Tech Worker Cooperatives

The cluster discusses structuring tech startups as worker cooperatives or co-ops, sharing examples, resources, and debating why this model is not more prevalent in the tech industry.

📉 Falling 0.3x Startups & Business
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#1415
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Keywords

TL US www.uk reinventingorganizations.com Start.coop SCIC CAE BTW DR start.coop ops cooperative op tech collective worker assholes model structure freelancers

Sample Comments

Nemo_bis Jul 26, 2025 View on HN

Make it a cooperative. https://tech-coops.xyz/

thayne Jan 18, 2021 View on HN

You mean like in a co-op (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative)?

imagist May 14, 2013 View on HN

This sounds a lot like the co-operative model.

fimdomeio Oct 28, 2024 View on HN

I trying to create a management software for Integral Coops in Portugal. In a gross oversimplification Integral coops tend to be location based and allow freelancers and small groups to come together and have a infrastructure as if they were a big business while keeping their independence on the work they want to doI'm trying to make it: a collective project shared between multiple coops, open source, sustainable in the long term.I've already did some micro projects to the coop I

southerntofu Sep 23, 2021 View on HN

What about starting/developing tech coops like those listed on libreho.st?

smichel17 Jan 17, 2021 View on HN

It's not exactly what you describe, but you might be interested in looking into cooperatives. https://cdsus.coop/about/what-is-a-co-op/

embik May 21, 2022 View on HN

I am pretty sure that OP is looking for this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative - so a tech startup that is owned by its employees, a worker cooperative.

jarofgreen Jun 2, 2019 View on HN

It has happened: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_cooperativeCo-ops being people who like to share, you should find plenty of examples online - here's one for UK co-op companies, for instance: https://www.uk.coop/developing-co-ops/model-gove

SamWhited Sep 4, 2024 View on HN

Start.coop (https://www.start.coop/) comes to mind, but I know I've read about others as well. I don't recall what their exact model is, so it likely doesn't match perfectly with what you're describing.

cat199 Sep 9, 2019 View on HN

cooperatives seem great.relatedly:not sure why we don't create 'partner firms' a-la attorneys - the model seems a good fit.