How all Members benefit

The W3C Members themselves have indicated that what is most important to them about their Membership is:

• Interaction. The opportunity to interact and work directly with the leading companies, organizations, and individuals in the Web world;
• Strategy. The ability to provide strategic direction to the Consortium through review of W3C Activity proposals and operational policies;
• Participation. Participation in W3C Working Groups, where specifications and guidelines are developed, and in W3C Interest Groups, where discussions are conducted;

How small and medium enterprises (SMEs) benefit

Business built on Web technologies grows so quickly that it is often challenging for SMEs to find providers, customers or partners that share the same interests as they do.

• Partnership. Through a variety of online and in-person opportunities, W3C helps SMEs meet their peers and establish new business relationships.
• Early Access. Agility can enable SMEs to out-perform their bigger rivals. Within W3C's Advisory Committee, SMEs that are working with Web technologies can not only stay informed of new Web features, but more importantly, can bring their own ideas to strategic discussions about the Web's future. Agility through Membership can help SMEs stay ahead of the competition and enter new markets early.
• Leverage. Building a market around a new usage of the Web can be a major obstacle for the growth of smaller companies. To bring an idea deployed to the scale of the Web, W3C standardization provide a unique opportunity to achieve broad adoption on diverse software and devices.
• Education. The world's experts on the Web exchange and confront their points of view in W3C groups. It's hard to beat conversations with W3C partners as a way to learn in depth how the Web works, and how to make it better.
• Promotion. SMEs can promote their commitment to open standards, through press release and home page testimonials, sponsorship visibility, interviews, and more.

How research organizations benefit

• Forum for ideas. W3C is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and technology solutions, giving researchers insights from around the world.
• Bridge from research. W3C helps research organizations establish a bridge from their innovations to industry implementation.