VAST Data unveils Cosmos partner scheme for AI growth

VAST Data has launched a unified global partner programme under its Cosmos community, bringing multiple routes to market under a single framework.

The programme brings together resellers, service providers, systems integrators, advisory partners, technology alliance partners, distributors, cloud service providers and hyperscalers. VAST said it provides a standard way for partners to engage across commercial and technical activities.

VAST positions Cosmos as a global community for developers and practitioners working on artificial intelligence projects. The company has used the Cosmos label for community activities and resources, and the new partner programme now sits under that umbrella.

Single framework

Partner programmes in infrastructure and data platforms often split activity into separate tracks for channel sales, alliances and cloud marketplaces. VAST is combining those tracks into one programme with shared training, governance and go-to-market resources, and running it through a centralised partner portal.

The portal includes training and onboarding materials, deal registration, and joint go-to-market resources. The programme also includes tiered benefits.

"Cosmos was created to transform how organisations build and advance AI by bringing AI practitioners together in a comprehensive, supportive community that nurtures innovation, collaboration, and growth," said John Mao, vice president of global technology alliances at VAST Data. "Now, with the addition of the Cosmos Partner Program, we're expanding that mission by giving technology, cloud, and channel partners a unified framework to build and validate solutions, differentiate service offerings, and bring the VAST AI Operating System to customers-across the data centre, cloud, and at the edge."

Routes to market

VAST is organising partners into several categories, including technology partners, cloud partners, value-added resellers and solution integrators, and a developer community track.

In the technology segment, VAST is targeting software partners as well as hardware and platform partners. Software partners can build integrations and validated solutions on the VAST AI Operating System, supported by technical validation and integration guidance, joint solution assets, and potential joint go-to-market activity.

For hardware and platform partners, VAST highlighted compute, GPU, networking and systems suppliers. This group can work with VAST on validated architectures, interoperability testing and performance blueprints.

The cloud segment covers hyperscalers and cloud service providers. These partners can align on reference architectures and marketplace activity for deployments across cloud and hybrid environments. VAST also linked the track to support for customers running on-premises, cloud and edge deployments.

Channel and services

VAST's value-added reseller and solution integrator segment covers customer-facing sales and services. Partners can combine VAST products with validated architectures, platform configurations and integrated offerings.

The company also separated out resellers and global systems integrators, alongside consulting and services partners. This part of the ecosystem can cover advisory work, implementation, migration and optimisation. VAST also described an authorised services partner designation, with an expectation of consistent delivery and service quality.

"Partners want clarity and consistency in how they engage with VAST Data, from selling motions and technical validation, to enablement and delivery," said John Cedillo, vice president of the global partner organisation at VAST Data. "Now Cosmos brings that to life with a single program that supports a clear set of pathways to take VAST to market, and the assets that drive execution-structured onboarding, tiered benefits, and a partner portal that connects training, deal registration, and joint go-to-market into one repeatable motion."

Developer on-ramp

The Cosmos programme also includes a developer community pathway, offering technical resources, learning pathways and community programming. VAST said participants can contribute integrations, blueprints and best practices through discussions, hands-on labs and a library of resources.

The announcement includes partner comments from H2O.ai and World Wide Technology (WWT). The statements focus on packaging software and services around VAST's platform, and on demand for deployment patterns that reduce the work required to integrate multiple tools.

"Agency amplifies returns on intelligence and H2O.ai goes where the data is," said Sri Ambati, founder and CEO of H2O.ai. "By partnering with VAST Data through Cosmos, we're embedding H2O AI Super Agent into modern AI infrastructure with the VAST AI Operating System to automate data prep, model surveillance, and continuous model building at scale. Enterprises are demanding intelligent workflows that operate natively within their data platforms-not bolted on top. We're seeing strong pull for an AI user experience that transforms massive infrastructure into actionable intelligence."

WWT linked its participation to architecture and deployment work for customers moving AI projects into operational environments.

"As organisations scale AI, they're looking for partners who can guide them from design, to deployment to ongoing optimisation-and they require proven architectures that they can deploy quickly, without stitching together fragmented systems," said Mike Trojecki, AVP of AI practice, global solutions and architecture at WWT. "By joining VAST Constellation, we can deliver validated solutions on the VAST AI Operating System that shorten deployment timelines, simplify operations, and help customers move AI workloads into production faster."

VAST said the new structure formalises how partners can participate in one or more routes to market through a common set of programme resources via the partner portal.