As ever with AWS, a new year brings heaps of changes and new things to learn. But thanks to re:Invent and some key insights we can have a go at predicting what's important to focus on for the year ahead — and build on what we've discussed throughout 2025.

Looking Back: Key Themes from 2025

2025 was all about laying the foundations for scalable AWS GTM success:

• Marketplace & Co-Sell: Listing on AWS Marketplace alone was no longer enough. The companies that saw real results were the ones actively integrating Marketplace into their co-sell motions, leveraging Private Offers, and using listings to influence field sellers and customers alike.
• Better Together Stories: Startups that translated their solution into explicit AWS value — highlighting workload growth, service consumption, and tangible outcomes — gained field traction. Examples like Coveo, Armis, and SUSE Rancher demonstrated how a clear "Better Together" story can unlock co-sell opportunities.
• Global Reach Without Global Overhead: Using programs like Global Passport, Marketplace, and co-sell campaigns, startups scaled internationally without needing full regional teams. AWS trust, operational readiness, and repeatable GTM motions matter more than a physical footprint.
• Operational Discipline: Tools like ACE and proper engagement with APN and Seller Prime proved that consistent execution is a multiplier. Success wasn't about luck or status — it was about aligning systems, processes, and messaging to AWS's expectations.

In short, 2025 was about building credibility, visibility, and repeatable execution in the AWS ecosystem.

Looking Ahead: What to Watch for in 2026

AI as an Ecosystem, Not Just a Product The focus is on acting as the aggregator for AI solutions — connecting partners, models, and tools into integrated workflows. Frontier Agents and Marketplace Agent Mode hint at a future where software buyers increasingly rely on autonomous systems to discover, evaluate, and purchase solutions.

Marketplace & Co-Sell Evolution The big growth from 2025 Marketplace leaders is plateauing. To scale, AWS needs more partners actively co-selling and driving transactions. Expect programs, funding, and enablement to shift toward co-sell-first, solution-oriented partnerships rather than passive listings.

AI + Co-Sell: The Wildcard One of the most exciting directions is the convergence of AI and Marketplace: AI purchasing agents. Imagine telling an agent your budget and requirements, and it orchestrates solution discovery, evaluation, and procurement across vendors. Adoption may be slow, but the trend is clear — software will increasingly be consumed by agents, not humans. Partners who prepare for this will have a major advantage.

How to Prepare

• Refine your Better Together story to include AI and autonomous workflows.
• Ensure your solutions are agent-ready: clear APIs, documented integrations, and predictable workflows.
• Align co-sell motions to AWS priorities, using Marketplace and ACE data to get visibility.
• Explore multi-product or multi-vendor bundles to be relevant in solution-centric procurement.

Bottom Line

2026 isn't just about doing more on AWS — it's about doing the right things differently. AI, co-sell, and solution orchestration are no longer optional; they are the drivers of growth in the next era of cloud GTM. Start preparing now, and you'll be ahead of the curve when the agentic buyers arrive.