Who Controls Your Company After the Next Round? Or After You? – Steward Ownership for Founders & Investors

Most startups are built to be sold. Steward ownership is a way to build one that stays independent. 🌳

AI is changing what it takes to build a company. Small teams now ship what used to need large rounds, and founders have more choice in how much outside capital they take, and on what terms. At the same time, venture funding has become harder to get and exits less certain. The question of who owns and controls a company has become a practical one.It also matters later. When a founder steps back, the usual options are selling to the highest bidder or passing the company to heirs. Steward ownership adds a third: handing control to people who will keep the company true to its purpose, without selling it.

Companies like Bosch, Carlsberg, Patagonia and Ecosia use steward ownership to keep control with the people who run them and to make profit serve the company's purpose. In this first evening of a monthly series, we explain how it works, why founders choose it, and whether it could fit your company.

No prior knowledge needed. In English.

🎤 Programme18:00 Doors and drinks18:15 Welcome and intro18:20 What steward ownership is, how it works, and why founders choose it18:50 Q&A19:05 Founder clinic – small tables, bring questions about your own company19:40 Networking20:15 Close