Business Insider is reporting Google Cloud is taking the unprecedented step of inviting partners to its annual Accelerate sales event.

The move underscores how important Google’s cloud business is, as it seeks to gain ground against Amazon and Microsoft. Latest estimates place Amazon’s AWS at 47.8% market share, Microsoft Azure at 15.5%, while Google Cloud holds a distant 4%. There has even been speculation Google may purchase Salesforce in an effort to bolster its cloud business and leapfrog Microsoft.

As Business Insider points out, partners are an invaluable part of the cloud business and Google is looking to Accelerate as a way to help bring partners “deeper into the fold.”

Tony Safoian, president and CEO of Google Cloud partner SADA Systems, told Business Insider: “It delivers on the promise of the journey with Google Cloud, to treat partners as an extension of themselves by inviting them to their sales kickoff, which has never been allowed before.”

As Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian pursues the stated goal of Google becoming the number two cloud vendor within five years, it’s a safe bet this Accelerate is only the beginning as Google continues to cultivate strong partner relationships.