Exciting news from Google Cloud! 🚀 They've just updated their partner program in a way that really opens the door for specialists to shine.

Starting January 15, 2026, the broad "specialisations" were replaced with 21 focused competencies. This approach prioritises documented expertise and results over just partner size.

Here’s how it breaks down:

✔️ Proven Expertise: These competencies reflect both capacity (through certifications) and capability (validated by customer success stories). It’s about real achievements rather than branding alone.

✔️ Level Ground: Smaller, focused teams now compete directly with large global SIs. As Onix CEO Sanjay Singh highlights, this brings more balance and opportunity for specialists.

✔️ Clear Signals: In identity and cloud infrastructure, competencies like Security, Databases (including AlloyDB), and DevOps help simplify finding the right partner with the right skills.

✔️ Worldwide Reach: Competencies apply globally, removing regional barriers and making it easier for customers anywhere to identify the best partners.

For customers, this means your next identity or database project can find a partner with the right proven competency, not only the largest name. For practitioners, it’s an important nod to the value of deep expertise. Specialisation is a powerful differentiator.

It’s great to see the ecosystem evolving to recognise authentic, validated skills!

#GoogleCloud #IdentitySecurity #CloudArchitecture #PartnerEcosystem