130 years ago, Carl Zeiss started a new form of ownership in Germany, which has since steadily spread and today includes such well-known names as Bosch, Sonett, Voelkel and Mahle. They have all anchored their organization’s values into their ownership structure.
In workshops and keynote speeches, young companies could learn from other start-ups, how the right ownership structure can anchor their company’s values into its legal DNA.
Reports featured CEOs and founders of Ecosia, Sharetribe, Soulbottles and well-known investors such as Albert Wenger (Unio Square Ventures).
The conference enabled companies, facing the question of
succession, to exchange ideas and learn about interesting solutions of ownership and succession design. Companies like Waschbär and Voelkel talked about their ownership structures and how they enabled the company to “own itself.”
Participants got advice from an expert about their specific questions for 10-15 minutes in the expert clinics.
The Ownership Conference offered the opportunity to learn from steward-owned companies: How does ownership responsibility affect employees, customers, and society? How can ownership structures help shape an economy in the interests of society?
At the ownership conference, participants joined in the conversation with
• Companies that belong to themselves
• Owners looking for sustainable ownership structures
• Politicians and academics
Keynotes and workshops explored the general and specific aspects, opportunities, and challenges of self-owned companies.
A bill has been presented, which a group of self-owned companies developed.
An official legal form would facilitate the establishment of more self-owned companies in the future. The design serves as the foundation and impetus for the practical dialogue with the political establishment on responsible ownership as a promising force for social change.