At Build 2016, Microsoft launched what was at the time called the HoloLens Agency Readiness Partner Program to help give partners a leg up with technical training for the HoloLens. Now, just over a year later, the company has announced it is launching the "Mixed Reality Partner Program", which expands the HoloLens Agency Readiness Partner Program to include new partners.
Over the past year, the HoloLens Readiness Partner Program has already expanded to include 30 partners around the globe, helping the likes of Lowe's, Stryker and the PGA Tour create interesting mixed reality experiences. Under the Mixed Reality Partner Program moniker, the program will expand systems integrators (SIs) and digital agencies, Microsoft says.
We've learned that successful mixed reality solutions are built on great experiences — and those experiences require both a creative design component and a strong competency in application and infrastructure integration and deployment. SIs around the world already know how to build, support, integrate and extend Microsoft technologies to meet their customers' business and IT goals. As members of the Mixed Reality Partner Program, these SIs and digital/creative agencies will play a critical role in building 3D and mixed reality experiences for enterprise commercial customers.
Companies and organizations that were already a part of the HoloLens Agency Readiness Partner Program will be grandfathered into the Mixed Reality Partner Program, Microsoft says. As for new partners, Microsoft says that those eligible can take part in a "multi-week readiness program that consists of both in-depth technical training on mixed reality solutions and sales and marketing readiness." From there, partners will have access to Microsoft engineering support, marketing and sales assistance, and joint business planning with the Mixed Reality extended team.
