Solution provider powerhouse Presidio signs a new and bold strategic collaboration agreement with AWS that includes hiring employees, generative AI innovation and industry-specific synergies.

Presidio is doubling down on Amazon Web Services by signing a collaboration agreement with the cloud leader that will boost funding resources, increase employee headcount and drive new industry-specific solutions, including generative AI.

“Over this three-year time period, there’s probably 80 people that get hired, specifically between AWS and Presidio, to focus on reaching the targets we want to get jointly together,” Chris Cagnazzi, chief innovation officer at Presidio, tells CRN. “This is industry-focused and it’s generative AI focused.”

From new GenAI funding via AWS’ Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) to additional go-to-market and proof-of-concept funding, Presidio’s new strategic collaboration agreement (SCA) is a huge win for the New York-based channel stalwart.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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AWS’ and Presidio’s ultimate goal with the SCA is to create innovative industry-specific or AI solutions for joint customers across the globe in industries such as healthcare, life sciences, gaming, financial services, and sports, media and entertainment.

“These are all verticals that we currently have. We’re focusing on what solutions can we build and provide on the AWS platform to that client base within that vertical,” Cagnazzi said.

Presidio And AWS’ Solution-Based Goal Versus Consumption

Presidio selected AWS as its preferred cloud vendor several years ago.

In 2022, Presidio signed its first SCA with AWS. That agreement was mostly to drive adoption and consumption of AWS cloud solutions.

“So we jointly worked with AWS to redo a new three-year SCA but more focused on solutions than consumption because, at the end of the day, they’re looking at growth of the platform,” he said. “We’re developing a lot of really unique things around innovation with AWS right now, especially around generative AI.”

For example, there are over 700 employees on Presidio’s application development team.

“Think of this agreement as a way to accelerate how we develop applications for our clients in a much shorter period of time and much more efficiency, while leveraging generative AI and the human side of IT as well,” Cagnazzi said.

Presidio’s ‘Complete Package’ With AWS

The SCA will combine Presidio’s all-star consulting services with AWS technologies to drive business outcomes for customers.

The goal is to accelerate customers’ migration, modernization and optimization of their data and applications in order to better leverage new technologies such as generative AI and machine learning. This includes Presidio’s Rapid Innovation methodology that helps customers use AWS GenAI services around AI-assisted software development, data modernization, AI-enabled self-service and intelligent document processing.

The SCA agreement will also help AWS and Presidio provide workshops to jump-star customers’ application and data platform modernization, while also unlocking the power of generative AI.

“There’s a lot of specific funding and support around generative AI—whether it’s AWS’ MAP program or innovation to drive things, which is really great for the customer outcome,” Cagnazzi said. “So it’s about the AI innovation, the solution-based innovation, the industry focused which ultimately drives expansion of service adoption of AWS platforms.”

AWS’ Rich Geraffo, vice president and managing director of AWS North America, said the SCA will help customers achieve their technology goals. “Presidio has a combination of industry and technology expertise to help organizations implement cloud-first strategies and develop the right data strategy to drive ongoing innovation,” Geraffo said in a statement.

Presidio is an AWS Premier Ter Services Partner with around 450 AWS Certifications across various markets including DevOps, cybersecurity and big data, along with six AWS Competencies.

“We are going to jointly grow together with our customers and in new white space customers—all driven from our expertise within certain key areas,” said Cagnazzi. “The SCA is huge and exciting for us. It really is a complete package.”