AWS has announced several key updates and enhancements to its various channel programs, incentives, and other activities. We spoke with Justin Copie, the CEO of AWS partner Innovative, about what the changes will mean for his business operations in 2026.
New MSP incentive structure targets activity across cloud, AI, and more
AWS announced a series of changes coming in 2026 to how it engages MSPs and other partners in its vast global ecosystem.
Changes coming include the following:
- Deal registration protections
- Three new MSP-focused incentive programs, targeting services activities across cloud and AI adoption, as well as one specific to government practices
- A new AI Competency for partners to earn, which includes three agentic AI categories: Agentic AI Applications, Agentic AI Tools and Agentic AI Consulting Services
- New Customer incentives to reward customer acquisition
- New benefits and incentives for distribution partners and related Marketplace activities
AWS is touting these moves as a response to what they have seen in market over the past few years. AWS CEO Matt Garman has called partners the “lifeblood” of the giant’s business in recent comments to media.
To Copie, the focus on AI is unsurprising but appreciated.
“With AWS investing heavily in agentic AI and Bedrock capabilities, and with Ruba Borno’s team building out the partner ecosystem around those services, there’s a massive opportunity for partners who can operationalize AI for customers. That’s exactly where we’ve been building with our own AI tools,” Copie said.
“In conversations I’ve had with Ruba, she sees this as one of the biggest opportunities we can capitalize on,” he continued.
AWS doubles down on long-term commitments to channel partners with deal registration, other components
The changes will go live on January 1. They can be taken as a whole as a significant investment in how AWS approaches its channel partners, bringing more direct financial incentives to the forefront of its rewards structure.
Those incentives come as channel partners continue to serve as the necessary middle ground between emerging technologies and the businesses who don’t always have the resources to unlock the value of those solutions.
“As one of fewer than 30 AWS Strategic Collaboration Agreement holders globally, we’ve had a front-row seat to how seriously AWS takes the partner model. The 2026 changes reinforce what we’ve experienced firsthand—AWS understands that partners like Innovative are often the ones translating cloud technology into real business value for customers,” said Copie. “That’s especially true in the SMB and startup segment we serve, where customers need hands-on guidance, not just technology access.”
Copie also stresses the added support from AWS next year will enhance growth his team was already experiencing.
“We’ve already achieved 65% AWS revenue growth this year, and these program updates create even better conditions to accelerate that trajectory. The new Deal Registration for Private Pricing Resell is particularly meaningful for us—it formalizes the sales engagement process in a way that protects partner investments in opportunities,” Copie said. “That kind of structure makes us more confident about going after larger, more complex deals in 2026.”
AWS re:Invent takes place Dec 1-5 in Las Vegas. Channel Insider will have coverage of the event, including product announcements and more partner feedback on channel changes, throughout this week.