Alkira Connect partner programme targets AI-led growth

Alkira has launched a new partner programme for services firms that design, integrate and run networks for large organisations, as cloud adoption and AI infrastructure projects strain legacy approaches.

The Alkira Connect Partner Program targets global systems integrators, managed service providers, cloud service providers, and firms focused on security and AI. Alkira described it as a shift to a partner-first model that puts services delivery alongside software sales.

Partners can package assessments, design work and migration projects through Alkira's "Connect Services Attach Plays", which cover network modernisation assessments, segmentation and compliance design, and migration and cutover sprints.

Services focus

Alkira describes its core offering as Network Infrastructure as a Service: a cloud-managed network that links clouds, sites and third parties. It also calls the platform AI-native, managed through familiar controls, policies and security systems.

Channel programmes have become a central route to market for network and cloud platforms, particularly as customers blend public cloud, private data centres and edge sites. Many enterprises also run growing numbers of applications across multiple environments, complicating connectivity, security policy and compliance reporting across network domains.

Against that backdrop, Connect is designed around recurring services work rather than one-off resale. "Connect is built on a simple idea: we succeed when our partners grow their services revenue," said Bruce Hockin, international channel director at Alkira.

Hockin said partners are "moving beyond traditional resale" by combining platform sales with consulting, integration and managed services. "Connect gives them a clear, repeatable way to deliver network modernisation services, helping customers extend secure, consistent connectivity across a hyper-distributed environment-clouds, sites and partners-without the constraints of legacy infrastructure," he said.

Profit levers

The programme includes commercial incentives Alkira calls the "Partner Profit Stack". Rather than a fixed benefits structure, it outlines elements intended to improve partner profitability across sales, marketing and delivery.

Alkira said the offer includes tiered margins, quarterly rebates and customer prepay bonuses. It also includes a marketing development fund-called the Connect Pipeline Fund-aimed at demand generation and partner-led pipeline creation.

Sales incentives are also included. Alkira said it will offer larger SPIFF payments tied to new-customer proofs of concept, describing them as "velocity incentives" linked to pipeline momentum and the time taken to reach a first deal.

Beyond commercial terms, partners get access to an Alkira lab environment for early feature testing. Alkira also referenced an OEM-sponsored President's Club for partner recognition.

Partner traction

Alkira said the launch follows a year in which its partner ecosystem grew to 1,000 partners and added its first Fortune 10 customer. It also reported that more than 150 partners now account for more than 40% of total revenue.

Alkira said top-tier partners have earned seven-figure commissions, which it cited as evidence of the programme's financial returns. It also reported 1300% growth in Latin America, alongside expansion into Canada, Australia, the EU, the UK, the Middle East and China.

For partners, the pitch is the ability to standardise delivery and repeat projects across customers with similar network challenges. These often include segmented security architectures, multi-cloud connectivity, and migrations away from hardware-based designs. Large organisations also face rising scrutiny over security controls and policy consistency as they add new SaaS applications, AI workloads and third-party connections.

Ampito Group, which works with large organisations, pointed to complexity and cost as key pain points. "Enterprises are consuming cloud, workloads and applications at pace to keep up with ever growing demand from users, stakeholders and to stay ahead of their competition. Networks and devices are constraining these organisations who want performant, secure and flexible access to keep pace with their growing demands," said Manny Pinon, founder of Ampito Group.

Pinon added: "At Ampito, we work with large organisations across the globe who want to remove complexity, increase agility and reduce cost. Alkira's Network Infrastructure as a Service offering allows Ampito to deliver simplicity, agility and reduce the burden of legacy networks and high costs."

Alkira said it will run a Partner Connect webinar in mid-March as part of the rollout.