APAC B2B tech lags global benchmark on partner revenue

B2B tech companies across Asia-Pacific generate an average of 21 per cent of revenue through partner channels, according to Hockey Stick Advisory. That is nine percentage points below the 30 per cent benchmark Crossbeam reports for top-quartile SaaS companies globally.

The Melbourne-based advisory drew the data from its Revenue Gap Calculator and more than 65 B2B tech companies across the region.

The figures suggest a regional shortfall in partner-led revenue at a time when many software companies are looking beyond direct sales for growth. They also indicate that partnerships are still often treated as a supporting function rather than a core commercial channel.

According to the firm's data, that gap has a financial impact. Partner-led deals delivered 43 per cent higher lifetime value, a 41 per cent higher win rate and closed 35 per cent faster than regular sales deals.

Bryan Williams, Founder of Hockey Stick Advisory, said the shortfall was significant and measurable.

"A 9 per cent gap is not marginal. It points to a material amount of revenue that companies across the region are not yet capturing through partnerships. What matters is that the gap is now measurable. Once a company can see where it sits against the benchmark, it can make better decisions about partner strategy, execution and accountability," Williams said.

Channel shift

The advisory said the issue has become more important as artificial intelligence changes how companies approach inbound and outbound sales. Noisier channels and shifting buyer behaviour could make partner ecosystems harder for rivals to replicate than traditional demand generation methods.

Rather than a short-term fix, the firm described partnerships as a strategic investment that builds over time. Companies that establish the channel now are likely to be in a stronger position over the next 12 to 18 months through broader routes to market and a more balanced revenue mix.

Alongside the data release, Hockey Stick Advisory launched HockeyStick AI, a platform designed to help B2B SaaS companies measure partner performance against global benchmarks. The product analyses more than 100 data points and draws on lessons from more than 80 B2B SaaS engagements to produce a partnership strategy more quickly than traditional consulting processes.

The launch comes as specialist software tools and advisory services increasingly target partner ecosystems as a distinct area of revenue operations. For many SaaS companies, the challenge is not only recruiting partners but also tracking partner-sourced pipeline and measuring whether indirect channels are producing meaningful returns.

Market response

Williams said the market response showed growing interest in a more structured approach to partner-led growth.

"The strength of the response to Accelerate showed this is no longer a niche conversation. Partnership leaders, founders and revenue teams are looking for ways to turn ecosystems into a more predictable commercial channel, and they want evidence, not just theory. HockeyStick AI was built to give them that operating baseline and help them act on it faster," he said.

The firm also pointed to feedback from the wider partnerships community, with Joe Salvati of Deputy saying common issues were emerging across the sector.

"Everyone in that room is dealing with the same challenges. Working through them together reinforced two things: the APAC partnerships community is strong and supportive, and some small changes could have a big impact," Salvati said.

Hockey Stick Advisory works with founders and revenue leaders across APAC and lists PencilPay, Lawpath, SafetyCulture and ApprovalMax among its clients. Its latest figures suggest that, despite rising attention on partner-led growth, many B2B tech companies in the region remain some distance from the global benchmark of 30 per cent partner-sourced revenue.