New categories and benefits for AWS Data Competency Partners

By Chris Dally, WW Data & AI Specialization Lead — AWS 
By Vitor Freitas, Senior WW Data & AI PSA — AWS 
By Kelly Lucas, AWS Specializations Partner Program Lead — AWS 

Every AI opportunity is a data opportunity. Customers racing to build agentic AI systems need data that flows seamlessly between operational systems and analytical workloads, but most aren’t set up to get there.

According to Gartner, Inc., over 75% of organizations are prioritizing AI-ready data investments, yet 90% of Chief Data and Analytics Officers say their current data architecture needs an overhaul.

To help organizations accelerate AI innovation, we’re expanding the AWS Data Competency (previously AWS Data and Analytics Competency) with new categories and benefits. This AWS Specialization recognizes both Services Partners and Software Partners with deep expertise building unified data solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS), from migrating legacy databases to cloud-native architectures to building AI-ready data foundations that power agentic AI.

This expansion aligns with a fundamental shift in how organizations approach AI.

“Data is the key differentiator for AI—it’s the combination of enterprise data, customer knowledge, and embedded institutional context that allows organizations to build truly unique experiences,” said Mark Relph, Director, Data & AI Partners at AWS. “Building a governed data foundation where agents can access trusted context in real time is a data problem first and an AI problem second. That’s exactly why we launched the expanded AWS Data Competency—to help customers find Partners who can build the data solutions that make agentic AI possible.”

The expanded categories help customers identify Partners that span the full data lifecycle, including:

• Databases (Services Partners): Migrate, modernize, and manage production database workloads on AWS—spanning relational engines (Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora), NoSQL and purpose-built databases (Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon DocumentDB, Amazon Neptune, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon MemoryDB), and the full spectrum of operational disciplines from HA/DR architecture to performance optimization and security hardening.
• Relational Databases (Software Partners): Deliver relational database engines on AWS, migration, performance, and governance tooling for relational DB adoption, and business applications built on Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora; supporting the full adoption lifecycle from migration to governance.

This AWS Specialization recognizes Services Partners and Software Partners with deep expertise building unified data solutions on AWS whether migrating customers from legacy databases to cloud-native architectures or building AI-ready data foundations that power the next generation of agentic AI.

New benefits for AWS Data Competency Partners

The AWS Data Competency introduces new performance-based Signature benefits for Partners delivering data architectures at scale:

• Additional marketing and deal funding in 2027 (Production Ready, AI Assessment, and Database Migration Accelerator) to help Partners stand out to customers and move their data workloads into production with AWS.
• Access to the AWS Data and AI Workshop, a facilitated 1–2 day session that takes customers from use case to MVP architecture, with Partners positioned to capture the delivery work that comes next.
• Partner recognition opportunities (e.g., case study features, “Partner of the Year” award), specialized sales play training, and opportunities to participate in executive briefings and roundtables.

For the full list of benefits available to AWS Data Competency Partners, review the AWS Specialization Program Benefits Guide in Partner Central (login required).

Success stories

Organizations with successful AI initiatives invest up to four times more in data and analytics foundations compared to those that experience poor outcomes from AI (Gartner, Inc., 2026). Partners like Deloitte and Caylent are already helping customers build AI-ready data foundations on AWS.

“A strong data foundation is the differentiator in the agentic era,” said Parth Patwari, AI & Engineering Leader at Deloitte. “The AWS Data Competency marks an evolution of our collaboration, helping enterprises like Toyota Motor North America move beyond experimentation to a more governed, scalable data platform that allows AI to deliver measurable business value at a faster pace.”

For Caylent, every durable AI initiative starts with the data underneath it: “Over the past years we’ve helped customers in financial services, insurance, and government replace fragmented legacy systems with governed, AI-ready lakehouses on AWS, accelerating platform delivery from years to weeks,” said Randall Hunt, Chief Technology Officer at Caylent. “We’re not just modernizing data platforms, we’re building the foundation their next generation of AI use cases will run on.”

Customers: Work with an AWS Data Competency Partner

AWS Data Competency Partners help you build the data foundation your AI initiatives need to succeed.

Discover solutions and connect with validated AWS Data Competency Partners or explore solutions listed in AWS Marketplace.

Partners: Become an AWS Data Competency Partner

AWS Partners with data solutions can learn more about becoming an AWS Specialization Partner. The AWS Data Competency is open to both Services and Software Partners.

To get started, review the Program Guide in AWS Partner Central (login required).