Achieving a unified, scalable cloud marketplace strategy

A global data platform and cloud storage provider aimed to expand its presence and performance across the three leading cloud hyperscaler marketplaces. However, the organization faced significant hurdles in navigating the complexity of marketplace strategy. Leadership lacked clarity on where to prioritize investments, how to engage the right resources, and what tools were necessary to scale operations effectively. The organization needed a structured and comprehensive approach to assess current capabilities, benchmark against competitors, and define a path forward for marketplace success.

Approach

Our partner ecosystem and ParTech experts conducted a cross-functional assessment focused on marketplace maturity. This analysis spanned key areas of the client’s business, including operations, finance, marketing, sales, engineering, and partner channel strategy. The goal was to evaluate how marketplace participation aligned with the company’s broader go-to-market strategy and to identify opportunities for acceleration.

The team examined existing marketplace listings, co-sell enablement, and technology infrastructure, benchmarking the client’s capabilities against both industry best practices and key competitors. This competitive analysis helped the client better understand how rivals were leveraging cloud marketplaces to drive growth. Insights included specific examples of competitor presence across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, showcasing variations in strategic focus and execution.

More than 50% of hyperscaler marketplace sales will be via channel partners by 2027, as AWS, Microsoft and Google Cloud expand their respective channel partner private offer models - Canalys

Key Recommendations

The engagement resulted in a detailed strategic roadmap outlining current marketplace maturity, growth opportunities, and functional readiness across the business. The roadmap included:

• Investment Guidance: Clear recommendations on where to direct resources for the highest impact.
• Operational Improvements: Identification of critical operational gaps to address in order to support scalable marketplace growth.
• Technology Enablement: Suggestions for foundational ParTech tools to manage marketplace listings, improve data visibility, and streamline order tracking in a consumption-based sales model.
• System Integration: Emphasis on integrating financial, operational, and sales systems with cloud marketplace platforms to enable end-to-end visibility and management.
  
  

Impact

The client gained a well-defined marketplace strategy, clarity on competitive positioning, and practical steps to improve internal alignment. With an actionable roadmap in hand, they were equipped to:

• Operationalize marketplace growth across teams.
• Prioritize technology investments with confidence.
• Establish scalable co-sell motions and listing management.
• Aggregate and manage marketplace data more effectively through integrated platforms.

By addressing both strategic and operational needs, Bridge Partners enabled the client to take ownership of their cloud marketplace trajectory and accelerate their go-to-market performance.