Build the pilot. Hand off the account. Keep earning.
A practical guide for agencies and AI consultants who build client agents: how the pilot works, what the handoff changes, and how the first-year commission is attributed.
Who this is for
Keelway is for agencies, AI consultants, system integrators, and technical service teams that build and manage AI agents for clients. You bring the client relationship and the implementation. Keelway provides the platform, a free pilot workspace, and the partner commission.
It is not a lead-generation affiliate link. The partner builds and runs the pilot, then hands a production-ready agent into an account the client owns.
The model: pilot → handoff → commission
Prove the use case before the client commits
Use your partner workspace to prepare the knowledge, configure the agent, and run a focused client trial. The client does not need a paid production account to see the outcome.
Move the agent into a client-owned team
The finished agent moves into a newly created client team. The client accepts an email invitation as the owner. You remain an admin so you can keep managing and improving the deployment.
Earn on the client's subscription
The client chooses a production plan. The deployment is attributed to you, and you earn 30% of the client's subscription for the first 12 months. You bill your own service fees separately.
Keep the relationship
The handoff changes ownership, not the relationship. Keep tuning answers, maintaining sources, and reporting on the value delivered.
What the partner workspace includes
- Business-level agent, source, member, and feature limits.
- A monthly pilot allowance for building, demonstrations, and client trials.
- Temporary client trials without opening a paid account for every prospect.
- A guided handoff into a client-owned team.
When a deployment becomes production usage, it moves to the client's paid plan. If your own workspace needs more capacity, you can choose a paid plan that fits.
The onboarding checklist
- Discovery. Confirm the client use case and the success criteria for the pilot.
- Knowledge preparation. Gather the sources the agent needs and note any access constraints.
- Pilot. Build, test, and run the agent with the client against the agreed success criteria.
- Handoff. Move the agent into a client-owned team; the client accepts as owner and you stay admin.
- Retainer. Set the ongoing management and improvement cadence.
Commission and attribution rules
- Rate: 30% of the attributed client's subscription for the first 12 months.
- Attribution: the client deployment handed off through the partner program is attributed to the partner who completed the handoff.
- Client ownership: the client owns the team and the subscription. The partner remains an admin.
- Refunds and chargebacks: a refunded or charged-back invoice reverses the matching commission.
- Self-referral: a partner cannot be the client on their own handoff.
- Your fees: strategy, implementation, integrations, and ongoing management are your services. You set and invoice those fees.
What Keelway is not
- It is not a white-label platform. The client uses Keelway; you deliver the implementation and services around it.
- It is not a guarantee of revenue. The pilot has to prove a real client outcome before the handoff.
- It is not a replacement for your client relationship. You lead the relationship; Keelway stands behind the platform.
Questions worth asking before you apply
Do I need a client already?
A concrete client use case makes a stronger application, but you can apply with the segment and problem you want to serve.
Can I charge for implementation?
Yes. Your service fees are separate from the client's subscription and the partner commission.
What happens after the handoff?
The client becomes the owner of the team and subscription. You remain an admin and keep managing the deployment if the client wants you to.
How long does the pilot take?
It depends on the use case and the client's source material. The pilot is scoped during discovery; there is no fixed one-size window.
Ready to apply?
Applications are reviewed before a partner workspace is issued. Tell us about your practice, the clients you serve, and the agent use case you want to pilot.