IBM today announced that the availability of its software portfolio is expanding globally to 92 countries in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors (ISVs) that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

The expansion goes beyond Denmark, France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States, where the software is currently available and it will now be available in South Africa along with 17 other African countries (Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda).

The addition of these countries will help make procurement easier for clients, streamline purchasing and create new efficiencies while allowing them to use their AWS committed spend for IBM software purchases.

According to a Canalys study, cloud marketplaces continue to emerge as the fastest-growing route to market for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) software, expected to increase to US $45 billion by 2025, up 84% CAGR over five years. Marketplaces also help shorten the buying cycle, consolidate billing, and make it easier to scale software deployments quickly. 

“Both IBM and AWS play a huge role in our success,” said Uri Bechar, vice president of software engineering, Redis. “Part of my job is to ensure our organization fulfills our committed spend with AWS and that the purchasing process is streamlined. Buying IBM software in AWS Marketplace gives us more flexibility, enables us to use our committed spend, and ultimately makes the entire process easier so we can deploy faster and start seeing value from our investments. I just go in, click accept, then I'm done.”

Today’s news provides clients more access to IBM’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) and data technologies within a portfolio of 44 listings and 29 SaaS offerings available for purchase. Included among those technologies are components of the watsonx AI and Data platform, which allow enterprises to build, scale and govern AI workloads. Watsonx.data, a fit-for-purpose data store built on an open data lakehouse architecture, and Watsonx.ai, a next generation enterprise studio for AI builders are available in AWS Marketplace as well as two of IBM’s AI Assistants — watsonx Assistant and watsonx Orchestrate. Watsonx.governance is expected to be available soon.

“IBM’s global expansion with AWS Marketplace opens up innovation opportunities for our joint customers across the world,” said Matt Yanchyshyn, General Manager AWS Marketplace and Partner Services at AWS.

"By leveraging the speed and simplified procurement capabilities of AWS Marketplace, customers can now more easily access IBM's cutting-edge solutions, enabling them to accelerate their digital transformation and drive innovation at scale. This expanded collaboration between AWS and IBM reflects our shared commitment to empowering customers with the tools and resources they need to succeed in today's fast-paced environment."

Other software includes IBM’s flagship database Db2 Cloud Pak for Data as well as a portfolio of automation software including Apptio, Turbonomic and Instana, and the IBM Security and Sustainability software portfolios - all built on Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS. The cloud-native software enables clients to deploy on AWS while flexible licensing, including SaaS and subscription, makes it easier for clients to purchase exactly how they want. 

IBM is also launching 15 new IBM Consulting professional services and assets on AWS Marketplace, exclusively designed for AWS. These new service offerings are aligned to client needs and demand, focused on data and application modernization, security services, and tailored industry-specific solutions – with generative AI capabilities included in select services.

IBM Consulting also brings 24,000 AWS certifications and a dedicated team of experts trained in the latest AWS technologies to help clients with tailored recommendations grounded in industry best practices.

“Cloud computing is currently experiencing remarkable growth in South Africa as local companies are increasing their digital migration to meet the expectations of increasingly digital-first consumers and maintain a competitive advantage against competitors in the digital marketplace,” comments Ria Pinto, General Manager and Technology Leader, IBM SA.

“By availing IBM’s portfolio of software on AWS Marketplace, we are expanding the points of entry for local organizations, both large and small, to have quick and easy access to IBM’s leading AI, data and cloud solutions, accelerating the secure modernization of IT infrastructures and digital transformation of our enterprise landscape,” she concludes.

To learn more about how purchasing IBM Software and solutions in AWS Marketplace is helping clients worldwide scale quicker and leverage new cost and efficiency benefits, you can visit ibm.com/aws.