TechBirmingham is adopting a new stakeholder strategy designed to increase participation from companies of all sizes in the technology community.

Curtis Palmer, president of TechBirmingham, said the technology community's advocacy organization is shifting away from a sponsor-driven support system. Instead of relying on major benefactor donations, TechBirmingham will employ a stakeholder contribution strategy that includes levels for start-up companies alongside established major employers.

This stakeholder system closely resembles annual dues structures of technology councils in Nashville and Baltimore.

Palmer said the new system, starting with $100 dues for companies less than six months old, allows more of the technology community to take ownership alongside their bigger peers.

"We've gotten countless requests on how to help out and how to help TechBirmingham do what needs to be done," Palmer said. "It's not as much a change as an extension for the community to share in the support of TechBirmingham."

Palmer said the previous minimum contribution level was $2,500 a year. Now, companies with less than 10 employees will contribute $250 annually as associate stakeholders while companies with up to 49 employees will pay $500 as community stakeholders

Lead stakeholders, companies with 50 to 99 employees, will pay $1,000 a year and major stakeholders, 100 or more employees, will contribute $1,500. Tech Patrons will contribute $2,500, Strategic Partners will pay $5,000 and benefactors will pay $10,000.

Additional benefits accompany benefactor, strategic partner and patron status. They include nomination rights to the executive committee and board of directors, along with access to the master database of regional technology companies for promotional use.

The dues structure for the Nashville Technology Council is essentially the same, the lone exception being a $2,000 fee for Nashville companies with at least 100 employees. In Baltimore, there are separate membership fee schedules for technology companies and those that support the technology industry.

For technology companies, the scale ranges from $275 for first-year companies with less than 10 employees to $5,000 for companies with at least 1,000 employees.

Kreatek Inc. owner George Barckley said investing in TechBirmingham is essential for local technology firms. He said companies will reap the rewards of helping the area's burgeoning tech market grow.

Barckley, whose company is based in Gardendale, said he hopes to expand awareness of the industry's local economic impact and create more opportunities in northern Jefferson County.

"TechBirmingham has done a very good job of creating that awareness," Barckley said. "It is absolutely critical for the continued prosperity of our industry. We need to focus on growing the tech sector in this area. They can't do it without funds. Ultimately, that benefits me by getting in more qualified technicians to this area."

Palmer said the new format makes TechBirmingham more of a membership organization. It allows companies of all sizes to take active roles and gives them voices in Birmingham's tech community.

jdebutts@bizjournals.com (205) 443-5628