### Jason Wiener
Principal at [Jason Wiener|P.C.](http://www.jrwiener.com/), "a boutique law and business consulting practice providing expertise to social enterprises and mission-driven business models"
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### Nathan Schneider
[Assistant Professor of Media Studies](http://www.colorado.edu/cmci/people/media-studies/nathan-schneider) at the University of Colorado Boulder, leader in the ["platform cooperativism" movement](https://ioo.coop/); co-organizer of [the original conference](http://platform.coop/2015) and co-editor of the collective manifesto, _[Ours to Hack and to Own](http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/ours-to-hack-and-to-own/)_
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## What is Platform cooperativism?
A growing movement to build democracy into the operating system of the internet, from worker-led startups to #BuyTwitter
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## So, what's the problem?
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## The internet economy needs better options
* Dominant platforms built on surveillance and monopoly
* Investor expectations have decentralized the network
* Problems start with early funding terms
* With fake news, hate speech, and bullying, investor interests conflict with those of users
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### Investors need better options, too
How many companies in a given VC or angel portfolio either:
* don't need subsequent financing
* are operating profitably
* are not likely to IPO or get acquired
* have a founder who doesn't want to sell
Is there latent value in your portfolio that a strategic co-op conversion can unlock?
Can we do better than a 1/10 success rate for liquidity?
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### What's the addressable market we're talking about?
* % of convertible note portfolio
* \# of growing portfolio companies with no strategic buyer
* \# of mature portfolio companies ready to exit
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## Where do co-ops come in?
*A new market of potential buyers*
* Users, workers, or other stakeholders buy the company from early investors
* The company benefits from the trust and loyalty that come through co-ownership and democratic governance
* Early investors benefit with a fair return
* All can celebrate the social benefit
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## How would this actually work?
1. Identify candidates in fund portfolios for co-op conversions
2. Co-op capital partners finance buyout with exit to future co-owners
3. New co-owners pay off bridge capital with revenue from their business
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## What might the terms look like?
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### Example 1: Direct buy-out
Consider a portfolio company, **PortCo**, with steady cash-flow and a vibrant user community. The founder doesn't want to raise additional capital in a qualified financing; there is little to no likelihood of a convertible note converting. The fund prefers to extend the note rather than claim the principal with accrued interest.
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#### What does this mean for PortCo?
* Founder negotiates enterpise valuation
* PortCo undergoes user/worker/contributor buy-out of controlling interest
* NewCoop becomes a multi-stakeholder cooperative with:
* Worker owners (employees)
* User owners (customers)
* Contributor owners (contractors)
* Net profit allocated on basis of patronage and target dividend (or capped revenue share) to outside investors
* Fund converts at buy-out valuation or valuation cap, then holds preferred stock
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### Example 2: Leveraged buy-out
Consider a portfolio company, **TechCo**, that is growing rapidly and not yet profitable, but the founder doesn't want to exit. A mission-aligned private-equity buyer with co-op experience negotiates a buy-out with committed exit to user-ownership. There is little to no likelihood of a convertible note converting. The fund prefers to extend the note rather than claim the principal with accrued interest.
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#### What does this mean for TechCo?
* Negotiated buy-out valuation to mission-driven private equity (PE)
* Fund gets converted at buy-out valuation or val. cap, then position liquidated
* PE takes control, restructures with balance of profit and growth
* Plans multi-year transition to user-ownership
* PE recoups investment through profitability
* Resulting entity is either earn-in or buy-in coop or trust
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### Example 3: Seed stage
* Un-priced, quasi-convertible note investment
* Equity line of credit - 10% equity- preferred stock
* Repayment:
* Discretionary cash distributions
* Profit Sharing
* 3x cap
* If 3x cap is reached in < 3 years, 5% equity
* No need for exit or additional financing
(Adapted from [Indie.vc](http://indie.vc))
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## What makes us think this really can work?
*or, why is this not utopian?*
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### Namaste Solar
A North Boulder solar pv company converted from a partnership to a worker-owned cooperative. Jason was in house counsel during the process.
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### Stocksy United
A thriving, women-led stock-photo platform co-owned by hundreds of photographers, competing effectively in a competitive online market.
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### dojo4
Successful Boulder technology services firm and social innovator converted from a partnership to a worker cooperative in early 2017, preserving flexibility and boosting a high-integrity brand.
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### Associated Press
Founded as a cooperative in 1846, it's no accident that nobody accuses this company of "fake news." Today it models the potential for co-ops in large-scale media.
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### Twitter (?!)
At the 2017 annual meeting, Twitter shareholders voted on a widely publicized proposal to study the possibility of co-op conversion. Is this as crazy as it sounds?
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## How can we graft these models into the mainstream tech economy?
We want to build pathways for entrepreneurs and investors to embrace cooperative
models—and a fairer internet for everyone.
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## We'd love your ideas and your help
* What players need to be involved to make this work? Incubators, accelerators, fund managers, private equity, legacy co-ops?
* What barriers exist to deploying capital?
* How do we identify and vet deals?
* Who would be receptive to continuing this conversation?
* What role might you play?
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## How can you learn more?
[The Internet of Ownership](https://ioo.coop)
Directory of the platform co-op ecosystem
_[Ours to Hack and to Own](http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/ours-to-hack-and-to-own/)_
A collective manifesto on platform cooperativism
| **Nathan Schneider** nathan.schneider@colorado.edu | **Jason Wiener** jason@jrwiener.com |