Main ecosystem overhaul replaces Gold standing with new tiers and unified incentives to drive AI readiness.
In sum – what we all know:
- The brand new program – Cisco 360 Companion Program has formally launched, changing a 25-year-old framework to consolidate packages and drive profitability.
- New tier construction – Eliminates Gold designation; introduces Registered, Portfolio, and Most well-liked Companions based mostly on particular worth and capabilities.
- AI and telecom focus: Introduces “Safe AI Infrastructure” specialization concentrating on AI-ready knowledge facilities and mass-scale infrastructure related to telecom operators.
Cisco is totally revamping its associate program. The corporate has introduced the brand new Cisco 360 Companion Program, representing the corporate’s most sweeping ecosystem restructuring in 1 / 4 century. The transfer consolidates a patchwork of legacy frameworks right into a single program constructed round one precedence — serving to companions capitalize on the AI infrastructure buildout. Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President of the Cisco Companion Program, framed it as strengthening “what’s already a world-class ecosystem to ship even larger worth and assist our mutual clients join, shield and thrive.”
The timing isn’t unintended. Enterprise conversations round AI have shifted from whether or not to take a position to how briskly organizations can transfer, and critically, which companions they belief to execute. For telecom operators and huge service suppliers spinning up AI-ready knowledge facilities, this system carves out devoted pathways and incentives designed to speed up these deployments.
Cisco spent 15 months co-developing the 360 Companion Program alongside its ecosystem, positioning 2026 as a yr of “unprecedented profitability” for the channel. The restructuring consolidates beforehand siloed packages, together with VIP, Carry out Plus, and the Cisco Providers Companion Program, right into a unified incentive construction referred to as the Cisco Companion Incentive (CPI). The objective is basically to chop complexity and provides companions clearer, extra predictable earnings throughout Cisco’s full portfolio.
Additionally gone is the longstanding Gold associate designation. As a replacement sits a brand new tier system, with the “Cisco Companion” designation because the baseline, and “Cisco Most well-liked Companion” representing high corporations that deliver superior technical capabilities. Beginning in February 2026, Most well-liked Companions can pursue the brand new Safe AI Infrastructure specialization, targeted on safe AI infrastructure supply. A Safe Networking specialization has additionally been launched to acknowledge security-focused experience.
Telco AI
For telecom operators and repair suppliers pushing into AI, this system’s construction may very well be fairly useful. The Safe AI Infrastructure specialization speaks on to AI-ready knowledge middle wants, whereas the Mass-Scale Infrastructure portfolio targets the very giant buildouts that outline service supplier environments. Companions chasing these areas shall be evaluated by the Companion Worth Index (PVI), which emphasizes capabilities, efficiency, and engagement over purely transactional metrics. Cisco plans to develop PVI with devoted indexes for Builders/Advisors, Mass-Scale Infrastructure, and Distributors.
The monetary mannequin is designed to reward companions for delivering tangible AI deployment outcomes. CPI provides funds tied to complete contract worth, with earnings kicking in fas companions meet outlined milestones. New tooling additionally accompanies the launch — a Cisco Companion Locator that lets clients search by portfolio (together with Cloud and AI Infrastructure), plus an enhanced Cisco AI Assistant embedded within the Companion Expertise Platform to streamline associate workflows. That stated, companions have flagged advertising and buyer training as important for making the Most well-liked Companion designation really imply one thing out there. The long-term payoff of the brand new tier construction in the end hinges on how clearly Cisco communicates these distinctions to enterprise patrons.
