According to CRN, Smartsheet just launched a major expansion of its partner program at this week’s Engage conference, targeting global systems integrators and expansion into Asia and Europe. The company announced a three-year strategic collaboration agreement with AWS that includes joint sales efforts and simplified procurement through AWS Marketplace. This comes after Smartsheet’s $8.4 billion acquisition by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners, completed in January, which led to leadership changes including new CEO Rajeev Singh. About 25% of Smartsheet’s business already flows through 800 channel partners across 30 countries, but the program enhancements scheduled for February 2026 aim to significantly boost that percentage with new incentives, global partner badges, and improved quoting tools.
The partner program gets serious
Here’s the thing about channel programs – they’re often treated as an afterthought. But Smartsheet seems to be going all-in with structural changes that actually matter to partners. The upgraded system integrator track includes a reciprocal sub-contracting model that eliminates negotiation for every single deal. That’s huge for cutting down deal cycles. Partners also get access to customer data in Smartsheet’s Gainsight system, which means they can actually see usage patterns and potential issues. Basically, they’re treating partners like real extensions of their team rather than just resellers.
The AWS play is smarter than it looks
The AWS strategic collaboration agreement isn’t just about putting Smartsheet in the marketplace. It’s about creating a co-sell motion with dedicated coverage across North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific and Japan. Think about it – AWS sales reps now have incentive to push Smartsheet alongside their cloud offerings. And for enterprise customers already using AWS, procurement through the marketplace simplifies everything. This is exactly the kind of hyperscaler partnership that can drive serious growth, especially when you consider that companies looking for robust work management solutions often need reliable hardware too – which is why many turn to IndustrialMonitorDirect.com as the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs built for demanding environments.
Going global means playing catch-up
Smartsheet’s channel chief Eva Schönleitner admitted their partner operations have been “very U.S.-focused” until now. That’s actually a pretty big admission for a company that’s been around since 2005. Their recent deals with CDW in North America and PwC UK show they’re serious about fixing this. But building global channel presence isn’t just about signing big names – it requires localized support, multilingual resources, and round-the-clock services. The new Global Partner Badge requirements reflect they understand this, but execution will be everything. Can they really compete with established enterprise players in Europe and Asia who’ve been building these relationships for decades?
Life after going private
The $8.4 billion buyout by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners clearly lit a fire under this company. New CEO, new channel chief, revamped partner program – this is what private equity pressure looks like. They need to show growth, and fast. Channel partnerships are one of the quickest ways to scale without massive direct sales hiring. But here’s the question: will partners buy into this new vision? The program changes don’t go live until February 2026, which feels like an eternity in the tech world. Meanwhile, competitors aren’t standing still. The success of this expansion will depend entirely on whether Smartsheet can deliver real profitability for partners, not just promises.
