⊫Introducing⋰Coliga⋯
“We are just beginning to glimpse the bare outlines of a new economic system, entering onto the world’s stage. It’s called the collaborative commons. This is the first new economic paradigm since the onset of capitalism and its antagonist socialism in the early nineteenth century. Is a remarkable historical event and has long-term implications for all of us in our day to day lives.” Jeremy Rifkin
How we got here
We live in an age marked by instant connectivity and constant change, which is causing us to rethink many aspects of our lives. From the ways that we find work and make things to the ways we engage with ownership and participate in governance, many of the paradigms shaping our political and economic lives are being disrupted through technology.
In response, new forms of organizations are emerging across sectors to create more flexible, more fluid, and more distributed ways of living and working. Many of these organizations operate in stark contrast with the hierarchical ways of working that have defined the globalized economy so far.
In the past decade, organizations like Enspiral, Holacracy, and The Art of Hosting have developed new governance tools and processes that put power back into the hands of people. At the same time, new forms of neo-tribal communities are emerging to create alternative social and economic models that foster a more collaborative economy. From art collectives and hacker groups to ecovillages and worker cooperatives, many of these communities leverage both digital technology and physical space to create strong networks for communication and exchange.
In recent years, our team has developed two projects that exist at the intersection of organization and community: Agora, a center for contemporary practice in Berlin, and Apoio, a cleaning service. Through Agora, we developed organizing methods for participatory leadership, and through Apoio, we built an action-oriented software that equips workers to self-organize around incoming jobs, personal projects, and local events.
Coliga is the synthesis of both those experiments: a software platform that helps communities and networks of independent workers empower their members through self-organization and collaboration around jobs and opportunities. With Coliga, communities can leverage their reputation to create value for their members while retaining a percentage of the job value as members leverage their network to get the job done.
What we are building
We’re creating Coliga because we are freelancers and community organizers first and foremost. As freelancers, we’ve often struggled when looking for opportunities to move forward and felt alone in the process of finding work.
The current labor market and economy is still organized in favor of large hierarchical, inflexible companies and organizations. Facing them alone on the job market is daunting, which is why we are dedicating our time to creating tools that equip workers to come together and create solutions that serve our communities. We believe that no one should have to struggle alone in the pursuit of meaningful work.
To begin, we are testing our tool with coworking spaces to increase the flow of jobs into the community and give members a way to connect and build relationships around shared interests and work opportunities. By helping communities like coworking spaces create new channels for monetization, they’ll be able to thrive within the traditional market economy while creating opportunities for their members to move forward in life.
Where do we go from there
In the months ahead, we are partnering with two coworking spaces in Berlin to test the tool. If you are curious about Coliga and would like to learn more or want to partner with us, please send us an email. We’d love to talk.
Pedro Jardim
Pedro@Coliga.de
Mate Gwóźdź
Mate@Coliga.de
