Why Join Intersect? Complete Membership Guide
Intersect is the member-based governance organization for Cardano, empowering the community through transparent governance, coordinated development, and accessible resources. As a developer or contributor to the Cardano ecosystem, becoming an Intersect member gives you a voice in shaping the future of the platform you're building on.
Why Membership Matters for Developers
When you join Intersect, you're not just getting access to community resources—you're becoming a stakeholder with real decision-making power in the Cardano ecosystem. This includes:
- Voting rights on important ecosystem decisions
- Direct participation in technical committees and working groups
- Early access to development updates and strategic insights
- Networking with other developers, researchers, and industry leaders
- Educational resources to accelerate your Cardano expertise
Membership Tiers & Benefits
Individual Member - $10/year
Perfect for developers, researchers, and individual contributors
Voting & Governance Rights
- 1 vote at Annual Members Meeting (AMM)
- Vote on committee positions and working group leadership
- Vote on Intersect governance matters that affect the ecosystem
- Participate in Intersect's governance process and shape ecosystem decisions
Leadership & Participation Opportunities
- Eligible to be elected to steering committees
- Join or be appointed to working groups (like Developer Experience, Smart Contracts, Security)
- Eligible for one-year board seat elections
- Nominate candidates for board elections
- Eligible for core technical steering committee positions
Access & Resources
- Access to Intersect Discord community
- Intersect members portal with exclusive content
- Town halls and community events
- Discounted or free event tickets
- Early access to Cardano project updates and research
- Exclusive research papers and data for informed decision-making
- Educational resources, tutorials, and guides
- Member-exclusive events, conferences, and meetups
- Special discussions and workshops with blockchain industry leaders
- Weekly development reports and committee updates
- Intersect newsletters with ecosystem insights
Associate (Free)
Great for getting started and exploring the community
What You Get
- Access to Intersect Discord community
- Join working groups as a contributor
- Access to town halls and public events
- Basic educational resources
- Intersect newsletters
What You Don't Get
- No voting rights on governance matters
- Cannot be elected to steering committees or board positions
- No access to member-exclusive events and research
- No early access to development updates
Enterprise Member - $1,000/year
For organizations building on Cardano
All Individual Member benefits plus:
- Add team members to your organization's membership
- Company logo on Intersect website (for founding members)
- Enhanced networking opportunities with other enterprise members
How Membership Directly Benefits Developers
1. Shape the Tools You Use
As a member, you can:
- Vote on technical steering committee members who decide on development priorities
- Join working groups that improve developer experience, documentation, and tooling
- Influence decisions about smart contract languages, APIs, and development frameworks
2. Stay Ahead of the Curve
Get exclusive access to:
- Early development updates before public announcements
- Research papers on upcoming protocol improvements
- Technical specifications and roadmap insights
- Direct communication with core developers and researchers
3. Build Your Career & Network
- Connect with Cardano's top developers and technical leaders
- Participate in member-exclusive workshops and technical discussions
- Get recognized for contributions to committees and working groups
- Access discounted tickets to major blockchain conferences
4. Influence Ecosystem Direction
Your vote matters on:
- Technical committee leadership who guide protocol development
- Working group priorities that affect developer experience
- Board members who set organizational strategy
- Governance proposals that shape Cardano's future
Recommended Path for Developers
Step 1: Start as Associate (Free)
- Register at members.intersectmbo.org
- Join the Discord community
- Participate in town halls and working groups
- Get familiar with the ecosystem
Step 2: Upgrade to Individual Member ($10/year)
Once you're ready to have a voice in governance:
- Upgrade your membership for voting rights
- Apply to join relevant technical committees
- Vote on important ecosystem decisions
- Access member-exclusive resources and events
Step 3: Get Involved
- Join the Developer Experience Working Group to improve onboarding and tools
- Participate in Smart Contract Working Group if you're building dApps
- Contribute to Security Working Group for protocol security improvements
- Run for committee positions to have direct influence on technical direction
Getting Started
Ready to Join?
- Visit: www.intersectmbo.org
- Register: members.intersectmbo.org/registration
- Choose your tier: Associate (free) or Individual Member ($10/year)
- Access Discord: Get invited to the community channels
- Participate: Join working groups and start contributing
Questions?
- Community Support: Ask in Discord after joining
- Technical Issues: Use Cardano Stack Exchange
- General Info: Check docs.intersectmbo.org
Why $10/year for Individual Membership?
For less than $1 per month, you get:
- Real voting power in a $80+ billion ecosystem
- Direct access to decision-makers and technical leaders
- Early insights that can inform your development strategy
- Professional networking opportunities worth far more than the membership fee
- Influence over the tools and protocols you build with daily
The cost of NOT being a member: Missing out on decisions that affect your development experience and the future of the platform you're building on.
This guide reflects current membership benefits as of October 2025. Benefits and pricing may be updated by Intersect. Check intersectmbo.org for the latest information.