Benefits of ASF Participation

Companies that actively participate in ASF projects realize significant strategic and operational advantages that extend far beyond cost savings. It’s important to think strategically about how, where, and why you will participate and measure impact.

Influence the Roadmap

While it can sometimes take months, or years, to gain expertise and trust in an established community, showing up to do the daily project maintenance – issue and PR triage; reviewing PRs; planning and executing community events; answering user questions – you’ll quickly begin to establish that you can be trusted, which will make it easier for you to influence the direction of the project.

Decisions about the direction of Apache projects are made by the people who show up to participate in the conversation. If you don’t join the conversation, then your competitors will decide how tomorrow’s technology will shape up.

Make sure someone on your team is reading the project mailing lists every day, and advocating for your priorities. That’s what community means – showing up to own the future of the project.

While trust does not necessarily transfer to other employees, over time, as project participants see your company actively contributing to the project, and demonstrating ownership, they’ll be more willing to work with you.

Recruiting

By working upstream on projects, you directly showcase to potential employees what they might be working on. This helps attract the right kind of talent to work on your priorities, and they’ll begin to see your company as a partner in the project, and an attractive place to work.

Being involved in the day-to-day life of the project gives you direct access to the most qualified people in the world to work on your team. And you know they’ll be arriving with the skills you need.

Business and Strategic Advantages

For more than 25 years, the ASF has been a place where industry standards have been set and implemented. Collaborating in those projects is the most effective way to shape industry standards and best practices. You’ll be building trust with current and potential customers, and building strategic partnerships with other companies working in the same space.

And by collaborating with your peers on the common tasks, you’ll be able to better focus on your unique business differentiators. Collaborate on what all share; Compete where you excel.

The benefits of open source participation compound over time, creating sustainable competitive advantages and fostering innovation that drives long-term business success.