_COMMUNITY_

As we continue to grow, we are committed to fostering a strong community and creating opportunities for our customers and all Kong users to interact, to learn, and to share their expertise. Kong is driven by our community, and we are devoted to helping our customers to learn, grow, and be successful.

The Kong Champions program is our way of acknowledging and celebrating customers for being our, well, champions! From special opportunities to share your expertise, to early product access – not to mention the exclusive swag – there’s a ton to be gained by joining the inner circle of Champions.

### Who are our champions?

Our Champions are our top advocates who play a key role in engaging and growing Kong’s global presence. They share their expertise and passion through forum discussions, blogs, video testimonials, webinars, or speaking at events. They are the core foundation of our community.

We have Champions all around the world, representing customers of all sizes and stages, as well as representatives of our open source user community and our partner ecosystem.

### Why become a champion?

- **Professional Development:** Show off your expertise and build your brand through created content, webinars & user calls, and speaking opportunities, like at our API Summit.
- **First Look: **Get early access to new product features and be the first to share your feedback. You’ll have the chance to shape the future of our Kong products.
- **Connect with Peers: **Meet your fellow Kong enthusiasts from around the world to share your wins (and problem-solve your challenges). Attend exclusive Kong Champion-only events curated specifically for this group.

And yes, there will also be extra-special swag!

### What are the expectations?

As a Champion, you’ll tell us about your interests, goals, and your specific areas of expertise. We’ll share opportunities for ways you can contribute, as well as the rewards and swag that you can earn through these contributions. We encourage Champions to participate in opportunities that align with their interests and availability. Here are some examples of ways you can contribute:

- Showcase your achievements through a technical blog post or co-hosted webinar/user call
- Influence the future of Kong through product feedback or writing a review
- Speak at an event (like API Summit by Kong) – or host a Meetup or other event
- Record a video about your use of Kong, participate in a customer success story, or be featured in media/press
- Have a confidential conversation with an analyst or a future Kong customer

### What are the perks?

As part of the Champions program, we offer a wide range of perks. Some of these include: