On a recent episode of Ecosystem Aces, Chip Rodgers, Chief Partner Officer at WorkSpan, sat down with Ankur Sinha, Head of Partner Solutions & GTM at Domino Data Lab. As AI and machine learning (ML) continue to transform industries, Domino Data Lab is at the forefront, providing enterprises with a unified platform to scale AI initiatives responsibly. Ankur shared insights into how Domino is expanding its partner ecosystem, the strategic role of system integrators (SIs) and technology providers, and the future of AI partnerships.
Domino Data Lab’s AI Platform and Partner Strategy
Domino Data Lab is an enterprise AI platform designed to unify data science teams, tools, and data, making AI adoption scalable while ensuring governance, cost control, and compliance. With a focus on regulated industries like life sciences, banking, and public sector organizations, Domino is shaping its partnerships around key industry needs.
Ankur highlighted the importance of ecosystem partnerships, particularly with hyperscalers like AWS and technology providers such as NVIDIA and Snowflake. These collaborations help Domino deliver integrated solutions that optimize AI workflows and provide seamless data science experiences for enterprises.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation
1. Strategic Alignment with Hyperscalers and Technology Providers
Domino Data Lab works closely with major technology partners, ensuring that its AI platform integrates seamlessly with industry-leading tools:
- A strong partnership with NVIDIA, making Domino a GDX Ready MLOps partner for high-performance AI workloads.
- AWS collaboration as an early machine learning competency partner, enhancing cloud-based AI capabilities.
- Integration with data platforms like Snowflake and Palantir to streamline data access and improve model training efficiency.
By aligning with these technology providers, Domino ensures its customers can leverage cutting-edge infrastructure to accelerate AI adoption.2. The Role of System Integrators in AI AdoptionSystem integrators play a crucial role in helping enterprises implement AI at scale. Domino collaborates with both global SI leaders (GSIs) and boutique SI firms to provide industry-specific solutions:
- GSIs help enterprises navigate AI transformations by aligning their business needs with the right technology stack.
- Boutique SIs bring deep industry expertise, particularly in regulated sectors like life sciences and financial services.
- These partnerships create feedback loops that inform Domino’s product development, ensuring the platform meets real-world enterprise needs.
3. Enabling Partners Through Training and Co-InnovationTo empower its partners, Domino has developed a robust enablement and certification framework:
- Training programs for SIs to help them become experts in Domino’s platform.
- Preview sessions for product releases, allowing partners to provide feedback before new features go live.
- Encouraging partners to contribute to Domino’s AI Hub, where they can build and share AI templates tailored to industry-specific needs.
By fostering close collaboration between partners and product teams, Domino ensures its ecosystem remains innovative and customer-focused.4. Co-Selling and Go-To-Market ExecutionDomino’s go-to-market strategy is driven by co-selling opportunities with partners:
- Identifying key accounts where partners can deliver joint value.
- Using Salesforce to track and manage partner-driven opportunities.
- Creating industry-specific go-to-market motions, ensuring a focused approach rather than a one-size-fits-all strategy.
This approach ensures that Domino and its partners can efficiently drive AI adoption in targeted industry verticals.The Future of AI Ecosystem PartnershipsLooking ahead, Ankur emphasized Domino’s vision of making partners self-sufficient in selling and implementing its platform. The goal is to create an ecosystem where partners lead sales conversations, deliver innovative AI solutions, and continuously contribute to product enhancements based on customer feedback.By focusing on strategic partnerships, co-innovation, and go-to-market collaboration, Domino Data Lab is well-positioned to drive the next wave of enterprise AI adoption.
Chip is passionate about building strong communities and ecosystems around enterprises to build excitement for the category, deliver value for customers, and grow the business. Prior to WorkSpan, Chip was with SAP for over 13 years, most recently growing the SAP Community Network to over 2 million engaged customers, partners, and developers. He has an MBA from the University of Chicago and an engineering degree from Northwestern.
