Getting the right people in the same room has always been at the heart of how Appfire builds with its partners. This year, we took that to a new level.
Set against the rolling hills and historic grounds of Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia, Partner Blaze 2026 brought together a select group of senior decision-makers and C-suite leaders from Appfire's top-performing partners for three days of strategy, connection, and a shared look at what's ahead. Together, we set aside deliberate time to align on our vision for the future and commit to the work ahead.
A vision for what's next
The week opened with a keynote from CEO Matt Dircks, who set the tone for everything that followed. Matt shared Appfire's vision through 2030, how our go-to-market strategy is evolving, and how we're aligning teams and partners to drive stronger outcomes together. Honest, forward-looking, and grounded in what it actually takes to grow.
Wednesday morning brought a full-room welcome from two leaders that many partners were meeting for the first time: CRO Marc Gemassmer and CMO Catherine Solazzo. Their message was clear. Our partner ecosystem has evolved into something more connected, more collaborative, and more engaged, and Appfire is committed to meeting that energy with everything we have.
"Our partners bring deep expertise, trusted customer relationships, and a relentless focus on outcomes," said Marc. "When we combine those strengths with Appfire's innovation and vision, it's a formula for success that is greater than the sum of its parts."
That four-way win – for the customer, the partner, Appfire, and Atlassian – is the standard we hold ourselves to.
We also took time to honor the partners blazing their own trails. The Partner of the Year Awards recognized partners driving exceptional impact across the Appfire ecosystem, setting a high standard for what collaboration and results look like in practice.
Strategy sessions built for the road ahead
AI and enterprise demand are reshaping how customers build and scale, and the agenda reflected that reality head-on. A product and go-to-market strategy session led by Product Management VP Kevin Stark and VP of Strategic Programs & Product Ops Jocelyn Pedler walked partners through Appfire's portfolio vision and Appfire’s strategy to support customers on their move to cloud — sparking one of the most energetic roundtable discussions of the week, with partners sharing how they're applying AI in the field and what's actually landing with customers.
Catherine and Lisa Newton, VP of Channel Marketing and Programs, led an in-depth session on what's coming next: a preview of the 2027 partner program and new benefits framework to support demand generation.
Thursday's breakout tracks gave everyone space to go deeper on what mattered most to them.
Executive track: Matt facilitated a candid discussion on ecosystem challenges and opportunities, with a focus on strengthening alignment and driving real impact across organizations.
Marketing and Sales track: Lisa led a design thinking session on the value of partner benefits and what the next evolution of the partnership looks like in practice. Partners came with real input on what matters most to them, and that shaped the conversation.
Technical track: VP of Solution Architecture Christopher Pepe and Principal Solution Architect Edward Gaile went deep on how to deliver value with Appfire solutions, including new developments with BigPicture and practical guidance on working directly with Appfire's solution architects to support technical selling and solution delivery.
To close out the week, dedicated one-on-one partner meetings gave each partner focused time with their channel manager and Appfire leadership to review strategy, align on priorities, and map out how to drive pipeline and outcomes through the rest of the year.
Value beyond the agenda
Some of the most important moments at Partner Blaze don't happen in a session. They happen in between them.
From the welcome dinner at Saylors Inn to an evening at the historic Manor House Ruins, partners and Appfire leaders shared time outside the conference room that deepened every conversation inside it. Afternoons left room to explore the resort, recharge, and keep the dialogue going in a setting that made it easy to be open.
That's the point. Our partners aren't an audience; they're valued collaborators in the vision we're building together.
Ready to blaze the trail ahead
"Our partners aren't just helping us bring solutions to market — they're helping shape where we're going," said Matt. "We're not building around our partners; we're building alongside them. That's where the multiplier effect happens: when diverse perspectives, deep expertise, and a shared commitment to execution come together to create greater value for customers."
We're grateful to every partner who made the trip to Adairsville and brought their best thinking with them. The trail ahead is ambitious. We're glad to be blazing it with you.
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