Real-World Evidence
From 90-year-old cooperative banks to 70,000-person worker cooperatives, mycelial economics powers real systems serving millions of people worldwide.
Proving that communities can create their own credit based on trust rather than debt.
🇮🇹 Sardinia, Italy
The Sardex network demonstrates large-scale viability of mutual credit with 4,000+ businesses transacting annually through interest-free mutual credit. The system maintains 1:1 Euro tax equivalency and full regulatory compliance—proving alternative currencies can work within existing legal frameworks.
Founded in 2010 during the European debt crisis, Sardex emerged when small businesses couldn't access bank credit. Instead of waiting for external rescue, they created their own credit based on mutual trust and trade relationships.
🇨🇭 Switzerland
The longest-running mutual credit system in modern history, WIR Bank has operated since 1934 with 45,000 members and 1.5 billion CHF annual turnover. Their cooperative banking model shows how mutual credit can integrate with traditional financial services while maintaining democratic member ownership.
Economist James Stodder found that WIR acts as an automatic economic stabilizer—usage increases during recessions when conventional credit tightens, helping smooth economic cycles.
Proof that worker ownership scales to billions in revenue.
🇪🇸 Basque Country, Spain
257 Companies
Integrated cooperative ecosystem
The world's largest worker cooperative operates as an integrated ecosystem including cooperative banking (Caja Laboral), insurance (Lagun Aro), retail (Eroski), and education (Mondragon University). Annual revenues in the billions of euros.
Key success factors include democratic governance, wage equity ratios of 3:1 to 9:1 (compared to 350:1 at typical corporations), profit sharing based on contribution, and values-based operations following 10 cooperative principles.
Founded in 1956 by Father José María Arizmendiarrieta, Mondragon proves that worker ownership isn't just idealistic—it's economically competitive at the highest levels.
1,250+ mapped communities testing regenerative economics in practice.
🏴 Scotland
Achieves one of the lowest ecological footprints in the developed world while maintaining economic viability. Community-owned wind turbines provide 100%+ of energy needs. Plans for carbon neutrality by 2030. Founded 1962.
findhorn.org →🇺🇸 Tennessee, USA
Supports 200 residents through 20 community-run businesses based on nonviolence and environmental stewardship. Operating since 1971, pioneered midwifery, vegetarian nutrition, and sustainable building in the US.
thefarm.org →🇺🇸 Missouri, USA
Operates entirely on renewable energy with straw bale construction and cooperative vehicle ownership. Residents use 10% of the American average in resources while maintaining modern quality of life. Founded 1997.
dancingrabbit.org →🇬🇧 Devon, England
Reached 12% of local households, generating average £570/year energy savings while creating a local economic blueprint for post-carbon resilience. Their REconomy Centre supports regenerative enterprises through co-working spaces and community networks. Model replicated in thousands of communities worldwide.
transitiontowntotnes.org →Proving regenerative principles work in mainstream markets.
🇧🇷 Brazil
Preservation of 2+ million Amazon hectares through "standing forest economy" involving 7,000 families. B Corp certified, carbon neutral since 2007. Proves that beauty industry can regenerate rather than extract.
🇧🇷 São Paulo
Ellen MacArthur Foundation documented program purchasing local regenerative produce at 30% above market value to incentivize agricultural transition. Creates economic incentives for farmers to shift from extractive to regenerative practices.
🇺🇸 Georgia, USA
Preserves 70% of 1,000 acres as conservation land while providing 100% EarthCraft certified housing, organic farm-to-table restaurants, and natural wastewater treatment. Shows regenerative development at large scale (though cost remains a challenge).
🌍 Worldwide
Hundreds of projects exploring regenerative finance: Regen Network (blockchain for ecological data), Toucan Protocol (carbon credit tokenization), Gitcoin (quadratic funding for public goods), Open Forest Protocol (reforestation verification).
Tax-exempt systems valuing all contributions equally.
🇯🇵 Japan
Operates the world's largest time exchange with transferable care credits for elderly services. Younger people earn credits caring for elders, then transfer credits to their own aging parents in different regions. Pioneered in 1995, now nationwide.
🇺🇸 🇬🇧 Global
250+ active systems in the UK, 276+ in the US. Tax-exempt networks where one hour equals one credit regardless of skill level. Lawyer's hour = gardener's hour = childcare hour. Builds social capital in communities.
timebanks.org →Scale is possible. Mondragon's 70,000 workers and billions in revenue. WIR's 90 years and 1.5 billion CHF. Sardex's €50M+ annual transactions. These aren't pilot projects—they're mature systems that have weathered recessions, political changes, and technological shifts.
Regulatory compliance is achievable. Sardex maintains 1:1 Euro tax equivalency. WIR operates as a licensed bank. Time banks are tax-exempt in many jurisdictions. Working within legal frameworks is harder than ignoring them, but creates lasting legitimacy.
Crisis creates opportunity. WIR emerged from the Great Depression. Sardex from the European debt crisis. Mondragon from post-Civil War Basque poverty. When conventional systems fail, alternatives become not just desirable but necessary.
Ostrom's principles work. Elinor Ostrom's Nobel Prize-winning research identified eight design principles for successful commons governance. The systems that thrive—Mondragon, WIR, successful ecovillages—embody these principles. The 90%+ of intentional communities that fail typically violate them.
Design patterns that distinguish successful commons from failed experiments.
Define who's in and what's shared
Benefits match contributions
Those affected make the rules
Transparent accountability systems
Proportional consequences
Local, accessible, fair processes
Right to self-organize recognized
Polycentric, multi-level structure
The evidence is clear. The technology exists. The path forward is mapped. Now we need collaborators to help build the next generation of regenerative infrastructure.