplaces, 2024 marked the establishment of cloud GTM as a mainstream #growth engine. 🥇 Leaders Who Made It Happen I'm humbled that our community, courses, and content played a part in this transformation. Nearly 200 alliance leaders mastered cloud GTM in our programs, many scaling from zero to significant marketplace revenue, while others accelerated their traction with more advanced strategies. This success wouldn't be possible without our incredible course mentors shaping the next generation of #cloud GTM leaders: Jonathan Kingsepp Alex Balcanquall Niall Ruane Brian Laing David Mauer Mike Marzano Daniel Roppert Rolf Heimes Special thank you to 60+ senior leaders from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Google Cloud, and top ISVs who generously shared their expertise in our events and courses. While too many to list here, your contributions have been invaluable. And a heartfelt gratitude to Jay McBain for delivering transformative keynotes that shaped our community's understanding of the partner #ecosystem evolution. 🛠️ Building Something Bigger Than Ourselves What makes this community truly special is your dedication to excellence and willingness to help others grow. Through joining our courses and events, reading our weekly newsletter, LinkedIn discussions, and YouTube content, you’ve helped to create a vibrant ecosystem of cloud GTM knowledge sharing. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey! 🎯 As we enter 2025, Cloud GTM isn't just mainstream—it's rapidly accelerating With AI driving a new wave of products built and distributed through hyperscalers, cloud marketplace presence is becoming the default go-to-market channel. It’s going to be an exciting year and we lined up a robust calendar of courses, in-person events, and content to help you succeed. 📅 January Kickoff: Jan 9: Free Workshop - "5 Mindset Shifts Behind $1M+ Marketplace Deals" https://lnkd.in/esdWn327 Jan 14: Cloud GTM Leader Course Cohort 9 starts https://lnkd.in/ejc7S4Pb 🎉 Here’s to a Transformative 2025! Wishing you all a year filled with marketplace expansion, breakthrough partnerships, and transformative growth. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Happy New Year 2025! from Partner Insight and Cloud GTM Leader

8 cohorts. 1M+ insight views. 🏆 Our alumni unlocked double-digit $MM in marketplace revenue. The cloud GTM story that defined 2024... To our Cloud GTM Leader community and alliance leaders - here's what we learned and achieved together scaling cloud #partnerships: 📊 5 fundamental shifts we witnessed in 2024: Hyperscalers added $1.8T in market cap - nearly equal to ~67 top SaaS companies in Emcloud index combined AWS, Azure and GCP growth accelerated to 20-30%, in addition to cloud commits hitting record $380B AI purchases on marketplaces surged 4X (Azure) Billions in enterprise deals through all 3 marketplaces reached new record volumes Cloud GTM and co-selling with hyperscalers is now used as a growth channel by ~half of software companies 📈 Growth of our community reflected this transformation: 175+ alliance leaders graduated from our 8 course cohorts 1M+ views of our #cloud GTM insights 1K+ signed up to marketplace growth events (with all 3 hyperscalers) 60+ senior leaders shared their winning playbooks in our courses and events  We now followed by 20K+ professionals across LinkedIn, newsletter, and YouTube, reaching 100K+ 💎 What we learned scaling with cloud marketplaces: AI is reshaping marketplace GTM: While it’ll make software listing and discovery easier, it'll create a more competitive landscape for 2025. ISVs need to adapt Marketplace success requires a clear GTM strategy, execution resources (e.g. Cloud Desk to scale) and hands-on involvement from revenue and other teams (not just alliance leaders) “Build with Amazon Web Services (AWS)” signals a further acceleration: Cloud marketplaces will evolve from transaction platforms to “marketplace everywhere”. Alliance leaders who recognize this early will capture outsized gains Partner-sourced and influenced revenue proved to be key for scaling on marketplaces. As Jay McBain predicted (years ago!), for many companies marketplace success will depend on working with partners. Hyperscalers are doubling down on programmatic GTM: New partner programs are more systematic and easier to leverage, but require deeper knowledge and staying hands-on. ⚡ The community wins that proved that Cloud GTM works: From zero to $200K in 8 weeks. Multi-million pipelines built in quarters, not years. Our alumni - including leaders from GitLab, Citrix, AllCloud and others - implemented these frameworks to accelerate their cloud GTM #growth. 💡 What's ahead in 2025: More data-driven case studies and insights on what’s working on Cloud marketplace GTM New advanced course to Accelerate Marketplace with Channel partners Expanding our event series Cohort 9 starting January (excited to welcome new leaders in a few weeks! 🙌 To all our incredible mentors, speakers, and alumni - you made this possible. Dedicated appreciation post coming soon. PS. What were your learning in 2024? ✔️ PPS. Follow for more insights & check my newsletter on Cloud GTM https://lnkd.in/er4haEq2 Partner Insight

Survey data shows a clear pattern: top-performing enterprises are combining cloud and AI to create a 📊 compounding advantage not just for efficiency, but to acquire users and grow. A PwC survey of 1,030 business and tech executives separated the top 12% of performers from the rest, highlighting insightful differences. Here's what caught my attention: 📈 Cloud Strategy for Growth For 50%+ of top performers, cloud isn't just about operational efficiency — it's a driver of customer activation and acquisition: 60% leverage cloud to unlock new customer engagement channels 59% create new revenue streams 53% achieve market expansion These numbers are 2X higher than their peers, revealing a systematic advantage in growth metrics. For enterprises lagging behind, this underscores the strategic importance of cloud GTM via cloud marketplaces, co-sell with clouds, etc. 🏗️ Cloud as the Foundation "Far and away, the biggest behavioral difference" is that top performers demonstrate a clear commitment to cloud: 72% of top performers are "all-in" on cloud data modernization vs. just 33% of others. This makes their data ready for AI. They're also 2X more mature across key cloud engineering disciplines, including security (70% vs. 37%), AI (60% vs. 27%), migration (59% vs. 25%), etc. By moving data to the cloud and making it easily ingestible by LLMs and AI, top performers are unlocking new value as they integrate AI capabilities. ⚡ AI Amplifies the Results and Drives Cloud Investment As a result, top performers are significantly outpacing their peers in AI-driven outcomes: 82% report productivity gains (vs. 40%) 74% unlock new revenue streams (vs. just 27% of others) 73% enhance customer experience (vs. 41%) This integration of cloud and AI explains why 92% of top performers plan to increase cloud budgets in their next cycle, with 63% increasing them by 6% or more. Even among non-top performers, 85% plan to grow cloud investments, signaling broad acknowledgment of cloud's transformative potential. 💡 The One-Two Punch: Cloud + AI Top performers don't just excel at cloud or AI individually—they systematically combine them to create a one-two punch, resulting in 2-3X better outcomes across all business metrics. The result? A widening gap between companies that excel at #cloud #partnerships and AI and those that don't. For leaders, this data also underscores that success in the AI era isn't about any single metric or technology—it's about mastering the entire ecosystem/stack of cloud, AI, and partnerships. Those who do will, redefine what's possible in #growth, innovation, and customer engagement. 👍 Follow for more insights on Cloud GTM and share with others PS. Stay ahead in Cloud GTM with my free newsletter. Get exclusive analysis and insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/er4haEq2 Partner Insight

The difference between landing $1M+ deals in cloud marketplaces and getting stuck often comes down to 🎯 5 key mindset shifts. After helping nearly 200 alliance leaders scale their marketplace revenue, one pattern became crystal clear: The old approach of "waiting for cloud sellers to bring deals" or "listing everything to see what sticks" simply doesn't work anymore. Top performers take a different path: ✔️ They tap into $380Bn of enterprise cloud commits opportunity strategically ✔️ They validate their best products first and build compelling better-together stories ✔️ They nurture marketplace champions within their sales teams ✔️ They make their products/solution essential to cloud-customer conversations ✔️ They leverage renewals to unlock expansion revenue and build momentum But here's what's fascinating: These aren't just theoretical concepts.   The impact of applying a clear marketplace GTM strategy is significant. Our alumni consistently report: - Increased average deal size - Stronger co-sell relationships with cloud sellers - Higher win rates on marketplace opportunities This is exactly why JayMcBain from Canalys recognized our Cloud GTM Leader course as a Top Education Program for Channel & Partnership professionals. 📈 What makes our 5-week course unique? Learn directly from 10+ VP-level experts who've scaled marketplace revenue to $MM+ Get behind-the-scenes tactics that actually work in 2025 Access frameworks that have helped alumni land significant deals Join an exclusive community of 200+ cloud alliance leaders "We went from zero to multi-millions in Marketplace revenue." - yet another Cloud GTM Leader alum shared with me at AWS re:Invent a few weeks ago. ⏰ Our next cohort starts January 14th. Early bird pricing ends in 48 hours. Join 200 alumni from GitLab, Citrix, Darktace and others who've transformed and accelerated  their cloud GTM strategy. ✅  https://lnkd.in/edUa-qm2 PS. Which of these mindset shifts would be most transformative for your #cloud marketplace journey? Partner Insight

Hyperscalers added a staggering $1.8 trillion in market cap this year - almost equal to creating the 💰 entire value of all 67 top public SaaS companies in the Emcloud Index from scratch. This unprecedented wealth creation reveals a deepening divide in tech that's reshaping how software is built, bought, and sold. 📊 Let's look at the numbers (2024 YTD): The Big Three Added $1.8T Combined: Combined market cap growth: 29% Amazon  Market cap: $2.32T Growth: 49% Added YTD: $748B Google Market cap: $2.32T Growth: 36% Added: $560B Microsoft Market cap: $3.25T Growth: 18% Added: $457B ⚡ While hyperscalers soared, the BVP Emerging Cloud Index (EMCLOUD) - tracking top SaaS companies - grew just 14.3%. The contrast is stark but unsurprising. As a reminder BVP Nasdaq Emerging Cloud Index (EMCLOUD) is calculated and maintained by Nasdaq and sponsored by Bessemer Venture Partners. It includes the weighted average of 67 top SaaS companies with >500M in market cap. Among them are such iconic names in software as: Adobe, Atlassian, Box, Cloudflare, Confluent, CrowdStrike, DigitalOcean, HubSpot, MongoDB, PayPal, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Shopify, Snowflake, Workday, Zoom, and Zscaler. 💎 What's driving this divergence? Hyperscalers are uniquely positioned to capture value from the AI revolution through: Massive compute infrastructure powering AI workloads Deep partner ecosystems accelerating AI adoption Cloud marketplaces becoming the dominant distribution channel for software This creates a powerful flywheel: As hyperscalers grow stronger, more software companies align their GTM with cloud marketplaces, further cementing hyperscalers' position. 🎯 To prove the point, two other tech giants riding the #cloud and #AI wave registered even more dramatic gains: NVIDIA Market cap: $3.2T Growth: 162% Added YTD: $1.97T NVIDIA single-handedly added more value than all three hyperscalers combined Oracle Market cap: $472B Growth: 63% Added: $182B Oracle showed highest #growth among clouds after doubling down on cloud strategy and partnering with other hyperscalers. It's about to enter $500B club. 🕹️ Hyperscalers aren't just benefiting from the AI boom - they're orchestrating it Their cloud marketplaces have become the key distribution channel for software, while their AI platforms and partners are becoming the foundation for next-gen applications. The question for 2025: Will this concentration of power accelerate even further as AI moves from experimentation to widespread enterprise deployment? What's your prediction for the next chapter in this transformation? 👍 Follow for more insights on Cloud GTM PS. Accelerate your growth in cloud marketplaces with in-depth insights from 10+ Cloud GTM leading experts in a community of alliance leaders. Join Cohort 9 of our 5-week cohort course - starting in Jan 14th. https://lnkd.in/edUa-qm2 Partner Insight

25% of AWS Marketplace buyers won't even consider products without 🎁free trials. Free trials + PAYG show the highest conversion rate for customers and Marketplace. Yet most sellers still don't offer them… Here's how and why use free trials to accelerate marketplace #growth: Amazon Web Services (AWS)'s latest customer analysis shows a simple truth: marketplace buyers now expect to try before they buy.  The most successful marketplace sellers are turning this shift into a competitive advantage. The Proven Three-Step Framework: 1️⃣ Start with Free Trials - Remove signup friction - Make trials instantly available - Focus on core product value 2️⃣ Add Pay-As-You-Go Options (if available) - Enable gradual usage expansion - Let customers control spending - Build trust through transparency 3️⃣ Scale to Enterprise Contracts - Convert proven value to commitments - Leverage usage data in negotiations - Maintain flexibility in contract terms Why This Works: AWS data shows that conversion from Free Trial to PAYG is 3X higher than to Contract. The reason is simple: it matches how modern tech buyers actually want to purchase software. As Salvador Lopez Beneyto, Sr. Product Manager, highlighted at AWS re:Invent: "Today, majority of decision makers are millennials who ideally don't want to interact with a salesperson through the funnel." He emphasized that this evolution - from free trial to pay-as-you-go to contract - shows "the highest conversion rate for customers and Marketplace." Important note: Even without pay-as-you-go capabilities, free trials remain valuable in driving conversion. 💡 The Critical Question: With AWS confirming "94% of customers have told us that free trials are important" and a quarter essentially disqualifying products without trials, can you afford to ignore this shift in buying behavior? 👍 Follow for more insights on #Cloud GTM PS. Stay ahead in Cloud GTM with my free newsletter. Get exclusive analysis and insights delivered straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/er4haEq2 Partner Insight

New study reveals striking evidence: 🎯 98% of enterprises now operate formal partner ecosystems and 75% explicitly link these ecosystems to accelerating growth. Partnership ecosystems are no longer just a competitive edge - they’re a requirement for driving growth. 📈 The momentum is undeniable: 76% of enterprises have expanded their partnerships in the last 3 years and 80% plan to grow them further. More telling is that half of enterprises are moving beyond traditional reseller relationships, signaling a fundamental evolution in how partnerships are being reimagined. But beneath these topline numbers lies a more nuanced story about how leading enterprises are restructuring their partnership strategies to drive measurable outcomes in an #AI-accelerated market ⚡ Growth Imperative KPMG's research of 258 enterprise leaders (50% VP+) in companies with $1B+ in revenue reveals a fundamental shift. Enterprises view of partnership ecosystems changed from tactical arrangements to strategic growth engines. Partnership acceleration is concrete and measurable. 76% of enterprises reported #growth of their partnerships over the past three years. This acceleration is driven by: Tech advancements Evolving market demands #Ecosystem restructuring or realignment Ecosystems are now fueling growth strategies. 75% of enterprises believe their partnerships accelerate their growth strategy. This isn’t just evolution—it’s a transformation. 🛠️ Tech Partners Lead in the Mix The distribution of partnership types types tells an interesting story: 84% of enterprises have technology partners in their ecosystems. 78% work with strategic/business partners. 52% engage with distribution partners. While technology #partnerships clearly lead, the narrow 6% gap between technology and strategic partner suggests that enterprises are no longer choosing between the two—they’re integrating both to drive growth. The 52% adoption of distribution partners signals another important evolution. Traditional reseller relationships are being replaced by more sophisticated go-to-market strategies that increasingly involve digital channels and cloud marketplaces. This shift highlights the rising importance of modern distribution ecosystems as enterprises seek to scale growth, streamline operations, and reach customers faster. ⬆️ Ecosystem Management Maturity is Growing It’s encouraging to see that 87% of enterprises now have at least basic guidelines for partnership management. More impressively, 61% of respondents report high maturity, with standardized processes in place and a clear understanding of their ecosystem’s value. 💡 Read my full breakdown of this research data in this week's newsletter on #Cloud GTM & partnerships. https://lnkd.in/euD99wbH Partner Insight

Gartner's comprehensive 📊 study of 3,186 CIOs and tech executives representing $351B in IT spend reveals a critical insight about tech investments in 2025: despite ambitious digital goals, resources are very constrained. "When we adjust for inflation, IT budgets were flat during the pandemic and have actually declined in real terms since," explained Jaime Capellá, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst at their expo last month. Nominal #growth in IT budgets globally is expected to be just 3.8% in 2025. When adjusted for inflation, it's negative 0.7%. 🎯 Yet within these constraints, investment patterns for 2025 signal clear strategic priorities: 87% of organizations increasing investment in both GenAI and cybersecurity 79% growing #cloud platform investments While 43% reducing spending in legacy infrastructure and datacenters Gartner data highlights another insightful reality about digital initiatives: only 48% hit their business outcome targets. As Jaime Capella noted, "You'd be better at predicting the outcome of a coin toss if you always bet on heads at 50%." 📈 However, their research reveals a crucial pattern: Organizations where business and technology leaders work in close alignment—forming so-called "Digital Vanguard"—achieve dramatically different results: 71% of their digital initiatives achieve target outcomes Business leaders dedicate 70% more staff to digital initiatives Executive meetings occur 4x more frequently 💡 This got me thinking: Cloud marketplaces naturally foster this critical alignment between business and IT stakeholders, when they buy enterprise software together. When enterprises procure through this new channel, they inherently drive cross-functional collaboration—from cloud commit utilization to joint business planning. Buying through marketplaces creates natural touchpoints between business and technology stakeholders, driving joint accountability for outcomes. Don't you think? ☁️#AI and Cloud continue to dominate the enterprise agenda, as evidenced by Gartner data. While legacy infrastructure sees declining investment, cloud platforms and AI are capturing an increasing share of the $351B IT spend represented in this study. But success in AI and other digital initiatives requires not just superior technology, but mechanisms that enable sustained collaboration between business and technology leaders. 🤝 As enterprises shift spending into increasingly advanced tech, those who master this alignment will likely see substantially better outcomes. Is your strategy designed to enable this critical business-technology collaboration internally or for your clients? ✔️ Follow for more insights on Cloud GTM and share with others P.S. Source in comments Partner Insight