Alibaba Cloud has signalled its intent to grow its global partner ecosystem and is ramping up the support and incentives on offer for those that work with the firm.
Using the backdrop of the Alibaba Cloud Partner Summit 2023, the firm outlined a number of initiatives designed to grow its partner base, including launching an independent software vendor (ISV) acceleration programme, increased training for partners and a fresh range of rewards for the best performers.
The ISV programme includes incentives and technical support to make Alibaba Cloud a more attractive partner and should add more depth to the cloud player’s marketplace offering. Its rivals have similar offerings, having also recognised the importance of being able to offer a wide range of applications to customers.
Once signed up, Alibaba’s own sales teams and channel partners will be in a position to promote and pitch the ISV offerings.
The firm also used the event to cut the ribbon on the Alibaba Cloud Partner Empowerment Portal, which offers product and service training and certifications, plus educational material to help keep partners on top of the latest developments in the market.
The portal will be a tool for its existing 500 global partners, which include traditional channel managed service providers (MSPs) and ISVs, to tap into to learn more about cloud, artificial intelligence and Web 3.0.
“Our new initiatives showcase our unwavering commitment to helping our global partners thrive and innovate on Alibaba Cloud”
Selina Yuan, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence
“We are committed to growing together with our global partners and providing them with even stronger support to expand their businesses into Southeast Asia and beyond,” said Edward Cai, chief commercial officer at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
“All new initiatives underscore how much value we place on our partners. Together with our partners’ industry know-how, technology capabilities and market insights, we can deliver significant benefits to our customers,” he added.
There were also announcements that should have grabbed the attention of the UK channel, with the firm indicating that there would be incentives on offer to those outside its native China as it looks to build a global network of partners.
The incentives offered by the cloud player will include discounts and rebates for resellers and distributors, along with some joint go-to-market funding. Last year, the firm announced it was investing $1bn in supporting global partners’ technology innovation.
“Our new initiatives showcase our unwavering commitment to helping our global partners thrive and innovate on Alibaba Cloud,” said Selina Yuan, president of international business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “Partners play an essential role in enhancing and delivering Alibaba Cloud’s services and offering to our global customers. Together with partners, we can bring world-class technologies, products and solutions to our customers for their greater business success.”
