If someone is just using the platform for their own business then they are not a partner, they are a client. If they are giving resources in form of code development and/or money that goes to platform as a whole and not just their project in particular then they can get consideration for "Partner" status. Anything less than that is just a user/client of the platform.
We need to be a little more careful here IMHO.
BitShares is a SuperDAC that can house partners, 3-rd party projects and customers.
- A business running their IPO in BitShares is probably just a customer as is a business listing their stock!
- OpenLedger should probably be listed as a 3rd party project that builds on top of BitShares
- while STEALTH and any future FBA is probably more like a partnership where they use our infrastructure to host their smart contracts/featres/innovations.
</IMHO>