What:
Co-operatives are organisations owned and run by a group of members who come together to meet a shared economic, social or cultural need. In contrast to traditional business models, co-operatives strive to generate benefits for their members, rather than investors or shareholders. Members in this context can include a variety of people, including customers, employees, suppliers, residents and/or other stakeholders, depending on the company and co-operative type. There is a variety of types of co-operatives, such as workers’ co-operatives, consumer co-operatives and multi-stakeholder co-operatives.
Structurally, co-operatives operate through democratic member control, meaning that members have a voice in how the organisation is governed, how resources are used and how any surplus generated is managed. A common principle is ‘one member, one vote,’ to ensure all members have the same level of influence, regardless of financial input.
Co-operatives are often established when a group of people identify a shared need that is not currently being met by existing markets or institutions. Through collective ownership and shared responsibility, co-operatives operate to deliver value for their members and, in many cases, the wider community.
Examples:
Co-operative models have successfully enabled collective ownership and democratic governance in a range of technology-related sectors, including software development and digital services. Beyond this, community-based science organisations such as community biology laboratories have explored ways of making scientific infrastructure, equipment and knowledge more accessible through membership-based and participatory approaches. Organisations such as Genspace and BioCurious demonstrate that communities can collectively engage with advanced scientific tools and experimentation outside traditional research institutions. However, there is limited evidence of co-operative organisations currently engaging in deep tech.
Deep tech considerations:
- Many deep technologies require significant investment in physical assets, tools and equipment. If engaging with co-operatives, considerations would need to be made as to how these resources could be accessed, shared or collectively owned.
- Another key consideration is how intellectual property generated through community-owned research and development would be managed. Co-operative approaches may require alternative approaches to ownership, licensing and distribution of value than required in traditional business models.
- Similarly, co-operative models may prioritise knowledge sharing above intellectual licensing. Those engaging in deep-tech ventures would need to explore how openness and commercial viability can coexist.
More information:
Co-operatives UK (2024) Welcome guide. Available at: https://www.uk.coop/sites/default/files/2024-07/Welcome Guide_Public.pdf (Accessed: 10 August 2026).
Co-operatives UK (n.d.) Understanding co-operatives. Available at: Understanding co-operatives (Accessed: 10 August 2026).