Catalyst

Catalyst is the annual conference of Partnership Leaders, the paid membership network for partnership professionals. The 2026 edition is the fifth, held on 25 and 26 August at the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, and the organiser reports more than 1,000 attendees and more than 70 speakers.

What makes it different

Most events that cover partnerships do so as one track inside a larger sales, marketing or channel conference. Catalyst is built only for this audience, which changes the level of the sessions: the starting assumption is that everyone in the room already runs a partner program.

It is also run by a community rather than by a software vendor, so the agenda is not organised around one company's product. The programme includes three certifications, named SCOPE, JVP and QBR, and structured small-group formats the organiser calls Power Circles, alongside the usual keynotes and breakouts. Speakers listed for 2026 come from Google, HubSpot, AWS, Snowflake and Anthropic.

Who it is for

Partnership, ecosystem, business development and go-to-market leaders at B2B software companies, weighted towards North America given the location. People new to partnerships will find the content pitched above beginner level.

Tickets

Priced in tiers that rise as the event approaches. On 7 August 2026 the site showed $1,299 for the current tier, with later tiers listed at $1,599 and $1,999. Check the current tier before budgeting, because the price shown depends on when you book.

Organiser

Partnership Leaders, which is listed in this directory's community section. Membership of the network is separate from a conference ticket, so you do not have to be a member to attend.