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IBM Champions Community

What do IBM Champions and IBM Rising Champions do? 

These groups of advocates contribute regularly to the body of knowledge around IBM products and offerings and to the technical community. Typical contributions and engagement fall into the categories below. 

IBM Rising Champion Advocacy badge earners contribute across categories. They earn badges at the Contributor, Advocate, and Influencer levels (for 2, 5, and 8 total reported activities). 

Typically, IBM Champions have active, ongoing significant  contributions in two or more areas.

  • IBM TechXchange Community Engagement: Create original technical content in the form of a blog, a forum comment / answer, add a document, typically with a minimum of 150 words.   

  • User Group or Community: Actively run, volunteer for, moderate, or play a leadership role in a forum, meetup, or User Group that focuses on an IBM technology.   

  • Content Creation: Create or translate and publish content about an IBM solution (for example, blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, case studies, white papers, and books).   

  • Events: Host, facilitate, or support an IBM solution related face to face event or virtual event such as webinars, meetups, etc.   

  • Present: Present a session on IBM solutions at user groups, webinars, podcasts or industry events such as IBM TechXchange, THINK, User Groups, or industry events etc.   

  • Feedback: Provide product feedback and/or technical contributions by participating in councils, user research programs, surveys, and beta testing opportunities.   

  • Marketing, Sales, or Analyst Reference: Provide a quote/testimonial, participate in a Peer-to-Peer IBM sales call, complete an analyst survey, interview, or product review.  

  • Teaching and Research: Create and teach one or my IBM technology-related course or participate in an academic research project about an IBM solution.   

  • Code: Contribute code to at least one or more IBM-related open-source projects, such as Hyperledger, or a Call for Code Project, or contribute products, code, or proof-of-concept samples for others to use.

  • Other: Is something not on the list? When you visit the application form, provide us with an act of advocacy you think should be considered and we will let you know if it qualifies! 

Interested in applying?

Start your badge application today.

IBM Rising Champion Advocacy Badges

IBM Rising Champions Advocacy badges recognize the advocacy contributions of IBM technology users. We want to thank and engage all those contributing to advocacy, content, and community around IBM technologies. The IBM Rising Champions badges offer: 

  • IBM Contributor, Advocate, and Influencer badges
  • Support for ongoing advocacy activities
  • Other benefits, including certification and learning discounts* and connections to other advocates, including the IBM Champions.
  • A supported pathway to become an IBM Champion
  • Get started now by joining the IBM TechXchange Community. Once you're a member, visit the form to complete your application. 

*Certification and learning discounts, as well as other benefits, may vary based on levels in the program.

IBM Rising Champion badge criteria

  • IBM Contributor: Apply for the badge by completing the application form and submitting two (2) acts of advocacy you have completed within the last 12 months.  
  • IBM Advocate: Apply for the badge by completing the application form and submitting three (3) additional acts of advocacy (for a total of five) you have completed within the last 12 months. 
  • IBM Influencer: Apply for the badge by completing the application form and submitting three (3) additional acts of advocacy (for a total of eight) you have completed within the last 12 months.  

Badge applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year and you may apply at any time. The badge review committee meets monthly to assess the applications and issue badges. 

IBM Champion

While the IBM Rising Champions badges provide a pathway to help advocates earn the IBM Champion designation, every application for the IBM Champions program is reviewed and assessed by a committee. Nominations for the IBM Champion program are open annually, typically in Q3/Q4.  

Note about the IBM Z and IBM i and AIX community advocacy badges 

If you have earned or applied for any of the community advocacy badges below, you must report new acts of advocacy that have not already been reported in order earn an IBM Rising Champion badge. You may, however, submit those activities for an IBM Champions nomination. 

  • IBM Z and LinuxONE Community Contributor, Advocate, or Influencer
  • IBM i Community Contributor, Advocate, or Influencer
  • AIX Community Contributor, Advocate, or Influencer 

Acts of advocacy and descriptions

The IBM Champions program and IBM Rising Champions advocacy badges recognize and reward these types of contributions.

  • IBM TechXchange Community Engagement: Create original technical content in the form of a blog, a forum comment / answer, add a document, typically with a minimum of 150 words. 
  • User Group or Community: Actively run, volunteer for, moderate, or play a leadership role in a forum, meetup, or User Group that focuses on an IBM technology. 
  • Content Creation: Create or translate and publish content about an IBM solution (for example, blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, case studies, white papers, and books). 
  • Events: Host, facilitate, or support an IBM solution related face to face event or virtual event such as webinars, meetups, etc. 
  • Present: Present a session on IBM solutions at user groups, webinars, podcasts or industry events such as IBM TechXchange, THINK, User Groups, or industry events etc. 
  • Feedback: Provide product feedback and/or technical contributions by participating in councils, surveys, and beta testing opportunities. 
  • Marketing, Sales, or Analyst Reference: Provide a quote/testimonial, participate in a Peer-to-Peer IBM sales call, complete an analyst survey, interview, or product review.
  • Teaching and Research: Create and teach one or my IBM technology-related course or participate in an academic research project about an IBM solution. 

IBM Champions Program Team

IBM Champions program managers within the business and technical areas work with the worldwide team led by IBM Champions program director Libby Ingrassia to realize the program's mission and goals and to ensure that the business area goals are met within the program. The team provides both engagement with Champions and opportunities for Champions to engage across IBM.

If you want to engage with the IBM Champions, contact Libby or another member of the team.

From the Champions

Meet the Champions

IBM Champions

Featured IBM Champions

Here we feature the IBM Champions who've been most active in IBM Community recently. Get connected.

  • Library Entry

    In the dynamic world of technology, Nirmal Khatri emerges as a passionate advocate for IBM i, leaving a persisting mark on the community. ...

  • Library Entry

    Meet Sarah Julia Kriesch, an accomplished professional with a passion for Linux and an outstanding commitment to fostering collaboration ...

  • Library Entry

    Meet Paul Mendelson, a Senior Solutions Architect or Product Manager at PMsquare. He has been an IBM Champion for last 6 years!. With more ...

  • Library Entry

    Meet Art S. Kagel, President & Principal Consultant at ASK Database Management Corp., and has been an IBM Champion since the inception of ...

Recognize | Reward | Catalyze

The IBM Champions and IBM Rising Champions Advocacy Badge programs recognize IBM’s strongest technology advocates, who are amplifying IBM technologies to the world.