Key themes and takeaways from MCAPS Start for Partners 2026
- Remi Young
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
As Microsoft heads into the new fiscal year, one thing is clear – 2026 will have a laser-focus on scaling AI, modernizing cloud infrastructure, and fortifying security, while empowering partners to lead AI-driven transformation across industries. Through its MCAPS (Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions) Start for Partners kickoff events, Microsoft outlined the strategic priorities and solution areas for the coming year, as well as positive changes to some of the programs and opportunities offered to partners. In case you missed it, we've compiled a summary of the key themes and takeaways:
Becoming Frontier
Perhaps the most notable, overarching theme echoed throughout the events was the concept of Becoming Frontier – essentially being AI-first and leading the charge into the new era of AI by not only adopting it but infusing and reimagining business models, workflows, and core processes with AI at the center. This concept is what Microsoft is positioning as the blueprint for the future of work and is the foundation of its strategy for the coming year. Being a Frontier Firm, as Microsoft has coined this archetype of AI-first organizations, is something Microsoft is urging partners to both become themselves and to help their customers become – which means embracing AI organization-wide and operating as a hybrid team of humans and curated AI-powered digital agents. The idea here is not to just sprinkle AI on top of existing functions to make them better, faster, or cheaper, but to reimagine the entire process, approach it differently, and reinvent it with AI at the center.
Agentic AI
Another theme that was constant across the kickoff events was the proliferation of “Agentic AI” and the tremendous pipeline opportunity emerging for partners to deploy and monetize digital agents, specifically in three areas:
Copilots tuned for specific use cases (e.g., financial services, research, etc.)
Agents for niche functionalities (e.g., tracking expenses, SAP approval, etc.)
Agent-to-agent platforms (enabling multiple agents to work together across data sources and functionalities)
Partners are encouraged to leverage Copilot Studio to easily develop specialized agents for industry or LOB use cases that fit their customer needs, which can then be published and sold through the Agent Store (via Microsoft AppSource).
Streamlined Solution Areas
With this AI-forward approach at the forefront, Microsoft also announced some other strategic shifts to its solution areas and priorities for the coming year, which have pivoted slightly to support this notion of “Becoming Frontier.”
While the four key benefit pillars have remained the same as we saw in FY25, Microsoft has streamlined its go-to-market approach around three core solution areas that more closely align to how customers are thinking about their real business problems and also map directly to the MCAPS priorities for FY26.
AI Business Solutions: Scale Copilot across every device and role, deepen execution in Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, and support “Frontier Firms” by redesigning workflows around AI
Cloud & AI Platforms: Accelerate cloud migrations and modernization, and lead with Frontier AI innovations (e.g., Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry)
Security: Expand the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) and prioritize “secure by design, default, and operations” across the cyber foundation
Partner Ecosystem, Incentives, and Benefits
The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP) remains central to partner engagement, and Microsoft has announced several new partner designations, a simplified cloud acceleration program, and significant incentives to help fuel adoption and growth.
New partner designations:
o Copilot specialization
o Sovereign Cloud
o Distributor & Support
o Clinical Application specialization (coming later in 2026)
Incentives & growth investments:
o Copilot funding up 50%
o Azure incentives up 70% YoY
o Security investments up 15%
o Microsoft 365 incentives doubling
o New Azure Accelerate program that combines the previous Azure Migrate & Modernize and Azure Innovate programs into a single, streamlined offer for all customers
Partner benefits:
o Software Development Companies (SDCs, formerly referred to as ISVs or Independent Software Vendors) get increased Azure credits, access to AI Foundry and GitHub Copilot, exam vouchers, and additional rewards for marketplace performance
o Services partners get increased Copilot seats and tools like Copilot Studio, Dragon Copilot, and Microsoft 365 E5 Security
Joint Territory Planning
As part of its mission to double-down on partner engagement and co-sell, Microsoft touted its “Joint Territory Planning” strategy, which aims to strengthen collaboration and alignment between partners and the Microsoft field to accelerate opportunities. Key benefits of the strategy include:
o Increased sharing of opportunities earlier in the sales cycle
o Drives early engagement and tailored offers
o Improved collaboration across the seller community
o Direct seller to seller engagement
Learn more about joint territory planning here.
Tech Intensity and Becoming “Customer Zero”
As Microsoft urges partners to become Frontier Firms, it also encourages them to build “tech intensity,” which means intensifying your own skills and experience with emerging technologies, exploring new boundaries, and creating energy around the AI solutions you’re selling by implementing and mastering it internally first. This concept of being your own “customer zero” not only builds credibility but strengthens your ability to guide customers with the very same tools and transformations. It all starts with upskilling, and as part of this mission Microsoft is doubling down and offering new training opportunities for partners to expand their knowledge and skills in various areas, including:
Agentic AI training for intelligent agent design and deployment using Azure AI Foundry and Copilot Studio
Hackathon-based learning to build IP and earn certifications
Skilling-in-a-Box for distributors, designed to scale sales/pre-sales skilling to thousands of resellers
The year ahead looks promising and full of potential to capitalize on the increasing prevalence of AI and to help customers navigate a new era as AI reshapes our business processes and everyday lives. If you missed the MCAPS kickoff events and want more information on the summaries we’ve provided, you can access the on-demand keynote and deep-dive sessions here: https://mcapsstartforpartners.microsoft.com.
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