Cloud networking company Alkira Inc. today announced the launch of a new Connect Partner Program, designed to help partners solve complex networking and artificial intelligence infrastructure challenges more quickly and profitably.

The program has been built to mirror modern enterprise buying motions. Alkira pitches it as its evolution into a partner-first platform company. The Connect Partner Program offers a framework where partners can do more than just sell a product but also build customer trust by solving complex problems faster, cheaper and without disruption.

Alkira Connect provides global systems integrators, managed service providers, cloud service providers and security and AI-focused firms with a foundation to monetize high-value services. Through a feature called Connect Services Attach Plays, partners can standardize and scale high-margin offerings such as network modernization assessments, segmentation and compliance design and migration and cutover sprints.

“The philosophy behind Connect is that we win when our partners grow their own services revenue,” explained Doug Houghton, director of channels at Alkira. “We believe channel partners are evolving from resellers to growth partners, combining resale with high-value services. Connect is built so partners deliver outcomes plus services. It’s about giving them a repeatable engine to solve the ‘impossible’ networking hurdles that face every Fortune 500 company today.”

Alkira Connect also sees the introduction of the Partner Profit Stack, a set of ways partners can make more money and win more deals while attaching more services to every opportunity.

Benefits include better margins plus bonus payouts, including higher tiered margins, quarterly rebates and customer prepay bonuses that help improve cash flow. There’s also access to the Connect Pipeline Fund, dedicated marketing dollars to generate demand and build partner-led pipelines.

In addition, velocity incentives include bigger sale performance incentive funds for new customer proofs of concept to reward pipeline momentum and accelerate the time to first deal. There’s also differentiation and retention that includes access to Alkira’s lab for early feature testing and an original equipment manufacturer-sponsored President’s Club to recognize top-performing partner organizations.

The launch comes after Alkira’s existing partner program saw the acquisition of its first Fortune 10 customer and the enablement of its 1,000th partner. The existing program has been paying out seven-figure commissions to top-tier partners, with Alkira saying that this proves the program’s financial viability.

Alkira is a venture capital startup that has raised at least $184 million in funding, including rounds of $30 million in April 2020, $54 million in October 2020 and $100 million in May 2024. Investors in the company include Tiger Global Management, NextEquity Partners, Geodesic Capital, Dallas Venture Capital, Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Koch Disruptive Technologies.

Image: Alkira