AWS co-sell programs explained

AWS partnership has its own language, and the AWS Benefits tab uses it. This page defines the terms as Aithon uses them. Program rules and amounts are AWS's and change; Aithon shows the current estimate for your deal, and each program links to AWS's own guide.

The plumbing

Partner Central is the portal where AWS partners manage their relationship with AWS: the partner profile, solutions, co-sell opportunities and funding. Aithon reads and writes it on your behalf through the role you created when connecting your AWS account.

ACE is the co-sell part of Partner Central, where opportunities are registered so AWS sellers can see them and engage. When Aithon sends a deal to Partner Central, it creates an ACE opportunity. ACE also computes a quality score for every co-sell opportunity, which AWS sellers use to decide where to spend their time; Aithon shows it but never sets it.

Account linking ties your AWS Marketplace seller account to Partner Central. AWS requires it for API access, so it is a prerequisite for connecting Aithon. Only a Partner Central alliance lead or cloud admin can perform it, and after AWS's Partner Central migration the linked account is permanent.

Co-sell versus visibility only is the choice you make when submitting an opportunity. Co-sell asks AWS sellers to engage now. Visibility only registers the deal so AWS can see it without asking for help, and can be promoted to co-sell later.

Deal-level funding programs

These are evaluated for each opportunity and paid against it.

Proof of Concept (POC) funding pays part of a proof of concept that shows the customer what the solution does on AWS. It is the most accessible program: open to every partner type, for opportunities between technical validation and commitment, with a modest cap. Funds can be cash to the partner or credits to the customer.

Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) underwrites migrations and modernisations onto AWS, in three phases: Assess (sizing the migration), Mobilize (preparing it) and Migrate and Modernize (doing it, funded as credits to the customer). MAP is for consulting and services partners with the migration competency; software vendors are not eligible.

Marketplace Private Offer Promotion (MPOPP) rewards software vendors for closing deals through AWS Marketplace private offers. It requires ISV Accelerate enrolment and a Marketplace listing. Partners with fewer than five lifetime closed private offers are on the Activate track; twenty or more moves them to the Grow track. Aithon counts your accepted agreements and shows where you stand.

ISV Workload Migration Program (WMP) funds a software vendor moving a customer's workload from a non-AWS system onto the vendor's software running on AWS. It requires a completed Foundational Technical Review and applies once the opportunity is launched.

Startup Incremental Workloads (IW) funds new or migrated workloads at startups that AWS has tagged as such.

Organization-level programs

These are applied for once, for your organization, and do not depend on a specific deal: Partner Initiative Funding, Marketplace List and Sell, Business Outcomes Xcelerator, Distributor Development Funds, the Reseller Accelerated Progression Incentive, Marketing Development Funds (co-funding for marketing, tied to a budget year), Strategic Collaboration Agreement funds (a negotiated agreement with AWS), Training and Certification credits, Innovation Sandbox credits and APN fee credits. Aithon shows your status for each and links to where to apply.

The Customer Engagement Incentive was discontinued at the start of 2026, so Aithon never recommends it.

Enrolments and reviews that gate programs

ISV Accelerate (ISVA) is AWS's co-sell program for software vendors. Enrolment is a prerequisite for the Marketplace promotions and carries its own marketing funds.

Foundational Technical Review (FTR) is AWS's review of a solution against its well-architected practices. Passing it is a prerequisite for the Workload Migration Program and several partner designations.

AWS Partner Funding Portal (APFP) is where fund requests are filed and decided. When you create a fund request in Aithon, that is where it goes.

Marketplace terms

A listing is your product on AWS Marketplace, visible to buyers. A private offer is negotiated pricing and terms for one buyer on one listing; once released, the buyer can accept it immediately, with no AWS review. An agreement is an accepted private offer; it runs for its full term even after the offer that created it expires, and the number of agreements you have closed is what the promotion tracks count.