According to Intel's Kelly Feller:
The deal is that software companies, many of whom are medium in size or who develop open source solutions, can now receive Intel certification that ensures their solutions meet "rigorous standards for security, interoperability and maintainability, and are optimized for Intel technologies." (I took that directly from the (press) release.)
The announcement came out of the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai. The big deal for the software channel? If Intel's plans work, mid-sized and open source developers will have an easier way to provide down-stream assurance that their code works, is stable and is optimized for Intel hardware.