With a new membership program, the Streaming Video Alliance is aiming to make its ecosystem just a little bit bigger.

SVA—which represents a wide variety of companies and organizations with interest in online video such as Amazon, Comcast, Intel, Adobe, and NCTA – The Internet & Television Association—has taken steps in recent months to grant memberships to individuals and smaller organizations.

The initiative, announced in August, led SVA this week to announce the addition of six new members: four companies (BlueFrame Technology, ContentArmor, Touchstream, and Phenix) and two individuals (Georgia Institute of Technology researcher Ketan Bhardwaj and Tribune Media streaming guru Rob Dillon).

The goal behind the program, SVA Executive Director Jason Thibeault said in a news release, was to expand mindsets within the online video industry.

“We have always taken pride in the diversity of companies in the Alliance, and it only makes sense we extend membership to those in the streaming video ecosystem who can benefit from financial sponsorship,” Thibeault said in the news release. “Adding these new perspectives will help initiate fresh ideas and discussions, and we are very optimistic about the grant members’ contributions over the coming year.”

The new members were brought on through an application process that took place last year, helping to identify startups and other figures that may not have had the financial means to join the alliance otherwise. The program quickly attracted longtime followers of the group.

“We have been keenly interested in the Streaming Video Alliance, having followed their work over the past several years. When the grant program opened, there was no hesitation on our part to submit a nomination,” Touchstream CEO Brenton Ough said in the news release.

SVA Board President Joe Inzerillo, in comments from August, noted that the goal was to “engage people that might not have been previously available to us.”

“There is a lot of very innovative work being done in the streaming video space by individuals and small startups,” Inzerillo added. “By offering this membership grant program, the Alliance will have the opportunity to tap into new innovations.”

The memberships will be made available to the companies and individuals for free through 2018.

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