Amazon Web Services Partner Network: Essential training resources for ISV partners

The Amazon Web Services Partner Network (APN) offers several training resources to help Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) succeed—from showing how to list your first solution on Amazon Marketplace to teaching you how to accelerate growth through co-selling and funding opportunities. This blog post compiles these resources and explains the benefit of each, while also providing a recommended sequence along with time estimates, to help ISV alliance leaders plan their teams’ learning paths effectively.

The value of Amazon Web Services Training is clear: Enterprise Strategy Group research shows that Amazon Web Services Partner organizations with higher adoption of Amazon Web Services Training achieved a 42% higher average gross margin for their Amazon Web Services practice. As Thomas Ferguson, global business development manager at Intel notes, “Training for both technical and non-technical employees fosters innovation and collaboration through cloud fluency—when we all speak the same language, we’re more effective at reaching our organizational goals and helping our customers.”

This guide covers four essential training areas that will help ISVs scale solutions to better serve Amazon Web Services customers:

Amazon Marketplace fundamentals (95 minutes total)
Technical validation through Foundational Technical Reviews (120 minutes total)
Co-selling program preparation (60 minutes total)
Partner funding opportunities (55 minutes total)

Before diving in, ensure you have basic familiarity with Amazon Web Services services and have completed the following prerequisites:

An Amazon Web Services Partner Network (APN) account
Access to Amazon Web Services Partner Central

Essential training resources for ISV success

Step 1: Amazon Marketplace essentials

The Amazon Marketplace is a digital catalog where customers find, buy, deploy, and manage third-party software. Alliance leaders need to become adept in using this platform to drive successful product listings and sales.

The Amazon Marketplace Seller Guide (60 minutes) delivers comprehensive insights from basic setup to advanced selling techniques, enabling informed decisions about resource allocation and go-to-market planning. For detailed pricing structure and business alignment, check out our Amazon Marketplace Pricing Models guide (20 minutes). The Introduction to Amazon Marketplace Channel (15 minutes) provides an overview of channel programs and opportunities, establishing the foundation for marketplace strategy.

To ensure marketplace success, your solutions must meet Amazon Web Services technical standards and best practices. This brings us to the next step in your Amazon Web Services partnership journey: the Foundational Technical Review.

Step 2: Amazon Web Services Foundational Technical Review (FTR)

A Foundational Technical Review (FTR) validates that ISV solutions meet Amazon Web Services best practices. The FTR Readiness Series: FTR 101 (20 minutes) course outlines process requirements and preparation steps for alliance leaders to plan resource allocation. For FTR requirements and best practices, review the Amazon Web Services Foundational Technical Review Guide found in Partner Central.

For a deeper dive into the technical components of the FTR, these Amazon Web Services Skill Builder sessions prepare alliance leaders for the FTR process. FTR Part 1-Technical (50 minutes) covers baseline requirements and team communication strategies. FTR Part 2-Technical (50 minutes) addresses implementation planning and common technical challenges. These sessions provide alliance leaders the knowledge to complete the FTR process.

After completing the FTR, partners can elevate their Amazon Web Services relationship to the next level through strategic programs like the APN Customer Engagement (ACE) program and collaborative co-selling initiatives.

Step 3: APN Customer Engagement (ACE) program and co-selling

The ACE program connects ISVs with Amazon Web Services field sellers to leverage co-selling opportunities. The ACE Program FAQs explain program requirements and benefits for participants. In addition, the Amazon Web Services Partner: Path to Co-sell guide (30 minutes) details the steps to achieve co-sell ready status and advance Amazon Web Services partnerships. To learn more about sales alignment strategies with our go-to-market approach, the Amazon Web Services Partner: Co-selling with Amazon Web Services course (30 minutes) is a valuable resource.

To further drive your success, partners can access funding opportunities to accelerate growth, which we’ll cover next.

Step 4: Partner funding opportunities

Amazon Web Services offers various funding programs to support partners in their growth and development. These resources create a foundation for informed decision-making and support partners in selecting and applying for Amazon Web Services funding programs, from initial Amazon Marketplace listings to growth initiatives.

The Amazon Web Services Partner Funding Overview (15 minutes) explains available funding programs for growth. Through Amazon Web Services Skill Builder, the Amazon Web Services Partner Funding Benefits course (30 minutes) details how to use funding resources to increase business results. Amazon Web Services Partner Funding Benefits Guide (10 minutes) outlines funding options based on partnership status and business objectives.

Conclusion

Alliance leads and ISV partners will find these Amazon Web Services Skill Builder training resources helpful in structuring their Amazon Web Services partnership journey. Whether you’re seeking to list your solution on Amazon Marketplace, prepare for your Foundational Technical Review (FTR), engage in co-selling through the ACE program, or leverage Amazon Web Services funding opportunities, these targeted training materials will help you navigate the partnership process efficiently and maximize your benefits within the Amazon Web Services Partner Network.

To learn more about the impact of Amazon Web Services Training across partner organizations, check out our previous blog post, New research quantifies the value of Amazon Web Services Training and Certification for Amazon Web Services Partners.

Stay connected with the Amazon Web Services partner community through Partner Central, and visit the APN Blog for the latest program updates and opportunities. Whether you’re just starting or are more experienced, Amazon Web Services Training and Certification is here to help.