Cisco announced key elements of 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.
Cisco 360 Partner Program: Driving customer impact and predictable partner profitability
Building on the Cisco 360 Partner Program announced at Partner Summit last year, these 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.
“This 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,” said Tim Coogan, Senior Vice President of Global Partner Sales at Cisco.
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. Together, these levers deliver predictable growth while positioning partners to earn as much or more than with the previous program by focusing on integrated solutions that drive customer outcomes.
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. Both specializations unlock an additional Cisco Partner Incentive bonus, increasing profitability for partners building deep expertise in the era of AI.
Expanded partner enablement: Training, tools, and demo environments
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.
- “Learn with Cisco” now includes an all-new Cisco AI Infrastructure Specialist Certification within the CCNP Data Center Certification track to help partners build and validate skills on Cisco data center infrastructure.
Marketing investment for program launch
Partners preparing for launch can access a Launchpad and a Branding Toolkit plus high-touch, one-on-one marketing support to customize marketing assets with their new brand and ensure readiness for January 25, 2026.
“The Cisco 360 Partner Program is about more than recognition—it’s about empowering every partner to thrive at the center of Cisco’s innovation. By investing in our partners’ capabilities and giving them the tools and resources they need, we’re enabling our ecosystem to deliver greater customer outcomes and lead in an AI-powered world.” – Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President, Cisco Partner Program.
