AWS "Agentic AI in Production" Partner-Led Campaign - Positioning & Strategy¶
Created: 2026-04-30
Context: Audit of Vellocity's positioning against the AWS Managed Partner-Led initiative "Agentic AI in Production: Partner-Led Joint Marketing Campaign" (Cohort 2). Nominations due April 23, 2026.
Related: AWS_AGENTIC_AI_COMPETENCY_ASSESSMENT.md, COMPETITIVE_COUNTER_POSITIONING.md, VELLOCITY_MEDIA_GROWTH_STRATEGY.md
Campaign Overview (from AWS PDM Email)¶
AWS is running a managed, partner-led joint marketing campaign to promote best-in-class technology partner solutions across the agentic AI stack. Spans Infrastructure, Business Application, and Industry categories. Cohort 2 nominations opened April 2026.
Campaign Deliverables (4 required)¶
| Deliverable | Leads Generated | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Business Webinar | 250 | 75% AWS-funded |
| Tech Demo Days | 250 | 75% AWS-funded |
| Showcase Event (multi-partner, in-person) | 150 | 100% AWS-funded |
| Case Study | proof-point | 100% AWS-funded |
Total campaign value: $100k. Partner investment: ~$26k ($13k after MDF).
Partner Eligibility & Requirements¶
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| Current APN Technology Partner | Must be validated |
| Named C-level sponsor committed | CEO/founder |
| Working with PDM and PMM/vPMM | PDM contacts: Seenu Brahmarouthu (WW AI Category Lead), Mei-Linh Le (Sr. PMM), Satish Subramanian & Eric Yeum (PSA team) |
| AI or Agentic Competency | Preferred, not required |
| Agentic AI solution on AWS Marketplace | With clear agentic capabilities description |
| Built using AWS AI tech stack | Bedrock, AgentCore, etc. |
EOY Commitments (within calendar year)¶
| Commitment | Target |
|---|---|
| Pipeline (ACE-registered opps with campaign code) | 20 initial qualified |
| Production launches (ACE, $1M+ AWS ARR) | 10+ |
| Marketplace transactions | 10+ completed |
Financial Commitment¶
Partners invest ~$20k (or $10k with MDF applied) for $100k campaign value. AWS fully funds 100% of Showcase and Case Study activities. For Business Webinar and Tech Demo Days, AWS funds 75% and partners contribute 25%.
Vellocity's Two-Angle Opportunity¶
Angle 1: Self-Nomination (Cohort 3 recommended, NOT Cohort 2)¶
Vellocity has the technical bar cleared but lacks commercial prerequisites for a credible Cohort 2 nomination.
Strengths (Technical)¶
| Area | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Agentic AI capabilities | 95% ready | AgentCore with 35+ capabilities, WorkflowPlanner, AgentOrchestrator (app/Extensions/ContentManager/System/Services/AgentCore/) |
| AWS Bedrock integration | Active | Runtime, Knowledge Bases, Guardrails, Embeddings, Agents (Services/Bedrock/) |
| AWS infrastructure | 94% native | 42+ AWS services (Aurora, ElastiCache, S3, CloudFront, SES, SNS, Cognito, IAM, WAF, GuardDuty, CloudTrail) |
| Multi-step autonomous reasoning | Production | WorkflowPlanner (NL to JSON plans), AgentOrchestrator (dependency resolution, error recovery, self-healing) |
| Responsible AI | 90% ready | Bedrock Guardrails per capability, PII detection, content filtering, trace logging |
| MCP Server | Live | 13 tools, JSON-RPC 2.0, SSE transport (/api/v1/mcp) |
| Marketplace API integration | Live | Catalog, Agreement, Metering, Discovery APIs + CleanRooms |
Blockers (Commercial - why NOT Cohort 2)¶
| Blocker | Status | Time to close |
|---|---|---|
| APN Technology Partner validation | Not confirmed | 2-4 weeks |
| AWS Marketplace listing (live) | Code ready, not submitted | 4-6 weeks |
| Customer case studies | 0 exist | 6-8 weeks minimum |
| C-level sponsor letter | Unassigned | 1 day (once decided) |
| PDM/PMM relationship | No existing relationship | 2-4 weeks |
| Bedrock-only mode tenant flag | Not built | 1-2 weeks engineering |
| 10 production launches / $1M+ AWS ARR | No pipeline | 6+ months |
| 10 Marketplace transactions | Not listed yet | 6+ months |
Verdict: Self-nomination for Cohort 2 (April 23 deadline) risks a weak application that damages future AWS relationship. Target Cohort 3 (~Q3 2026) after closing prerequisites using Cohort 2 customers as case studies.
Angle 2: Productized Solution for Cohort 2 Nominees (PRIMARY PLAY)¶
Every funded deliverable in the AWS campaign maps 1:1 to existing Vellocity capabilities. Cohort 2 nominees are forced buyers with $26k earmarked and a delivery clock.
Campaign-to-Product Mapping¶
| Campaign Deliverable | What Partners Must Produce | Vellocity Capability | Key Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Webinar (250 leads) | Executive-pitch content + registration + lead nurture | First Call Deck Wizard + email sequences | FirstCallDeckWizard.php, GenerateFirstCallDeckJob.php, CoSellEmailSequence.php, EmailFunnelService.php |
| Tech Demo Days (250 leads) | Technical demo + SDK snippets + hands-on content | Technical Builder workflows + presentation generator | BedrockContentGeneratorV2.php, Technical Builder category |
| Showcase Event (150 leads) | Multi-partner co-branded content | Cross-partner publishing + Joint GTM Planner | CrossPartnerPublishingService.php, JointGTMPlannerCapability.php |
| Case Study (proof-point) | Customer story with TCO, outcomes, AWS services | Partner Central Case Study generator | PartnerCentralCaseStudyController.php (has aws_services_used, isv_tools fields) |
| ACE opp registration (20 opps) | Co-sell briefs for Partner Central | ACE brief generator | AceOpportunitySyncCapability.php |
| Marketplace transactions (10) | CPPO offers, listing optimization | CPPO proposal + listing optimizer | CppoProposalGeneratorCapability.php, MarketplaceListingOptimizerCapability.php |
| MDF application ($13k offset) | Funding application paperwork | Funding application writer | FundingApplicationWriterCapability.php |
| Competency narrative | Evidence injection for competency story | Competency alignment enricher | CompetencyAlignmentEnricherCapability.php |
Proposed SKU Packaging¶
Tier 1 - "Agentic AI Campaign Starter" (self-serve SaaS) - Case Study generator, First Call Deck, ACE brief writer, MDF application writer - Price: $2-5k/mo (under the MDF line so partners can expense it) - Pitch: "Hit your 20 ACE opps and campaign deliverables without hiring a content team."
Tier 2 - "Campaign-in-a-Box" (productized service) - SaaS + concierge: co-sell matching, Joint GTM Plan, case study + webinar deck + demo day kit, nurture sequences - Price: fits inside $13k MDF-offset partner contribution - Pitch: "We are the managed execution layer for your AWS Partner-Led campaign."
Tier 3 - "Agentic Competency Readiness" (premium pro services) - Bedrock-only migration assessment, guardrails setup, ACE pipeline instrumentation, Marketplace listing optimization, competency application narrative - Price: $25-75k engagement - Pitch: "You've been nominated but aren't ready. We close the gap."
MDF Strategy ($13k Budget - Media-First Approach)¶
Vellocity's strategy is "media company first that happens to have tech software" (YouTube, Substack, podcasts). All MDF spend must be: pre-approved by PDM, co-branded with AWS, measurable (leads/registrations), third-party invoiceable.
Recommended $13k Allocation¶
| Line Item | Spend | MDF Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube series production (4 episodes, contractor editor + motion designer + thumbnails) | $5,000 | Third-party invoices; each episode co-branded with AWS Bedrock/AgentCore; measurable via views + UTM CTAs |
| Podcast series (4 episodes, contractor audio editor + hosting + transcription) | $2,500 | AWS-customer/architect guests = co-branding; downloads measurable |
| Paid B2B newsletter sponsorships (2 placements in AI/AWS-adjacent Substacks) | $3,000 | Publisher invoices; drives webinar/demo day registrations; UTM attribution |
| LinkedIn Sponsored Content boost for webinar + case study | $1,500 | LinkedIn invoices; objective = registrations; standard MDF channel |
| Case study production (freelance B2B writer + designer) | $1,000 | Co-branded, customer-named, AWS-services-listed |
| Total | $13,000 |
MDF Rules to Remember¶
- Reimbursement, not advance. You spend first (after approval), submit invoices + proof-of-execution, AWS reimburses.
- Co-branding must be visible in the asset. AWS logo on screen, AWS service named verbally, "in partnership with AWS" in copy.
- Leads shared back. MDF-funded activities require a lead list (name, email, company, consent) returned to AWS. Gate everything behind a form.
- No internal labor. Your own salary, co-founder time, your SaaS subs (Riverside, Descript) don't qualify. Contractor invoices do.
- No equipment. Camera, mic, lights = capital, not marketing.
What Does NOT Qualify for MDF¶
- Software subscriptions (Riverside, Descript, Notion, your own AWS bill)
- Equipment (mic, camera, lights)
- Your salary or co-founder's salary
- "Brand" YouTube videos without explicit AWS co-branding
- Prepaid retainers with ambiguous scope
- Giveaways/SWAG without registration attribution
Timing & Sequencing¶
Immediate (This Week)¶
| Action | Purpose | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Warm email to Seenu / Mei-Linh / Satish | Open PDM relationship; position as infrastructure for Cohort 2 nominees | 30 min |
| Do NOT self-nominate for Cohort 2 | Protect AWS relationship from weak application | Decision |
Near-Term (May-July 2026)¶
| Action | Purpose | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Build Campaign Package workflow template in AgentCore | Bundle the 4 deliverables as a single workflow | 1 week eng |
| Add ACE Readiness Score to Partner Health dashboard | Rate each tenant against campaign criteria | 1 week eng |
| Ship Bedrock-only mode tenant flag | 100% AWS AI/ML compliance per SKU | 2 weeks eng |
| Sell Campaign-in-a-Box to 3 Cohort 2 nominees | Revenue + case study pipeline | Sales focus |
| Submit APN Technology Partner validation | Prerequisite for everything | Legal/CEO |
| Submit AWS Marketplace listing | Must be live before Cohort 3 | Eng + legal |
Medium-Term (Aug-Oct 2026)¶
| Action | Purpose | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Publish 2-3 case studies from Cohort 2 customers | Non-negotiable for Cohort 3 self-nomination | Customer success |
| Begin ACE opportunity registration | Build pipeline evidence | Sales |
| Plan Cohort 3 self-nomination package | 1-pager, C-level letter, PDM alignment | Leadership |
| Host co-branded YouTube/podcast series (MDF-funded) | Media-first demand gen + MDF claim | Production |
Q4 2026¶
| Action | Purpose | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Self-nominate for Cohort 3 | Strong application with case studies, live listing, ACE pipeline | Leadership |
| Target 10+ Marketplace transactions | EOY commitment readiness | Sales |
| Target $1M+ AWS ARR through customers | May require customer AWS consumption model | Product/sales |
Key Strategic Decisions Required¶
These questions must be answered by the founder before executing:
-
AWS Marketplace listing model. Does Vellocity's customer base consume AWS directly through the product (Bedrock calls = AWS ARR)? If yes, the $1M AWS ARR commitment is achievable. If not, it's effectively impossible and kills any self-nomination math.
-
Customer case study willingness. Are there 2-3 customers willing to be co-branded case studies in the next 90 days? Without this, Cohort 3 slips to 2027.
-
Sales motion for Campaign-in-a-Box. Can Vell close 3 Cohort 2 nominees between May and July? If yes, the productized angle is a real business. If no, it's a pitch deck.
-
Employment transition timing. Per the media strategy docs, Phase 1 (employed) limits content to 70% educational / 0% product / 30% personal brand. Phase 2 (post-departure) unlocks direct product demos, AWS naming, and competitive content. Campaign-in-a-Box sales require Phase 2 positioning.
Counter-Positioning Alignment¶
Per COMPETITIVE_COUNTER_POSITIONING.md, Vellocity already holds 6 structural counter-positions against Build tools. The AWS campaign adds a 7th:
Counter-Position #7: Campaign Execution Infrastructure
| Build Tools (Tackle, Suger, Clazar) | Vellocity |
|---|---|
| Cannot help partners deliver campaign deliverables | Generates all 4 required assets (webinar, demo, showcase, case study) |
| No content automation | 35+ agentic content capabilities |
| No co-sell orchestration | CleanRooms-powered partner matching + Joint GTM Planner |
| No ACE brief generation | ACE brief template with AWS field engagement requests |
| No MDF application automation | Funding application writer with dry-run evaluation |
The AWS campaign is effectively a forcing function that makes Vellocity's value proposition concrete and urgent for every nominee.
Session Prompt (for future Claude Code sessions)¶
Use this prompt to resume work on this initiative:
Context: I'm building Vellocity (vell.ai), an AI-powered GTM platform for AWS ISV partners. The platform occupies the "Market" category (post-listing demand gen, co-sell, content automation) while Build tools (Tackle, Suger, Clazar) handle listing creation.
Current initiative: AWS "Agentic AI in Production: Partner-Led Joint Marketing Campaign" (Cohort 2/3).
Two angles:
1. Sell "Campaign-in-a-Box" to Cohort 2 nominees (primary revenue play) - they each have $26k earmarked and need to deliver 4 assets: Business Webinar, Tech Demo Days, Showcase Event, Case Study, plus 20 ACE opps and 10 Marketplace transactions by EOY.
2. Self-nominate for Cohort 3 (target Q3/Q4 2026) after building case studies from Cohort 2 customers.
Key context:
- AgentCore has 35+ agentic capabilities, all Bedrock-integrated (app/Extensions/ContentManager/System/Services/AgentCore/)
- Campaign deliverables map 1:1 to existing capabilities (case study generator, first call deck, ACE brief writer, co-sell planner, MDF application writer)
- Strategy is "media company first" - YouTube (100 videos), podcast (32 episodes), Substack (25 posts), 807 total pieces across 8 channels
- $13k MDF budget allocated to: YouTube series ($5k), podcast ($2.5k), newsletter sponsorships ($3k), LinkedIn ads ($1.5k), case study freelancer ($1k)
- Blockers for self-nomination: 0 case studies, no live Marketplace listing, APN validation pending, no PDM relationship yet
- Need Bedrock-only mode tenant flag for 100% AWS AI/ML compliance
- PDM contacts: Seenu Brahmarouthu (WW AI Lead), Mei-Linh Le (PMM), Satish Subramanian & Eric Yeum (PSA)
Key docs:
- docs/aws/AWS_AGENTIC_AI_PRODUCTION_CAMPAIGN_POSITIONING.md (this document)
- docs/aws/AWS_AGENTIC_AI_COMPETENCY_ASSESSMENT.md
- docs/strategy/COMPETITIVE_COUNTER_POSITIONING.md
- docs/marketing/VELLOCITY_MEDIA_GROWTH_STRATEGY.md
- docs/partners/partner-value-proposition.md
- docs/marketing/leadership-positioning-guide.md
What I need help with: [describe specific task]
Document Version 1.0 - Created April 30, 2026 For questions about the AWS Agentic AI in Production campaign, contact the PDM team listed above.