Customers are moving toward Frontier Transformation, and they are looking to Microsoft partners to turn AI from isolated experimentation into a repeatable operating capability embedded into how work gets done. Value does not scale automatically, but complexity does. Partners who win in FY27 will be the ones who can operationalize AI with intelligence grounded in real work and trust built in from day one, including security, governance, and responsible AI.
MCAPS Start for Partners is built to give you early clarity on what Microsoft will prioritize in FY27 so you can translate strategy into execution. It is the annual moment to align with Microsoft priorities at the start of the fiscal year so that you begin on the same page around investments and go-to-market motions that will shape customer conversations throughout the year.
Save the date to join us virtually on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to align on what is changing, what is net-new, and where Microsoft will focus. You will hear directly from Microsoft leaders and leave with practical next steps you can activate with your teams in the first weeks of FY27 across co-sell engagement, Microsoft Marketplace motions, incentives, and skilling.
Registration opens in May. Download the calendar invite now to save the date for the event.
The shift partners are observing: Frontier Transformation moves from pilots to operating capability
Across industries, customers are pushing for outcomes, not pilots. They want solutions that can be operationalized, governed, and scaled across business units. Expectations are also rising around security, compliance, and responsible AI as AI moves closer to core business processes.
For partners, this is a clear signal. Differentiation increasingly comes from repeatable delivery models, strong governance, and responsible AI practices built into your approach from day one. Customers want confidence that AI is not just deployed but is also managed, secured, and monitored in ways that stand up to real-world use.
Starting FY27 aligned to Microsoft priorities can sharpen your focus, guide where you invest, and accelerate your ability to engage customers with a clear execution model.
Why MCAPS Start for Partners matters at the start of FY27
MCAPS Start for Partners is a no-cost, digital-only event designed as a planning moment so that you can focus your efforts early, before seller priorities and investments are already in motion. The experience is anchored in three strategies that map directly to what partners need to do in FY27.
Plan and prepare: Focus where FY27 demand will be strongest
You will get a direct view of FY27 priorities, seller focus, and where Microsoft is investing so you can calibrate your plans early. That clarity matters because alignment cannot wait if execution is the goal.
Come ready to map Microsoft priorities to your solution plays, identify where seller attention will be strongest, and align your teams to a shared operating rhythm. For many partners, this is also the moment to pressure-test FY27 investment choices and confirm which go-to-market motions to lean into.
From vision to execution: Operationalize AI with trust built in
Frontier Transformation marks a shift from AI interest to AI execution. Customers are looking for solutions that can be trusted and scaled, not one-off experiments. That means operationalizing AI in ways that fit real work patterns, with security, governance, and responsible AI built in.
MCAPS Start for Partners is designed to move you from narrative to action. You will learn how Microsoft and partners are delivering impact today, so you can apply demonstrated approaches across your customer portfolio and strengthen your delivery model for the year ahead.
Execute and grow: Translate priorities into pipeline with shared motions
FY27 success is not just about knowing the priorities. It is about turning them into repeatable execution that scales pipeline. You will get actionable direction on how to engage earlier with Microsoft sellers, support co-sell motions, and activate routes to market through Marketplace.
Expect clear calls to action, practical guidance, and next steps you can put into motion quickly across programs, incentives, and skilling. The goal is simple: leave with actions your team can execute in the first weeks of FY27.
What you will get from the experience
MCAPS Start for Partners is designed for engagement, not passive listening. The virtual format enables your team to join from anywhere and move quickly from insight to action.
You can expect:
- Keynotes that define FY27 priorities, strategic shifts, and investment focus.
- Clear signals on what is net-new versus evolving and what to prioritize now.
- Breakouts and deep dives aligned to priorities across AI, cloud, and security.
- Practical direction on the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, Marketplace motions, incentives, and skilling, with explicit next steps.
Who should attend
MCAPS Start for Partners is built for partner leaders and teams that want to begin FY27 with a clear plan and a shared operating rhythm across sales, presales, and delivery.
It is especially relevant if you are focused on:
- Scaling repeatable delivery for cloud and AI outcomes.
- Strengthening security, governance, and operational readiness.
- Driving Microsoft Copilot adoption and preparing for agent-led workflows.
- Improving alignment with Microsoft sellers and go-to-market motions.
- Refreshing your FY27 investment and go-to-market strategy based on Microsoft priorities and program changes.
Consider inviting a cross-functional group, including sales leadership, solution leaders, delivery owners, Marketplace owners, and technical skilling leads, so you can translate priorities into action quickly.
How to take action now
- Save the date and hold time for your team: Download the calendar invite and share it internally so your sales, presales, and delivery leaders can plan to attend together.
- Define what “alignment” means for you in FY27: Identify the outcomes you want to drive, the customer segments you are prioritizing, and the motions you are leaning into. Bring those questions to the event so you leave with a tighter plan and clearer actions.
- Plan a short post-event activation window: Schedule a working session now for the week after the event. Use it to align internal priorities, update your go-to-market plan, and confirm the first actions your team will execute in early FY27.
MCAPS Start for Partners is your FY27 planning moment to get a direct view of what is changing, where Microsoft is investing, and how to align your strategy and execution model to win more business together.