IBM Champions

Hi Dennis,

If you are already a registered Partner to sell IBM Cloud (BPA) and are therefore related to a wholesaler (VAD), you will have a registered Partnership level, gold, silver or platinum. Depending on your Partner level, you can request more or less credits. It will depend on the one hand on the time you have already registered as a Partner or on a promotion. If you are a recent Partner you should have no problems, or if you defend that you are going to build a solution through an ESA-type contract. 

You must log in to the Partner Portal (IBM Partnerplus)  Profit Index | IBM Partner Portal  and there you will see all the information, as well as how you can request it.

Best regards, Salva

Hi Salvador,

Thanks for your response and the helpful context.

Just to clarify — we’re currently looking to access the IBM for Startups program credits, but not for our company directly. The request is for one of the startups in our portfolio.

We’d appreciate your guidance on the following:

1. Can the startup apply directly to the IBM for Startups program with/ without our Organization ID and receive the $120K in credits?

2. Or do we, as the partner, need to apply on their behalf?
   If so, is there a specific application link or process we should follow?

Thanks again for your support!

Best regards,
Dennis

Hi Dennis,

Sorry, but I don't know the details of the Startup Program you mention. Many times they are IBM promotions at the local level or by country, it is best to contact your local IBM Cloud  Sales reference. From my point of view as a VAD, we do not see the end customers, they are always advised by a Partner, which in this case is you. If IBM invests in an end customer, it will normally do so through its Channel. You could create an internal Lab for one or more Startups depending on whether you can replicate the solution, create a controlled environment for Demos, PoCs, etc... always as a Non-Productive environment. That account would be managed by you and on that you activate the credits. The end customer's users are administered and managed by you with the appropriate permissions. In the end, if the startup works directly with IBM, it will usually end up being a Partner. But what I know, is what I'm telling you, it's normal for you to be the ones who help your clients. It is my opinion, perhaps in other countries there are other ways of collaborating or local promotions, which I do not know. I have been searching in Seismic for the Startup Program and I have not found anything, the document with the active promotions for Partners is in the following link  https://ibm.seismic.com/Link/Content/DChV6mgVH76PQGcFHfC8HGgTBmMB

My advice is to talk to your local IBM Sales representative and also put you in touch with a Cloud pre-sales architect, or through your wholesaler (like me).

Perhaps other person in this Community have more information related with this.

 Best regards, Salva

I think Startup with IBM Program is not as broad as say the ones by AWS and Google. IBM apparently is super focused on large enterprises. I succeeded in getting approved for IBM Startup Program twice (around 3 to 4 years back for my two entities) but within few days both times revoked and could not trace any reason.