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BELLEVUE, WA – October 14, 2026 – Launch Consulting today announced it has earned the Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization, a validation of a partner’s capability in planning and delivering tailored analytics solutions, following Microsoft and industry best practices.
The Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization can only be earned by partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success and staff skilling, as well as pass a third-party audit of their analytics planning and deployment practices.
More businesses recognize the value of effective data and analytics strategies but struggle to implement them. Partners with proven experience delivering customized Microsoft analytics solutions using Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Databricks are well-positioned to capture this market opportunity.
These partners can help customers better integrate endlessly scalable analytics platforms into their businesses to quickly capture insights from all their data across data warehouses and big data analytics systems.
“Earning the Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization is a major milestone for Launch and a direct reflection of our team's deep engineering expertise and delivery capability,” said John Cipolla, President of Launch Consulting. “I’m exceptionally proud of our people for meeting Microsoft’s highest technical bar. For our clients, this credential gives enterprise leaders confidence that we don't just advise on digital transformation—we have the proven hands-on capability to modernize their data foundations and deliver secure, production-grade analytics that drive real business outcomes.”
Andrew Smith, General Manager, Partner Program Management at Microsoft added, “The Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization highlights the partners who can be viewed as most capable when it comes to building transformative and secure analytics solutions on Azure. Launch Consulting clearly demonstrated that they have both the skills and the experience to help our customers harness the power of insight and transform their businesses in a scalable, secure, and cost-effective way.”
To learn more about Launch Consulting’s analytics solutions and cloud migration offerings on Microsoft Azure, visit Microsoft Marketplace.
About Launch Consulting
Launch Consulting, part of The Planet Group, is a digital transformation consultancy that helps enterprises harness the power of data, software, and AI to advance their business. By combining technical expertise, change management, and platform capabilities, Launch helps organizations build modern data foundations and move initiatives from pilot to production at scale. For more information, visit launchconsulting.com or follow Launch Consulting on LinkedIn.
About The Planet Group
The Planet Group is a global professional services firm delivering strategic staffing, advisory, and consulting solutions at the intersection of talent and transformation. The company partners with organizations to improve agility, execution, and measurable business outcomes by aligning the right talent with the right solutions. With expertise spanning technology, engineering, accounting and finance, digital marketing, and manufacturing, The Planet Group supports clients across industries as they navigate growth, change, and operational complexity. To learn more, visit theplanetgroup.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Crystal Woody
Director of Marketing & Communications, The Planet Group
crystal.woody@theplanetgroup.com
BELLEVUE, WA – October 14, 2026 – Launch Consulting today announced it has earned the Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization, a validation of a partner’s capability in planning and delivering tailored analytics solutions, following Microsoft and industry best practices.
The Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization can only be earned by partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success and staff skilling, as well as pass a third-party audit of their analytics planning and deployment practices.
More businesses recognize the value of effective data and analytics strategies but struggle to implement them. Partners with proven experience delivering customized Microsoft analytics solutions using Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Databricks are well-positioned to capture this market opportunity.
These partners can help customers better integrate endlessly scalable analytics platforms into their businesses to quickly capture insights from all their data across data warehouses and big data analytics systems.
“Earning the Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization is a major milestone for Launch and a direct reflection of our team's deep engineering expertise and delivery capability,” said John Cipolla, President of Launch Consulting. “I’m exceptionally proud of our people for meeting Microsoft’s highest technical bar. For our clients, this credential gives enterprise leaders confidence that we don't just advise on digital transformation—we have the proven hands-on capability to modernize their data foundations and deliver secure, production-grade analytics that drive real business outcomes.”
Andrew Smith, General Manager, Partner Program Management at Microsoft added, “The Analytics on Microsoft Azure Specialization highlights the partners who can be viewed as most capable when it comes to building transformative and secure analytics solutions on Azure. Launch Consulting clearly demonstrated that they have both the skills and the experience to help our customers harness the power of insight and transform their businesses in a scalable, secure, and cost-effective way.”
To learn more about Launch Consulting’s analytics solutions and cloud migration offerings on Microsoft Azure, visit Microsoft Marketplace.
About Launch Consulting
Launch Consulting, part of The Planet Group, is a digital transformation consultancy that helps enterprises harness the power of data, software, and AI to advance their business. By combining technical expertise, change management, and platform capabilities, Launch helps organizations build modern data foundations and move initiatives from pilot to production at scale. For more information, visit launchconsulting.com or follow Launch Consulting on LinkedIn.
About The Planet Group
The Planet Group is a global professional services firm delivering strategic staffing, advisory, and consulting solutions at the intersection of talent and transformation. The company partners with organizations to improve agility, execution, and measurable business outcomes by aligning the right talent with the right solutions. With expertise spanning technology, engineering, accounting and finance, digital marketing, and manufacturing, The Planet Group supports clients across industries as they navigate growth, change, and operational complexity. To learn more, visit theplanetgroup.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Crystal Woody
Director of Marketing & Communications, The Planet Group
crystal.woody@theplanetgroup.com
