ServiceNow’s AI Co-Investment Fund was reported in September 2025 as an opportunity for certain consulting and implementation partners to receive co-investment of up to $100,000 for qualifying AI work—not a universal grant or guaranteed award. In January 2026, ServiceNow announced a wider partner-program reset, including a redesigned Build Program and a single annual membership fee for global partners. The later announcement does not confirm that every incentive or eligibility detail reported in 2025 remains available.
What was ServiceNow’s AI Co-Investment Fund?
In a September 22, 2025 report, CRN described ServiceNow’s Strategic Investment Fund as offering co-investments of up to $100,000 for certain partner AI projects. The amount was an upper limit reported by CRN, not a promise that an eligible partner would receive that sum. The story was based on comments from ServiceNow executives at the company’s Global Partner Ecosystem Summit; it did not publish complete fund terms or a public application schedule. CRN’s report is the source for the 2025 amount and described criteria.
Who was reported to qualify, and what work could be covered?
CRN said the reported target group was Elite and Global Elite consulting and implementation partners with validated practices. It identified proofs of concept, proofs of value, and AI architecting as examples of eligible work. These are reported 2025 terms, not a complete eligibility checklist: the source does not establish application windows, award criteria, funding mechanics, or whether the same terms apply in 2026.
What changed in the partner program after the 2025 report?
ServiceNow’s January 20, 2026 announcement described a broader program reset. It confirms changes to the Build Program, investment portfolio, and global partner fees, but does not spell out the current terms of every incentive CRN had described in 2025. ServiceNow’s 2026 announcement is the later official snapshot.
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Build Program tiers
The redesigned Build Program has Registered, Select, Premier, and Elite tiers, plus an Access Tier for aspiring and entry-stage partners. ServiceNow said more than 1,000 existing partners were expected to transition to the redesigned program by March 2026; that was an announced plan, not confirmation that the transition was completed.
Investment portfolio
ServiceNow said its 2026 portfolio includes Market Development Fund opportunities, including 100% reimbursement for select activities, as well as the Strategic Investment Fund and sell-through, deployment, and specialization incentives. The announcement does not specify that the Strategic Investment Fund still has the same $100,000 ceiling or eligibility rules CRN reported in 2025.
Global partner fee
The January 2026 announcement says a streamlined single annual membership fee for global partners took effect immediately. It does not provide the fee amount in the announcement, nor does it establish that this global-partner change applies to every partner category or market.
Which 2025 incentives remain confirmed?
CRN also reported several other program features in September 2025. They should be treated as historical reported terms unless a partner confirms current details with ServiceNow; the January 2026 announcement does not give their exact percentages, thresholds, or implementation status.
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| 2025 feature reported by CRN | What was reported | What the January 2026 announcement establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Subcontracting credit recognition | ServiceNow vice president Jen Odess said recognition for solution-provider implementation subcontracting work was due to go live in Q4 2025. | The announcement describes an expanded investment portfolio but does not verify that this feature launched or explain its mechanics. |
| Retain-and-expand incentive | A 5% incentive for Pro and other ServiceNow packages with at least $100,000 in net-new ACV was reported. | The announcement lists sell-through, deployment, and specialization incentives but does not confirm this percentage or threshold. |
| Deployment success incentive | CRN described an incentive worth 50% more when partners achieved specified first-year deployment milestones. | The announcement mentions deployment incentives without confirming this multiplier or the milestones. |
| Partner matchmaking | CRN described partner matchmaking as another incentive or program feature. | The announcement does not specify its current availability or operation. |
How should partners interpret the figures?
The partner counts in the two reports refer to different dates and sources, so they are not a like-for-like measure of program growth. CRN reported about 2,200 partners worldwide in 2025; ServiceNow said it had more than 2,700 partners globally in its January 2026 announcement. CRN also reported that about 15% of partners had industry-suite certification, attributing that figure to Jen Odess; it is a historical 2025 figure, not a current certification rate. In a separate January 21, 2025 announcement, ServiceNow characterized its investment in incentives and specializations as having nearly quadrupled. That is the company’s characterization, not an independently measured comparison. ServiceNow’s January 2025 announcement also introduced Now Assist Product Line Achievements and GenAI and industry specializations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to verify before budgeting around the fund
Because the public sources do not establish application timing or complete award rules, partners should confirm the current requirements in ServiceNow’s partner portal or directly with their partner contact before committing project costs or forecasting reimbursement. In particular, verify the current fund ceiling, eligible partner tier and practice validation, covered project work, application window, approval process, and whether any reported credit or deployment incentives are active.
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