osAlliance is Europe's first software and media lab to be organised as a co-op on a legal level. Our full legal name is "Internationaler Medienverbund reg. Gen. m.b.H." Our relationships to our partners are governed by the Genossenschaftsverband Schulze-Delitzsch, which is part of the Volksbanken group.

We have more than 40 co-op members, among those are

• software houses
• consultants
• radio stations
• media designers
• Free Software experts

- all of them may benefit from our joint marketing and sales platform or are partners in common  R&D projects. Long-lasting relationships are established through our statutes, which provide all co-op members with the right to vote at the general assembly meeting.

- any member can start a micro-co-op with our co-operative. We have worked out statutes, which can govern any project and allows to incorporate partners from outside.

You are encouraged to apply for becoming a co-op member. Co-op membership starts at EUR 100.- (EUR 300.- for companies). We do  not charge a membership fee but usually take a management role in joint projects. Co-op members have the right to participate in our decision-making process and they have access premium services, such as invitation to EC funded projects. The share's relation to the voting procedure is strictly limited. This ensures that big shareholders' rights are limited and minorities are encouraged. The organisation's rules are described in the co-op's statutes.

Member services include:

• copyright and copyleft consulting
• marketing and sales support
  
• StreamOnTheFly node network access
• joint call for research proposals;
• support for radio frequency network establishment
• in-house expert exchange
• supporting F/OSS and Open Content projects

Talk to us if you want to become a co-op member!