How ISVs Can Unlock Revenue Through AWS Co-Sell and Marketplace
As cloud adoption accelerates across industries, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) are increasingly relying on strong alliances with cloud hyperscalers to scale faster and reach global customers. Among all platforms, Amazon Web Services (AWS) stands out not just as a technology provider, but as a growth partner — offering ISVs a structured path to market through programs like AWS Marketplace, ISV Accelerate, and co-sell opportunities.
In this blog, we explore how ISVs can effectively navigate the AWS partner ecosystem and unlock scalable growth.
🔍 Step 1: Start With the Right Foundation – The FTR
Every successful AWS co-sell journey starts with the Foundational Technical Review (FTR).
The FTR is more than a technical checkpoint — it’s a signal of credibility. It ensures that your solution meets AWS’s architectural best practices and builds customer trust. Once completed, you become eligible for the ISV Accelerate Program.
🤝 Step 2: Join ISV Accelerate – The Co-Sell Engine
The ISV Accelerate Program is AWS’s flagship initiative to support co-selling with ISVs. This program enables you to:
- Collaborate with AWS sales teams
- Access co-sell opportunities via the ACE Portal
- Increase visibility with AWS field sellers and customers
- Get go-to-market funding and marketing support
But joining the program is just the beginning — success lies in execution.
⚙️ Step 3: Align Internally for Co-Sell Readiness
A strong AWS partnership demands more than external collaboration. Your internal teams — from sales to operations — must be ready.
Here’s what “co-sell readiness” looks like:
- Sales Enablement: Train sales teams on AWS buyer behaviors, Marketplace mechanics, and Private Offers.
- Deal Desk Alignment: Ensure your team can support custom pricing and navigate AWS procurement processes.
- Marketing Coordination: Sync your messaging with AWS’s positioning and co-brand your assets.
💼 Step 4: Master AWS Marketplace Operations
Having a listing on AWS Marketplace is a game-changer — but only if you use it strategically.
Best practices include:
- Building Private Offers for enterprise buyers with custom terms
- Automating approvals and contract workflows
- Integrating Marketplace sales into your CRM
- Regularly analyzing performance metrics and tweaking strategy
This is where communities like Ops Squad come in — giving operational leads a space to learn best practices, collaborate with AWS teams, and scale revenue effectively.
📊 Step 5: Track Success with the Right Metrics
To know whether your AWS partnership is working, you must track the right metrics:
- Co-sell influenced revenue
- Private Offer win rates
- Deal velocity from Marketplace
- PDM & AWS sales engagement impact
- Sales cycle time reduction
Metrics turn a fuzzy alliance into a predictable revenue engine.
🧭 Your Strategic Partner in the Journey: Adiantara
At Adiantara, we believe that ISVs should treat cloud partnerships as a core GTM function — not just a marketing checkbox.
We help software companies:
- Launch or optimize their AWS Marketplace presence
- Train internal teams on co-sell and operational workflows
- Build scalable processes to unlock real revenue from AWS
📩 Ready to transform your AWS partnership from tactical to transformational?
Let’s build a roadmap to scalable cloud growth — together.
