It’s safe to say all the attendees at Channel Partners Conference and MSP Summit know Microsoft. But it’s also likely they may not know as much as they’d like to know about Microsoft Marketplace. Microsoft Marketplace didn’t exist in its current form during 2025 Channel Partners Conference, or even at the 2025 MSP Summit last September.

So, we’ve got you covered. Microsoft will have a strong presence at the 2026 Channel Partners Conference April 13-16 in Las Vegas. That includes a keynote interview with Kevin LeBlanc, Microsoft General Manager, Partner and Marketplace Marketing. He will sit down with our Bob DeMarzo April 14 to talk about Scaling Channel Impact in an AI-First World with Microsoft Marketplace.

Darren Sharpe, the Microsoft Marketplace channel lead, gave me a preview of LeBlanc’s message.

“Kevin is going to be talking about what we're seeing in this customer shift to AI first, and what this really means for the channel and marketplace, and how channel partners can differentiate themselves and deliver real value to customers faster with the Microsoft Marketplace as the mechanism of delivery,” Sharpe said. “Microsoft Marketplace is all about being channel-first, marketplace-delivered.”

Microsoft Marketplace, unveiled last September, combined Azure Marketplace and AppSource with the goal of making it easier for consumers to take advantage of thousands of AI agents and applications. For partners who sold through Azure and AppSource, their offerings appear on the new marketplace. The marketplace is also designed to simplify the integration process for distributors such as Arrow Electronics, Crayon, Ingram Micro, Pax8, and TD Synnex.

Darren Sharpe

“For our customers that may be familiar with old terms like Azure Marketplace and AppSource, we've bought these platforms together into one single storefront now -- the Microsoft Marketplace,” Sharpe said. “That's where our software partners are building new AI apps and agents and SaaS listings, and it's where our channel partners can add incremental value to our customers to build this new co-sell application modernization journey.”

Other Microsoft sessions at Channel Partners Conference will include a theater session in the Expo Hall and a tech sponsor session. The 5 Tips for Channel Success Through Microsoft Marketplace theatre session will feature Kristyn Maddox, director of product marketing, Microsoft Marketplace. Jason Rook and David Salazar of Microsoft Marketplace will present Unlock the Channel Opportunity Through Microsoft Marketplace in a tech sponsor session. Microsoft will also have a booth in the Expo Hall.

Here is more information about the Microsoft Marketplace presence at Channel Partners Conference & Expo.