IBM Champions

IBM Bob is gaining momentum and community advocacy plays a critical role in that growth.

Advocacy is the foundation of the IBM Champions ecosystem. And today, we’re excited to introduce a new way to recognize advocates who go one step further with IBM Bob.

Meet the IBM Bob Advocate badge.

What is the IBM Bob Advocate badge?

The IBM Bob Advocate badge recognizes Rising Champions who not only meet the minimum Contributor-level requirements, but also complete an additional act of advocacy related to IBM Bob.

This badge is designed as a complement to the Rising Champions program, not a replacement or alternate path. Don’t worry! If you’ve already received the IBM Contributor, IBM Advocate, and/or the IBM Influencer badges AND you’ve correctly reported eligible advocacy related to IBM Bob, you may be eligible to receive your IBM Advocate badge too!

How it works

Earning the IBM Bob Advocate badge is built directly into the Rising Champions journey:

1. Earning the IBM Bob Advocate badge requires:

1. Three (3) acts of advocacy to achieve the Rising Champions Contributor level (note: they could be but don’t have to be all IBM Bob focused).

2. Plus one (1) additional act of advocacy, at minimum, that demonstrates engagement related to IBM Bob.

2. There are no changes to the Rising Champions roster of activities, this badge simply recognizes extra advocacy effort focused on IBM Bob.

1. If you’re NEW to the Rising Champions program in 2026, create a New Candidate application first. Then report your activities.

2. If you participated in either of the Rising Champions or Champions program in 2025, keep reporting your activities and make sure you include IBM Bob where applicable!

3. When you complete the activity form (as always) complete the necessary fields: the act(s) of advocacy, the description of the activity, any supporting evidence (URL), the date, etc.

1. REMEMBER: To earn the IBM Bob Advocate badge: you must complete at least one (1) eligible advocacy activity focused on IBM Bob, in addition to a minimum of three (3) core activities at the Contributor level.

2. To be recognized for IBM Bob activity, you must choose IBM Bob under “Product(s) Involved in this Act of Advocacy”. If you don’t choose correctly, that may result in delayed recognition.

If you are new to the program and you have completed the requirements, you’ll receive:

• The IBM Contributor Badge

• Plus the IBM Bob Advocate badge

Both may be awarded together depending on your activity report, which will recognize both your overall advocacy and your contribution to IBM Bob.

If you have already received the IBM Contributor, IBM Advocate, or IBM Influencer badges in 2026, and you submit a minimum of one (1) IBM Bob eligible advocacy activities, you are also eligible to receive the IBM Bob Advocate badge. Depending on your status in the program you may receive badges awarded together or separately.

Note: Badge issuance is NOT automatic. All applications are evaluated for content, validity, and evidence. 

Still unsure about how to get credit for your advocacy activities? Visit Reporting Advocacy Activities: How to Get Credit for the Advocacy You’re Actually Doing

Also important! If you are posting IBM Bob content on any of the IBM Communities, please ensure you are reporting your posts in the activity reporting form too.  With changes to our systems this year, community posts should be reported too.  

Why we created the IBM Bob Badge

IBM Bob is gaining momentum (so exciting) and community advocacy plays a critical role in that growth.

The IBM Bob Advocate badge helps us:

• Recognize and celebrate real advocacy in action

• Encourage contributors to share their experiences with Bob

• Amplify community-driven adoption and storytelling

What the IBM Bob Advocate badge means and doesn’t mean

To be clear:

• It does mean you’ve advocated for IBM Bob

• It does mean you’ve met the minimum Rising Champions Contributor requirements

• It does NOT mean a higher level in the Rising Champions program, nor IBM Champion status

It’s a spotlight, not a step-up!

Get started

Already participating in the Rising Champions program?

You may already qualify. Any qualifying activity related to IBM Bob counts, and eligible activities will be recognized, including those already submitted this year. If you haven’t received your IBM Bob Advocate badge yet… rest assured we are working on it.

New to the program? Get your New Candidate Application started.

Now’s the perfect time to start building your advocacy journey with IBM Bob as part of your story.

What’s next

This is just the beginning.

As IBM Bob continues to evolve, we’ll continue to explore new ways to recognize and celebrate the advocates who help bring it to life. Until then, thank you for all you do -- we appreciate you (and so does Bob!)!

Important note on IBM Z and LinuxONE advocacy: If your activity is primarily related to IBM Z and LinuxONE, you may want to begin with the IBM Z and LinuxONE Advocacy Hub. Please note that activities used for earning the IBM Z and LinuxONE community badges will not be double-counted for badges in the IBM Rising Champions Advocacy program; however, you may be eligible for an IBM Bob Advocacy Badge, if you have earned the IBM Z and LinuxONE advocacy badges. Please allow some time for processing. 

Notice: As always, the program reserves the right to update categories and badge/program definitions.