Workday Rising 2025: Where AI and Community Drive the Next Chapter
Workday Rising 2025 in San Francisco was nothing short of transformative. More than anything, it underscored Workday’s next chapter, an evolution from platform to AI powered ecosystem. Announcements like Workday Build, Flowise, Flex Credits, and advancements in Data Cloud made one thing clear: the future of enterprise innovation will be built inside Workday, with AI woven into every layer.
For Makse Group, it was a week of momentum, meaningful conversations, and milestones that will shape the year ahead. From winning PitchFest to engaging in thought provoking sessions, deepening our partnerships, and celebrating with our community, Rising was a powerful reminder of what is possible when innovation and collaboration come together.
Kicking Off with a Win: PitchFest 2025
Image 1: A winning moment at PitchFest Live for Makse Group’s Click, Connect, Go application.
We started Rising with an unforgettable milestone: winning PitchFest Live at the GO for Growth Summit, where 96 partners had submitted 104 ideas for consideration. Our pitch centered on solving a critical challenge for mid market companies: connecting the platforms that drive their growth seamlessly, with a single click, right inside Workday.
Why does this matter? For too long, growing companies have been forced to stitch together critical systems such as CRM, payments, ticketing, and inventory outside of Workday. That leads to silos, extra logins, and costly IT overhead. Our app solves this by delivering native connections directly within Workday, allowing organizations to streamline operations and accelerate ROI while keeping employees in the trusted Workday environment they already know.
Winning PitchFest was not just recognition, it was proof that customers are asking for solutions that are practical, scalable, and designed for Workday first innovation.
Sharing Our Perspective: Unlocking New Value for Customers
Image 2: On stage- Kurt Makse (Founder & CEO) and Ross Garrett (Executive Director of Innovation) highlighting the power of the Workday Marketplace to scale innovation.
In our session, “Do More in Workday: Unlock New Value with the Workday Marketplace,” we tackled a common challenge: the value plateau that many organizations experience after their initial Workday deployment. The foundations remain strong, but as businesses scale, operational gaps emerge that slow growth and increase costs.
The Workday Marketplace changes that. Built on Workday apps help customers:
Break through the value plateau with solutions that keep pace with evolving needs
Go live faster with apps that can be deployed in weeks, not months
Unlock measurable outcomes with tools that drive efficiency, compliance, and growth, all within Workday
The message resonated: the Marketplace is not about more apps. It is about unlocking more value from the platform customers already rely on, helping them innovate, and scale with confidence.
Strengthening Partnerships and Ecosystem Momentum
One of the strongest themes of Rising this year was deeper collaboration across the Workday ecosystem, from the new AI powered product announcements to the continued focus on innovation and trust.
For Makse Group, it was also about strengthening our partnerships. We had the opportunity to connect more deeply with our partner network, explore new ways of co innovating, and align on how together we can deliver more outcomes for customers. These conversations reinforced that thriving in this new ecosystem is not about going it alone, it is about building stronger partnerships that expand what is possible for the Workday community.
Celebrating Community at La Mar
Beyond the sessions and booth connections, one of the week’s standout moments was our Customer Appreciation Party at La Mar Cocina Peruana on the Embarcadero. It was the perfect setting to step away from the expo floor, enjoy handcrafted cocktails and incredible food, and connect with peers, partners, and customers in a more personal way.
The energy was unmatched, reminding us why this community is so special: innovation thrives when people come together.
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on Rising, one thing is clear: the Workday ecosystem is evolving faster than ever, and Makse Group is committed to helping customers harness that momentum. Whether through our Built on Workday apps, strategic services, or partnerships, we are excited to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Workday Rising 2025 was more than an event, it was a launchpad. We cannot wait to continue the conversations we started in San Francisco and turn them into lasting impact. We look forward to seeing many of you again at Workday Rising EMEA in Barcelona this November!
