Requirements updated for certified software designations via Industry AI pathway
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Microsoft is strengthening the requirements to become a Solutions Partner with certified software through the Industry AI pathway.
- Impacted audience
- All
Microsoft is strengthening the requirements to become a Solutions Partner with certified software through the Industry AI pathway.
These new requirements will go into effect on February 9, 2026. This helps ensure designations are awarded exclusively to high-performing partners, providing a more meaningful differentiation for customers and sellers. These updated criteria align more closely with the requirements needed to achieve a certified software designation via the solution areas pathway—specifically the Azure solution area.
This new performance threshold applies to applicants immediately upon launch, and to existing partners at their renewal date. It doesn't apply to current, in-progress partners.
Updated requirements summary
To become a Solutions Partner with certified software for Industry AI, a partner must achieve at least one of the following updated criteria:
- USD1 million marketplace billed sales (MBS) transactions
- 12 net-new customer adds to the marketplace of greater than USD10,000 each. Where "Net-new" means net-new to the Microsoft commercial marketplace (not net-new to Microsoft) and/or net-new to the specific partner.
- 30 marketplace transactions with eight unique customers. In this context, 'marketplace transaction' refers to your Microsoft Marketplace sale or deal with a customer and must be at a minimum value of USD100. The transaction doesn't refer to the individual billing event with a customer (that is, not counting each billing event for a subscription as multiple transactions).
- USD30 million cloud consumption commitment (formerly known as a 'MACC') with at least five marketplace transactions. In this context, 'marketplace transaction' refers to your Microsoft Marketplace sale or deal with a customer and must be at a minimum value of USD100. The transaction doesn't refer to the individual billing event with a customer (that is, not counting each billing event for a subscription as multiple transactions).
- USD200 million cloud consumption commitment (formerly known as a 'MACC') with at least one Azure IP co-sell eligible and transactable listing.
Value to partners
Certified software designations help partners stand out in the market by highlighting those who consistently deliver results with Microsoft technologies. This update to requirements supports partners who invest in performance and provides customers and sellers with a reliable way to identify top performers.
Resources
- External walking deck
- Requirements for becoming a Solutions Partner with certified software for industry AI
- CSD Playbook