The technology landscape has moved from the Model Era to the Orchestration Era, focusing on agentic innovation and proprietary AI systems. This shift has birthed Frontier Partners, a new breed of AI-first partners distinguished by their ability to design, build, and launch original, agent-based solutions.
In our latest report, A Shift from Technology to Intelligence: The Rise of the Frontier Partner, Futurum Research provides insights into the next big wave of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) centered on agent-based systems.
Key Characteristics of Frontier Partners:
- Agentic-First Operating Model: These firms embed agentic principles into their own operations, focusing on workflow-level orchestration rather than point solutions.
- Services-Engineering Blend: They blend strategic advisory with rigorous software development to create original IP and specialized tools.
- Specialized Talent: They maintain a talent-heavy approach, employing PhD researchers and specialized technical staff.
- Data Mastery & Outcome Obsession: They prioritize resolving data fragmentation to fuel critical automation and are measured by quantifiable business transformation.
Impact and Recommendations:
- Disintermediation Risks: Legacy partners focused on undifferentiated resale and IT outsourcing are at risk of disintermediation.
- Vendor Strategy: Technology vendors must establish AI-native partner scouting, acquire high-caliber AI boutiques, and pursue co-innovation alliances with AI pioneers like NVIDIA and OpenAI.
Market Growth: The application development market is projected to grow by 15.4% annually, reaching $344 billion by 2028, with Frontier Partners positioned to capture significant opportunities.
To learn more, download your copy of our latest report, A Shift from Technology to Intelligence: The Rise of the Frontier Partner, now.
To learn more, download your copy of our latest report, A Shift from Technology to Intelligence: The Rise of the Frontier Partner, now.
Author Information
Tiffani Bova is Chief Strategy and Research Officer at The Futurum Group.
Ranked for the last six years in the Top 50 Business Thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, Tiffani Bova is a thought leader who Forbes says “reshapes our perception of growth.”
As both a practitioner and academic she offers a unique perspective and has helped lead the tech industry through several evolutions over her nearly 30-year career as Salesforce’s former Growth and Innovation Evangelist, and previously as a Distinguished Analyst and Research Fellow at Gartner and a sales, marketing and customer service executive for start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. She is the author of two Wall Street Journal bestsellers: GrowthIQ and The Experience Mindset.
Alex is Vice President & Practice Lead, Ecosystems, Channels, & Marketplaces at the Futurum Group. He is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Channels Research program as part of the overall Futurum GTM and Channels Practice. This includes overseeing the channel data rollout in the Futurum Intelligence Platform, primary research activities such as research boards and surveys, delivering thought-leading research reports, and advising clients on their indirect go-to-market strategies. Alex also supports the overall operations of the Futurum Research Business Unit, including P&L segmentation, sales and marketing alignment, and budget planning.
Prior to joining Futurum, Alex was VP of Channels & Enterprise Research at Canalys where he led a multi-million dollar research organization with more than 20 analysts. He played an integral role in helping the Canalys research organization migrate into Omdia after having been acquired in 2023. He is an accomplished research leader, as well as an expert in indirect go-to-market strategies. He has delivered numerous keynotes at partner-facing conferences.
Alex is based in Portland, Oregon, but has lived in numerous places, including California, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the UK. He has a Bachelor in Commerce and Finance Major from Dalhousie University, Halifax Canada.
