Who should join the Programme ?

The Partner Programme has been designed to satisfy the needs of partners large and small, be they local System Builders providing PCs to small businesses or international software companies providing applications based on Ubuntu.

How do I know if the Programme is for me ?

  • Is your business one that manufacturers or builds desktop PCs, laptops or servers and you want to provide Ubuntu as a part of your offering ?
  • Do you deliver Ubuntu-based solutions, provide consultancy or technical support to your customers ?
  • Is your main business to develop and sell software that runs on Ubuntu, or other Linux distributions ?
  • Do you, or are you planning to provide Linux education to other companies through classroom sessions ?
  • Are you an ISV providing applications that run on Linux, or applications that you would like to run on Linux ?

I'm interested

If you answered yes to any or all of the above, then we would like to invite you to join the Canonical Partner Programme.

If you don't think that you can honestly answer yes to these questions, then we'd suggest that you look at the Ubuntu Marketplace which is specially designed for individuals and businesses that are beginning their support of customers running Ubuntu, providing solutions or hardware using Ubuntu as their foundation.

Another approach would be to look at getting Ubuntu Certified Professional status. This is a great way to show that you mean business. This certification is open to anyone who has the relevant experience and knowledge.

Once you have built up some more experience, or generated new business with new customers, or passed the certification tests, then come back and see if you think the Partner Programme suits your needs.

What benefits I can expect from joining the Programme ?

The benefits depend on two things : The Track that you choose to be a part of, and the tier level to which you aspire.

Each of the Tracks is tailored to meet the specific requirements of particular business types, and each has some benefit that will help you in that business.

As you progress up the tiers not only does the number of benefits increase, but so does the depth to which Canonical will provide both technical and business assistance.

Any examples of how you have tailored the Programme to help me ?

With the Affiliate tier covering System Builders, Hardware manufacturers ( IHVs ), Software vendors ( ISVs ), Solution providers and Training partners, there are a common set of benefits, one of which is a listing on the Ubuntu Marketplace listing. This has proven extremely valuable to our partners as it is often the first place that many potential customers look. Other common benefits are availability of marketing materials, access to technical support and regular newsletters. Possibly the most noticeable benefit is that all tiers have their own Ubuntu Partner Logo : something that shows your connection with Ubuntu and Canonical.

As you move up to Silver level, the benefits start to become more focused with regular progress conference calls with the Canonical marketing and sales team, as well as discounts on Canonical service and support offerings.

With Gold status comes the opportunity to have real input into both business and technical direction for Ubuntu and Canonical. Add to this additional discounts on Canonical services and more joint marking opportunities to help make more of your Ubuntu business.

How do I know which level I should apply for ?

The Tiers in the Partner Programme have been designed so that Affiliate level is easily achieved by companies making a reasonable business from selling Ubuntu based solutions.

There are different requirements for the different tracks, but the major qualification is the amount of business done in conjunction with Canonical. Obviously we reward significant sales with access to the higher levels on the Programme.

In the case of the System Builder track we will look at the number of systems shipping with Ubuntu pre-installed, or as a part of a total solution.

For our Training Partners we will focus the number of people that you have trained, or are have plans to train.

Do I qualify for the Partner Programme if I am not a commercial company ?

The Partner Programme is really focused on supporting businesses using Ubuntu to deliver solutions to customers problems. but if you are a charity, an NGO or another non-profit organisation, with skills and experience in Ubuntu, please contact us to see how best we can help you.

If you are an individual starting off a business and providing valuable local support, then register for the Marketplace, and see how we can help you drive your business forwards.

For those developing their skills in the Ubuntu environment, or contributing to the project through writing code or helping with documentation and translations, we would suggest that becoming certified through the Certified Professional Programme is a worthwhile objective. Becoming a UCP will greatly enhance your worth in both the community and in the comercial world.

If I am already a Partner, how do I know which track I should be in ?

If it is not obvious, talk to partners@canonical.com and we can take you through the decisions and the process.

I'm a Partner : how long do I have before I have to choose a track ?

We will maintain your old Partner status for three months. By then, we should have a clear idea of which Track you should be in, and what the situation regarding qualification for the correct tier.

If I have what it takes, what do I do next ?

Click here and register your interest. We will then get back to you and we can discuss how we proceed.