Cisco empowering Partners to Drive Profitability in an AI era

Tim Coogan
Senior Vice President 
Global Partner Sales
Cisco

The Cisco 360 Partner Program program is critical to our mutual success with partners. The Cisco 360 Partner Program serves the agile partner ecosystem that reacts and adapts quickly, innovates continuously, and scales efficiently through platform and ecosystem effects.

Cisco has announced key elements to the Cisco 360 Partner Program launching January 25, 2026, co-designed with partners to help accelerate their profitability and deliver greater customer value. With partners expecting AI to drive the majority of their revenue within the next five years, the enhanced program incentivizes their efforts to help organizations harness this opportunity amid infrastructure constraints, data complexity, and skills gaps.
The program strengthens collaboration across the global partner ecosystem and allows partners to unlock the full power of the Cisco portfolio to deliver the AI-ready data centers, future-proofed workplaces, and digital resilience their customers need to thrive in the AI era. 
Building on the Cisco 360 Partner Program announced at Partner Summit last year, the new updates introduce new paths to profitability for solutions that drive customer value—campus refresh, AI, security, collaboration, and mass-scale infrastructure—helping partners to potentially earn as much or more than through the existing program. Preferred Partners can also earn new specializations aligned with Cisco's critical infrastructure for the AI era. Cisco is also deepening its investment in Partner enablement with new training, tools, resources, including a marketing Launchpad and Branding Toolkit to support partners for the Cisco 360 Partner Program.

NEW CISCO 360 PARTNER PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Enhanced partner incentive tied to customer priorities: The Cisco Partner Incentive introduces the Eligible Offers list and rebate rates aligned to accelerate growth and incentivize adoption in key innovation areas—campus refresh, AI, security and premium services, adopt and renew. Partners can model profitability using the Cisco Partner Incentive Estimator and unlock two additional bonuses as they advance expertise and accelerate portfolio growth. Cross Sell Bonus – rewarding portfolio breadth; and a Next Generation Specialization Bonus – rewarding deep expertise or greater value and predictable growth.  
New specializations recognizing AI infrastructure expertise: In February 2026, Cisco Preferred Partners can earn two new specializations – Secure AI Infrastructure and Secure Networking – recognizing partners who deliver comprehensive solutions from design through ongoing customer engagement using Cisco’s integrated hardware, software, and services.

EXPANDED PARTNER ENABLEMENT
Partners gain access to new resources designed to accelerate expertise and time to revenue:
Cisco Partner Learning Journeys - clear, role-based training paths for both technical and sales professionals at every level, with recognition through the Cisco 360 Partner Value Index accelerating the ability to build the skills that drive business growth. 
Cisco AI Assistant for Partners - streamlined access to high-quality, multi-language content and training, available in Learning Journeys and Partner Experience Platform.
Advanced dCloud Demo Experiences - customizable virtual labs that replicate real customer environments, allowing Preferred Partners to demonstrate Cisco’s full capabilities alongside their own solutions, while reducing physical equipment needs and lowering training and sales costs.
Cisco U. AI Skills Expansion - practical training in AI skills, data analysis, and AI APIs usage for designing AI pilot projects, fostering an agile ecosystem that supports partner success, and innovation in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.