Partner Hypothesis

About This Template

The Partner Hypothesis template helps you validate your partnership strategy before investing significant resources. Think of it as your partnership "business case"—it helps you avoid the common pitfall of signing partners just because they're interested, rather than because they truly fit your strategy.

The Problem It Solves

Many partnership programs fail because they:

• Sign partners without validating strategic fit
• Can't articulate clear value to potential partners
• Build partnerships based on hunches rather than hypotheses
• Don't test assumptions before scaling

The Partner Hypothesis framework forces you to make your assumptions explicit and testable.

The Framework

Who are your potential partners?

Define clear characteristics:

• Company profile (size, industry, maturity)
• Technical capabilities
• Customer base and market position
• Business model and revenue streams
• Geographic presence

Why would they partner with you?

Articulate the value proposition:

• Revenue opportunity (new, expansion, retention)
• Product differentiation and competitive advantage
• Customer satisfaction and retention
• Market access and reach
• Operational efficiency

How do they align with your strategy?

Validate strategic fit:

• Business objectives alignment
• Resource requirements and availability
• Go-to-market compatibility
• Technical integration feasibility
• Cultural and values alignment

How to Use

1. Draft Your Hypothesis

State your core partnership hypothesis:

"We believe that [partner type] will partner with us because [value proposition], which will help us achieve [business objective]."

2. Identify Assumptions

List all assumptions in your hypothesis:

• Market assumptions (partner needs, competitive landscape)
• Value assumptions (willingness to invest, perceived ROI)
• Technical assumptions (integration complexity, adoption)
• Operational assumptions (resources, timelines)

3. Define Validation Criteria

How will you know if your hypothesis is correct?

• Leading indicators (partner interest, engagement)
• Lagging indicators (signed agreements, revenue)
• Timeframes for validation
• Success thresholds

4. Test and Learn

Run small experiments:

• Interview potential partners
• Build MVP integrations
• Run pilot programs
• Analyze early results

5. Iterate or Pivot

Based on learnings:

• Validated - Scale the partnership approach
• Partially validated - Refine the hypothesis
• Invalidated - Pivot to different partner type or value prop

Use Cases

Testing New Partner Types

Before launching a new partner program (e.g., resellers, technology partners, agencies), validate that:

• Partners exist in sufficient numbers
• Your value proposition resonates
• Economics work for both parties
• Go-to-market is feasible

Expanding to New Markets

When entering new:

• Geographic markets
• Industry verticals
• Customer segments
• Product categories

Validating Integration Partnerships

Before building integrations:

• Confirm joint customer demand
• Validate technical feasibility
• Test co-marketing potential
• Verify support requirements

Who This Is For

• Partnership Leaders - Planning new partnership programs
• Founders - Exploring strategic partnerships
• Product Teams - Evaluating integration opportunities
• Business Development - Testing market hypotheses
• Investors - Evaluating partnership strategies

What's Included

• Partner Hypothesis Template (editable document)
• Hypothesis statement framework
• Assumptions mapping worksheet
• Validation criteria checklist
• Example hypotheses from real companies
• Testing methodology guide

Benefits

• Avoid Costly Mistakes - Validate before investing heavily
• Data-Driven Decisions - Test assumptions systematically
• Faster Learning - Run small experiments before scaling
• Better Pitches - Clear value proposition for partners
• Team Alignment - Explicit strategy everyone understands

Related Templates

• Ideal Partner Profile - Define who your ideal partners are
• Partner Strategy Map - Align partnerships with business goals
• Partner Research & Qualification Sheet - Track and score prospects

Get Started

Get free access to the Partner Hypothesis template and start validating your partnership strategy today.