Partnerships & Co-Sell — How B2B Software Companies Move

Partnerships and co-sell have evolved from a channel afterthought to a primary growth engine in B2B software. For sales leaders and sales-enablement teams, the evidence is unmistakable: across the 81 companies tracked in this briefing, we see a surge of alliances that embed products into partner workflows, marketplaces, and AI platforms. This is not merely about reselling; it is about co-creating value, reaching new buyer segments, and accelerating deal cycles through shared go-to-market motions.

Why now? Three forces converge. First, buyers demand integrated solutions that reduce friction and time-to-value. Second, AI platforms like Claude, ChatGPT, and Copilot have become distribution channels in their own right, prompting vendors to build connectors and list on marketplaces. Third, economic pressure pushes companies to leverage partners for reach and credibility, especially in specialized verticals or geographies. The result is a complex web of alliances that sales teams must navigate, enable, and measure. This briefing distills the patterns from recent moves and offers actionable implications for sales leadership.

Pattern 1: AI platform connectors as a new distribution channel. A wave of companies are building native integrations with AI assistants to embed their capabilities directly into users' workflows. ZoomInfo launched a native ClickUp integration via its GTM.AI MCP connector and listed its MCP server on the Cursor Marketplace, positioning itself as a GTM context layer. Pleo's MCP connector links spend workflows to ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot, while Clay launched 'Clay for Reps' integrating GTM data into Claude and ChatGPT. This pattern signals that AI platforms are becoming the front door for software consumption, and vendors are racing to be present where users already are. For sales teams, this means deals may originate inside AI interfaces, requiring new enablement around partner-led discovery and co-selling with platform providers.

Pattern 2: Marketplace listings and embedded payments to capture buyer intent. Companies are increasingly listing on cloud marketplaces and embedding payments to streamline procurement and expand reach. Deel launched global employment solutions on Microsoft Marketplace, Evertune became available on Google Cloud Marketplace, and ESET launched private scanning solutions on AWS Marketplace. Meanwhile, Emburse partnered with REPAY to embed payments in AP platforms, and BILL partnered with Blackbaud to embed payments in nonprofit and education AP. These moves reflect buyers' preference for purchasing through committed cloud spend and integrated payment flows. Sales leaders should consider marketplace strategies as a channel to access budget holders and reduce procurement friction, and enable teams to co-sell with marketplace reps.

Pattern 3: Channel and distribution alliances to reach new segments and geographies. Many vendors are leveraging distributors and resellers to penetrate SMBs, MSPs, and international markets. Huntress partnered with ALSO Holding to distribute across 31 European countries, Heimdal Security partnered with ELOVADE Group to reach DACH MSPs, and Kaspersky partnered with ACT Enterprise to bundle EDR into India SMB connectivity. ConnectWise partnered with Insight to expand in US IT departments, and N-able signed a distribution deal with Leader to expand Australian reach. This pattern underscores the efficiency of partner-led reach in fragmented markets. Sales enablement must equip partners with the same rigor as direct sales, including training, collateral, and co-sell playbooks, to ensure consistent messaging and value articulation.

Pattern 4: Strategic alliances for technology validation and joint solutions. Partnerships are also being used to enhance product capabilities and credibility through technology collaborations. SentinelOne detailed its collaboration with NVIDIA on an open agent safety platform, Check Point expanded its work with NVIDIA on the same platform, and CrowdStrike partnered with Cerebras to optimize AI threat detection performance. AlphaSense partnered with EIU to add economic intelligence content, and Sophos integrated Nozomi's OT security platform into its Fusion architecture. These alliances signal a move toward co-innovation, where partners contribute specialized expertise to create differentiated offerings. For sales teams, this means articulating the combined value proposition and leveraging partner validation in competitive deals.

What this means for sales leaders and sales-enablement teams: First, prioritize partner enablement as a core sales function, with dedicated resources for training, certification, and co-sell execution. Second, map your partner ecosystem to buyer journeys and ensure your team knows when and how to engage partners, especially in AI platform and marketplace contexts. Third, invest in co-sell metrics and joint account planning to measure partner influence and optimize investments. The companies that master these motions will outpace competitors in reach, speed, and deal size.