Google Cloud’s Colleen Kapese on 2026 Channel Opportunities

Channel partners everywhere want to grow their businesses in 2026, and for many, doubling down on bringing differentiated value to customers in key ecosystems is a core piece of the strategy.

In the following Q&A, Colleen Kapase, VP of channels and partner programs at Google Cloud, shares how Google Cloud partners can leverage the company’s new program to unlock additional value this year.

How Gemini Enterprise, Google Workspace, and more are helping partners win

How can channel partners continue to find new opportunities with customers in 2026?

The opportunity for our partners today is truly unprecedented. We continue to build on the strength of Google’s technology. Our stack is unmatched, from chips all the way to the agents, Gemini, and the model garden that powers them. 

This foundation is becoming even stronger as we drive agentic workplace transformation with Gemini Enterprise, Google Workspace, and our VertexAI Platform. But technology alone isn’t enough; it requires a world-class partner ecosystem to bring it to life.

Looking ahead to 2026, the biggest opportunity for partners is actually pretty simple: it’s about being known for one thing you do better than anyone else. 

The ‘generalist’ era of cloud migration is over. Customers want partners that can deliver an AI-first architecture that gives them a competitive edge. They want to know exactly how a custom agent is going to transform their specific industry, from finance to the factory floor.

To win, you have to go deep. Knowing the product is one thing, but having the experience to actually run it is another. 

You can’t just read the manual; you need the hands-on experience gained from delivering results in the real world. 

Our recent rollout of the new Google Cloud Partner Network sets our partners up for this exact moment. We want to help our partners transform businesses and entire industries – at a level deeper than ever imagined. 

Google Cloud Partner Network promises value-based approach to partner development and differentiation

Tell me more about the Google Cloud Partner Network. Is this a brand new program? 

Yes. In fact, this is more than just a new program – it’s a new way to partner. We’re trading a model based on volume for one defined by proven value. This is where our partners have the power to deeply differentiate. 

Google Cloud Partner Network measures this through our new Competencies and Tiers, which prove partners actually delivered results, not just passed a test.

We introduced 21 new Competencies designed to look across products, solutions, and industries. In each area, we measure the difference between Capacity—what your team knows—and Capability—what your team has actually delivered. And we’ve simplified this entire process by using AI to automatically track partner technical progress and wins. 

So, when a partner earns a Competency, or hits that elite Advanced Competency, it sends a verified signal to our sales teams and our customers. It tells them, without question, that this partner is the right choice for that specific job.

We’ve also reimagined how we categorize partners into Tiers: Select, Premier, and Diamond. We added a third tier to give partners a deeper way to showcase their full commitment across Google Cloud and Google Workspace. 

This model rewards partners based on where they actually win business—whether that’s co-selling, services, or building technology. We’ve also simplified the process here by using AI to track the partners’ success. 

​​With the new Google Cloud Partner Network, we’re stripping away the noise. We’ve reimagined the experience to be radically simple, making it easier for our field and our customers to find the exact expertise they need. 

There’s a lot of talk about ‘simplification’ in this new program. How does the Google Cloud Partner Network actually change the day-to-day for a partner trying to grow their business?

It changes the day-to-day by getting out of the partner’s way. For too long, the industry has asked partners to spend their time on ‘program work’—writing business plans and manual customer stories just to prove they exist. We’re ending that. We’ve integrated AI into the core of the program to automatically track technical progress and ‘closed-won’ wins. 

We are actively investing in the growth of our partners by ensuring their time is spent on customer innovation. This shift redefines partnership as a cycle of verified success: the impact a partner delivers today automatically becomes the fuel for their next opportunity tomorrow. We’re turning proven results into your biggest growth engine.

Tell me more about how you’ve used AI to improve the partner experience? 

This is a critical piece of our strategy.  We don’t just sell AI, we use it to make our partners’ lives easier. 

This week, we launched a new portal experience that serves as the engine for this entire program. Our AI-powered Partner Network Hub is designed to kill ‘administrative fatigue’ and replace it with automation and transparency. 

We’re using AI to track partner value in real-time. For example, when a partner delivers a successful AI project for a bank, our system instantly credits them across every relevant category—Data, AI, and Financial Services—simultaneously. No manual logging, no delays. 

Ultimately, the Google Cloud Partner Network is an AI-powered compass for growth. It clears the path so partners can find the most in-demand, high-value engagements with total clarity.

Why Kapese wants partners to be ‘relentless’ in 2026

What advice would you give partners looking to capitalize on these updates? 

My advice is simple: be relentless about your customers. We’re in a moment where you aren’t just implementing technology—you are transforming how entire industries function. That is the real opportunity in 2026.

Customers don’t buy technology, they buy impact. With the new Google Cloud Partner Network, your impact is recognised and that becomes your growth engine. We’ve cleared the path so you can focus on the wins that actually change the game. 

And remember, your results don’t just speak for themselves; they automatically pave the way for what’s next. We’ve built the engine—now I can’t wait to see what this ecosystem does with it.