We are living through overlapping crises: deepening inequality, climate breakdown, democratic erosion, and the growing capture of public life by corporate power. These are not separate failures. They are symptoms of an economic model built on private ownership and profit maximisation above all else. If we want different outcomes, we need a different foundation rooted in shared ownership, democratic governance, ecological responsibility and long-term stewardship. This two-day seminar is for those who want to move beyond critique — and into what needs to be done.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
— Buckminster R. Fuller
What We Will Explore
Date: April 14–15, 2026, Předklášteří (close to Brno, Czechia)
Day 1 — Designing Regenerative Enterprise
The first day focuses on the architecture of regenerative enterprise. We will explore cooperative models, steward-ownership structures and not-for-profit companies, looking beyond legal forms to the deeper design choices that shape behaviour over time. How an organisation relates to profit, who holds power, how decisions are made, and how it is financed all determine whether it can genuinely serve the common good.
Grounded in real practice, we will also hear from practitioners from the Czech Republic and Austria about what it actually takes to run a regenerative enterprise. Together, we will examine the tensions, trade-offs and strategic decisions that define long-term impact, moving from abstract models to lived organisational reality.
Day 2 — From Enterprises to Ecosystems
On the second day, we zoom out from individual organisations to the systems around them. A single cooperative does not transform an economy; real change requires supportive ecosystems, shared infrastructure and enabling policy. We will analyse cooperative infrastructures and scaling strategies from different regions of the world (such as Preston, Kerala, Northern Italy, etc.) to extract lessons relevant to our own context.
The focus shifts from designing better organisations to building economic systems that can endure and expand. We will explore how cooperative economies grow beyond isolated initiatives, what role municipalities and public policy can realistically play, and how financial structures can enable scaling without sacrificing mission or democratic control.
Who Is This Workshop For
We are intentionally bringing together a diverse group of people who care about how we can change our economic system in practical ways.
1. People already engaged in building alternatives
This includes those working in cooperatives, social or regenerative enterprises, alternative ownership models, municipalities, civil society organisations or community initiatives. It is suited for people who are developing projects, shaping policy, or supporting economic innovation and want to deepen their strategic understanding.
2. People who are curious and ready to engage
You may not be running a project or working in this field yet, but you are seriously interested in how our economy could function differently. The workshop is also open to those who want to understand concrete alternatives to the current model and are willing to actively participate in discussions and group work.
Who Will Facilitate the Workshop?
Katy Shields is a renegade economist, organiser, activist and storyteller. A former economic consultant for major brands like The Economist, Financial Times and Newsweek, she left mainstream economics several years ago to found the Regenerative Economy Lab, a learn-and-do programme that brings people together to explore new economic thinking and ways to move from theory to practice. Based in Vienna, Katy also teaches new economic thinking at several higher education institutions in Austria and internationally. She is the author and narrator of Tipping Point: The True Story of The Limits to Growth, with over 120,000 listeners.
Tadeáš Žďárský is an educator, facilitator and practitioner focused on post-growth economic transformation. He co-organises Degrowth Summer Schools and the Degrowth Academy, creating spaces for transformative political education.
Alongside his educational work, he supports organisations as a consultant, advising them on how to operate in more self-managed and democratic ways. He is deeply interested in facilitation, non-violent communication and the relational skills necessary to make new forms of democratic economic practice not only possible, but sustainable in the long term.
We will be joined by experienced practitioners and guest speakers who bring hands-on knowledge from cooperative and regenerative economy initiatives. Further speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Dates, Venue and Pricing
The seminar will take place at NaNebi, a renovated monastery nestled in nature in Předklášteří. Over the past year, the NaZemi team has been caring for and gradually renewing this space as a living example of degrowth values: community-run, democratically managed and participatory. Guests contribute to its renewal through shared care and presence. The site includes a community garden, apple orchards and spaces designed for reflection, dialogue and co-creation.
The workshop runs from 10:00 CET on Tuesday, 14 April to 17:00 CET on Wednesday, 15 April 2026. The workshop will be held in English.
The participation fee is €150 (Standard) or €300 (Enterprise/Sponsor rate). A limited number of supported places from €0 are available for those who would otherwise not be able to attend (We are pleased to be able to offer supported places for those on low or precarious incomes. We particularly encourage younger people, women, and those from marginalised backgrounds to apply for a Supported place.). The fee primarily covers accommodation and food, as the programme itself is funded by the Civic Innovation Fund. It includes plant-based meals and snacks on both days, as well as one night of accommodation in a five- or seven-bed dormitory. Two-bed rooms are available upon request for an additional €20.
When applying, please indicate your chosen pricing option, accommodation preference, and any dietary or accessibility needs in the application form linked below.
👉 Fill out the Registration form.
Registrations close on 25 March 2026. For any questions, contact us at tadeas.zdarsky@nazemi.cz.
