Category: AWS re:Invent

We hope you enjoyed all of the educational content and big announcements at AWS re:Invent 2020! If you missed anything or just want to recap, we have rounded up the most relevant launches, program updates, and educational content available for AWS Partners. This post showcases the new programs that AWS Partners can take advantage of today, including AWS ISV Accelerate, SaaS Boost, and several new AWS Competency designations.

We are excited to launch APIs for the AWS Well-Architected Tool that allow AWS Partners to extend Well-Architected functionality, best practices, measurements, and learnings into their existing architecture governance processes, applications, and workflows. By building custom integrations with the AWS Well-Architected Tool, partners can support a broad range of use cases to make it easier for customers to adopt Well-Architected best practices.

Throughout AWS re:Invent 2020, theCUBE delivered news desk style coverage in a unique conversational video interview format. They captured impactful and engaging discussions with AWS executives, customers, partners, and subject matter experts. Following the AWS Partner Keynote on Dec. 3, AWS Partner leaders joined theCUBE to discuss some of the new programs announced at re:Invent, as well as the global partner strategy for VMware Cloud on AWS and SAP on AWS.

To help accelerate firms building SaaS solutions on AWS, the SaaS Factory team led an effort to build a new AWS Well-Architected SaaS Lens. With this release, AWS Partners have another tool to help customers with SaaS workloads on AWS. The SaaS Lens can be applied to existing workloads, or used for new workloads you define in the tool. There are no costs in using the Well-Architected Tool. Developers and architects can use it to improve their applications or get visibility into multiple workloads.

Beginning in January 2021, any AWS Partner with a software solution that runs on or is integrated with AWS can join the new AWS ISV Partner Path. This provides a new and simplified Partner experience designed to accelerate the engagement ISVs have with AWS. It does so through prescriptive guidance, curated programs, funding benefits, and co-selling support. Among other benefits, AWS ISV Partner Path removes APN tier requirements for ISVs, while retaining their eligibility for programs such AWS Competency.

ISVs are increasingly seeking access to AWS customers to grow their cloud business, and they want a simple way to engage AWS field sellers on joint customer opportunities. That’s why we designed the AWS ISV Accelerate Program to enable partners to co-sell with Amazon Web Services. This program helps AWS Partners drive new business and accelerate sales cycles by connecting participating ISVs with the AWS Sales organization.

AWS has empowered entrepreneurs across the world with the tools they need to build and scale their companies faster and cost effectively. Since launching in 2019, the APN Global Startup Program has continued to experience significant momentum. This year, we increased the number of startups supported by the program by more than 50 percent. Startups have received dedicated support from co-sell specialists to drive engagement with AWS Sales and field teams.

It has undoubtedly been a challenging year for the travel and hospitality industry. At AWS, we are keenly aware of this and are committed to helping our customers build resilience for the long run. To support customers at this crucial time, we are proud to announce the launch of the new AWS Travel and Hospitality Competency. This designation takes on the heavy lifting of identifying and validating the most experienced AWS Partners who can help industry customers succeed—specifically at times of disruption.

AWS helps first responders, public safety agencies, and emergency and disaster response organizations complete their mission and mitigate impact to communities affected by emergencies and disasters. In 2019, we announced the launch of the AWS Public Safety & Disaster Response Competency for AWS Consulting Partners. Now, we are excited to launch an additional track within this AWS Competency that showcases specialized and dedicated AWS Technology Partners.

While the move to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model is appealing to many organizations, the time, effort, and investment that’s required to transition to a new multi-tenant architecture can represent a significant hurdle. To address this need for AWS Partners and customers, we have introduced AWS SaaS Boost, an open-source reference environment that provides developers with a low-friction way to transform existing applications into SaaS products.