Cisco launches 360 Partner Program for the AI era

Cisco has officially launched its Cisco 360 Partner Program, a redesigned framework aimed at helping partners deliver outcomes in the AI era. The program is the result of 15 months of co-design with Cisco’s global partner ecosystem and is now live worldwide.

For eeNews Europe readers, this matters because channel strategies increasingly shape how AI-ready data centers, secure networks, and resilient digital infrastructures are designed and deployed. The new program also signals where Cisco is placing its bets as customers accelerate AI adoption across enterprise and industrial environments.

A partner model built for the AI era

The Cisco 360 Partner Program is designed to simplify how partners engage with Cisco while improving profitability and differentiation. It spans a wide range of partner types, including developers, consultants, managed service providers, resellers, and distributors, and focuses on three core customer outcomes: AI-ready data centers, future-proofed workplaces, and digital resilience.

“With our partners, we’ve strengthened what is already a world-class ecosystem to deliver even greater value and help our mutual customers connect, protect, and thrive,” said Tim Coogan, Senior Vice President of Global Partner Sales at Cisco.

A key element of the launch is the new Cisco Partner Locator, which allows customers to search for partners by expertise across portfolios such as Security, Networking, Collaboration, Services, Splunk, and Cloud and AI Infrastructure. Cisco says this makes it easier for customers to assemble the right partner teams for complex, multi-domain projects.

“The Cisco 360 Partner Program was designed with partners to foster collective success, enable differentiation, and help partners scale with confidence. It’s about making our ecosystem’s unique value clear to the market and our customers,” said Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President, Cisco Partner Program.

Clearer incentives and new designations

At the core of the program is the Cisco Partner Incentive (CPI), which replaces and streamlines previous incentive structures. Cisco says CPI offers more predictable earnings across its portfolio and helps partners align sales strategies with Cisco’s product roadmap. Temporary CPI bonuses focused on “One Cisco,” including Secure Networking and Secure AI Infrastructure, will run through July 2026.

New partner designations are also central to the update. All participants are recognized as registered Cisco Partners, with higher tiers including Cisco Portfolio Partners and Cisco Preferred Partners, reflecting increasing levels of technical expertise, lifecycle capabilities, and customer engagement.

“The Cisco 360 Partner Program helps us differentiate based on our expertise. We appreciate that we’re measured on the value we bring; that only benefits our mutual customers,” said Nicko Roussos, Senior Vice President, Cisco Strategy & Transformation, TD Synnex.

Tools to support growth and differentiation

Cisco is also rolling out additional resources, including Partner Value Indexes tailored to different partner models, a new Distributor Development Fund, and an enhanced Cisco AI Assistant within the Partner Experience Platform.

“Cisco 360 is a bridge to the new partner model: high-touch, high-value, outcome-based, and AI-ready,” said Anurag Agrawal, Founder and Chief Global Analyst at Techaisle. “The partners who embrace the Partner Value Index not as a scorecard but as a business plan will find that 2026 is not a year of consolidation but of unprecedented profitability.”

With AI readiness increasingly seen as a competitive differentiator, Cisco is positioning its partner ecosystem as a critical enabler of enterprise transformation across Europe and beyond.