Last week I was talking about how awesome it would be if some of the people who have been laid off recently from 'Big Tech' jobs decided to form #coops.
There seemed to be a need for more info around this, so I had a meeting with CoTech colleagues @BillySmith@chrislowis & @Graham_Mitchell to figure out something practical.
Pleased to show MVP site as a result of this at https://start.coops.tech
There are five of us - including @KingMob - volunteering initially. Please share widely!
There seemed to be a need for more info around this, so I had a meeting with CoTech colleagues @BillySmith@chrislowis & @Graham_Mitchell to figure out something practical.
Pleased to show MVP site as a result of this at https://start.coops.tech
There are five of us - including @KingMob - volunteering initially. Please share widely!
This entry was edited (2 months ago)
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@TrevorBramble
It would probably be good to have some background on what you mean by a co-op. I understand co-ops in terms of housing and retail businesses, where the often there's a requirement that customers are members. But, what does it look like in the tech space?
It would probably be good to have some background on what you mean by a co-op. I understand co-ops in terms of housing and retail businesses, where the often there's a requirement that customers are members. But, what does it look like in the tech space?
@merc@TrevorBramble Take a look at https://coops.tech - basically worker ownership
CoTech Β« Cooperative Technologists
Building a tech industry that's better for its workers and customers through co-operation, democracy and worker ownership.CoTech Β« Cooperative Technologists
@KingMob
I encourage you to take a look at the ChiHackNight civic tech group in #Chicago. http://www.chihacknight.org
Join their Slack channel; or their Tuesday on-line events. One sub group focuses on co-ops.
This has been going for 10 years and many projects have been launched from the working groups. Looks similar to your goal.
I encourage you to take a look at the ChiHackNight civic tech group in #Chicago. http://www.chihacknight.org
Join their Slack channel; or their Tuesday on-line events. One sub group focuses on co-ops.
This has been going for 10 years and many projects have been launched from the working groups. Looks similar to your goal.
@tutormentor1@KingMob
I was going to look into this further, but doesn't seem all that FOSS serious with GitHub, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links.
I was going to look into this further, but doesn't seem all that FOSS serious with GitHub, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links.
Best of luck!
PS. Would be awesome if the coop model also adopted ethical standards with regards to what was permissible as the business model, etc. (e.g., not allowing businesses that monetise peopleβs data space under the banner, etc.) After all, a more equitable arrangement isnβt necessarily a win if everyone in an organisation is equitably benefitting from an unethical business model.
Iβm sure youβre already discussing such things.
@BillySmith@chrislowis@Graham_Mitchell@KingMob
PS. Would be awesome if the coop model also adopted ethical standards with regards to what was permissible as the business model, etc. (e.g., not allowing businesses that monetise peopleβs data space under the banner, etc.) After all, a more equitable arrangement isnβt necessarily a win if everyone in an organisation is equitably benefitting from an unethical business model.
Iβm sure youβre already discussing such things.
@BillySmith@chrislowis@Graham_Mitchell@KingMob
@KingMob Great idea! Please check out https://geo.coop/articles/how-create-solidarity-enterprise the emphasis on starting not with the business plan, or tech project, but with the solidarity group is crucial. I wonder how it might apply in this context?
@KingMob
I've been thinking about this alot and I think people need examples of successful tech companies pulling this off to truly understand this is possible. I'd love documentaries / interviews with founders, employees describing the differences from previous non co-op jobs. Blasting this message out is really important to adoption. It's really a different way of thinking about tech, funding, investing, ipo, all of it.
I've been thinking about this alot and I think people need examples of successful tech companies pulling this off to truly understand this is possible. I'd love documentaries / interviews with founders, employees describing the differences from previous non co-op jobs. Blasting this message out is really important to adoption. It's really a different way of thinking about tech, funding, investing, ipo, all of it.
I would really like to find people to work with to form a rural co-op ISP with a focus on teaching people in the community how to operate the technology. I'd like to see more skills exemplified over time, but ISP is my wheel house.
I will make a note of this resource, and hopefully find time and energy to pursue this further.
@BillySmith@chrislowis@Graham_Mitchell@KingMob
I will make a note of this resource, and hopefully find time and energy to pursue this further.
@BillySmith@chrislowis@Graham_Mitchell@KingMob
There are different types of co-ops, but this thread is mainly about worker co-operatives, which basically means that the organization is owned and run by the workers, rather than by someone else. A lot more can be said about it, but that's the simplified version.
Billy Smith likes this.
Yes, in a nuts-and-bolts kind of a way it is about ownership, but to say it is just about ownership is to deny the hugely rich seam of opportunities that flow from the application of the underpinning values and principles. Cooperation is a radically different way to do business. @hubert@dajb@BillySmith@liztai@chrislowis@KingMob
Democracy@Work might be nice in this. I think some interaction with them would be beneficial
iβve tried a dozen times and canβt get past your recaptcha so it might be broken.
for folks in countries absent cooperative laws that support tech companies (namely india) you may want to reach out to the folks at nilenso.com about their coop structure. itβs open source:
https://github.com/nilenso/cooperative-agreement
good luck!
for folks in countries absent cooperative laws that support tech companies (namely india) you may want to reach out to the folks at nilenso.com about their coop structure. itβs open source:
https://github.com/nilenso/cooperative-agreement
good luck!
GitHub - nilenso/cooperative-agreement: Legal document to incorporate a cooperative in India (structured as a limited liability partnership)
Legal document to incorporate a cooperative in India (structured as a limited liability partnership) - GitHub - nilenso/cooperative-agreement: Legal document to incorporate a cooperative in India (...GitHub
I wasn't laid off from Big Tech, but I'm thinking of doing this with a aside hustle here in Aotearoa NZ anyway.
good to see. thanx for posting. I know of https://colab.coop but more info is usually better.
We are nice people working to realize your dreams.
We co-create simple, purpose-driven web technology for a better worldCoLab
Kristian likes this.
@kiddyr Someone made me aware of this today as well https://www.ownco.org/blog/ownership-economy-landscape-in-2023
FYI I appear to be in an endless loop of proving Iβm not a robot, having it do the green check and ask me again (from my iPhone).
Do you really human checking on that page?
Do you really human checking on that page?
We are turning a volunteer coalition here in CT into a co-op:
CW: it is #cybersecurity in Defense manufacturing
drafted our mission and vision statement.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bM5_BO2zxhqyU19ukdtsDKxtGnIy6ItNJMrVMAeQne0/ed
Going to do an S-corp or LLC in US.
Don't want to make money but members can charge if they facilitate trainings, any excess funds donated.
We needed way to have insurance and tax ID, co-op seem to make most sense
it
CW: it is #cybersecurity in Defense manufacturing
drafted our mission and vision statement.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bM5_BO2zxhqyU19ukdtsDKxtGnIy6ItNJMrVMAeQne0/ed
Going to do an S-corp or LLC in US.
Don't want to make money but members can charge if they facilitate trainings, any excess funds donated.
We needed way to have insurance and tax ID, co-op seem to make most sense
it
Awesome, this is a thing I've been thinking about a lot, and which I've gotten buy-in for from my current client, as a way of expanding our relationship (so to speak).
I have booked a slot to chat with you on Friday morning (Jon Levin), looking forward to it!
I have booked a slot to chat with you on Friday morning (Jon Levin), looking forward to it!
Doug Belshaw on LinkedIn: #cotech #coop
Doug Belshaw (www.linkedin.com)