Developers Alliance: Advocacy and Engagement

Jake Ward
Jake is the CEO & President of the Developers Alliance.
You can contact him on Twitter, LinkedIn, or by email. 

We are in the midst of a second industrial revolution, one driven by developers and the software you build. Whether you build for consumer, enterprise, industrial, or other emerging technologies, you are part of a global workforce actively changing the world. There is incredible potential in the work you do and the future you’re building.

The most fundamental threat to that future is the widening gap between the “innovation industry” and the policymakers charged with overseeing it. At a time when innovation is speeding up and government is slowing down, we must help policymakers understand the complexities of your work and how the decisions made, laws written, and regulations put in place today will affect the next generation of innovation. 

It has never been more important that the Developers Alliance be an effective advocate for you and the issues affecting your business. To best serve you in this critical time, we are realigning staff and resources to focus on educating policymakers and empowering each of you as advocates.

New Initiatives

In the coming weeks we will introduce some new initiatives and refine old ones each intended to improve information sharing, coordination, and engagement among our membership. Those initiatives will include (click to expand):

• 1) Launch the Innovators Policy Council

  Developers Alliance members share a common interest in the software developer workforce and public policies that promote innovation. The policy goals of software powered companies large and small are closely aligned, but the disparity in resources often limits access and influence.

  The Developers Alliance Innovators Policy Council (IPC) ensures companies of every size, interest and industry have a voice in policy discussions and access to policymakers at every level of government. The IPC is a global network of companies, startups, and innovators representing more than 35 countries and all fifty states. Participating companies get the benefit of advocacy without the burden of valuable time or resources.

  Learn more and join the Innovators Policy Council, click here.

• 2) Expand the U.S. and European Policy Committees

  The Developers Alliance works to influence and create an environment that promotes and rewards software driven innovation.

  The Alliance Policy Steering Committees focus on U.S. and European policy respectively, set the public policy agenda of the Developers Alliance, and generally support our advocacy activity. Participants of the Policy Steering Committee(s) represent the diversity of software powered industries and bring valuable expertise and perspective to the table that ensures our policy objectives are well-informed, balanced, and effect.

  Learn more about the Policy Sterring Comittees and its participants, click here.
• 3) Update Membership Levels

  It is a commonly held belief that “small companies” and startups don’t care about public policy issues and care even less about politics. You know, and we know, that is just wrong.

  It is true that large companies and more mature corporations are able to invest in operations and activities intended to monitor and – when necessary – influence policy discussions that could affect their business. Its also true that less mature, smaller, companies are typically more focused on growing their bottom line than mitigating the risk associated with legislative or regulatory activity, but needing to focus shouldn’t be mistaken for not caring.

  More to the point, the Developers Alliance was founded to be the voice of software developers and companies of every size that depend on their continued innovation and success. When companies join the Developers Alliance as a corporate member, they are in fact investing in the operations and activities needed to protect their businesses – of all sizes and at any stage.

  To ensure companies big and small have access to the Developers Alliance, that we are able to best serve them, and that we are representative of the industry as a whole, we are simplifying the membership categories. Beginning October 1st, Developer Alliance members will either be: Full Members, Associate Members, or Startup Members.

  View the
  Membership page.

This realignment means that we will be cutting some of our business oriented programs, including the App Strategy Workshops, and replacing them with more policy focused discussions, issue roundtables, and direct engagement within our membership. 

Engagement










These changes will mean different things for different members, but the goal of the Developers Alliance remains the same: to be your voice and support your businesses and the industry.

This shift in focus also creates a unique and exciting opportunity for companies invested in the developer community and working to engage and empower the developer workforce. For years we have seen the importance and the challenges of developer engagement for companies of all sizes, from every industry. To help those companies, and the developers they are working to reach, three of our most valued team members, Laura Bolos, Chelsea Andrews, and Beverley Eve, have launched DevMode Strategies. DevMode is a strategic communications agency that leverages years of experience and expertise to provide a range of strategic solutions and creative services aimed at helping companies understand, connect, and engage with developer audience.

The Developers Alliance is proud to be their first partner and client, and we invite you to check out their strategic solutions and creative services. Visit DevMode.io ➔

Thank You

This information probably won’t answer all of your questions, but I hope it will answer many. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any thoughts, concerns, or questions about what this means for membership, a policy issue, or the Alliance in general. Also keep an eye for updates from me as we charge full speed ahead.

Thank you for your continued support.

PS: Not a member yet? Join us. Click here to learn more.

Jake Ward
CEO & President, Developers Alliance