Because ownership matters.
Building independent, purpose-driven companies with steward-ownership. Welcome to your go-to-spot for stories, tools, and learning journeys – for entrepreneurs, investors, practitioners, and the simply curious.
New Learning Journey: Aligned FinancingWhat is Steward-Ownership?
Steward-ownership offers an alternative to conventional ownership models. It ensures that companies remain independent and mission-driven – by enshrining two core principles in a legally binding way:
Purpose Orientation
Self-Determination
The Big Picture: Discover Steward-Ownership!
Explore Steward-Ownership in Practice
Stories, tools, and learning journeys for entrepreneurs, investors, and practitioners ready to engage with a model that puts purpose and long-term independence at the center.
Stories
Learning Journeys
Resource Hub
Don't Miss The World's Biggest Gathering Around Steward-Ownership
On October 9, the steward-ownership ecosystem will gather again in Berlin for the SO:25 conference. Meet key stakeholders, dive deep in engaging workshops, and simply enjoy the atmosphere among like-minded individuals.
Stories & Insights
Steward-Ownership – What Exactly Is It Again?
Still there are quite a few misunderstandings and myths surrounding the topic of steward-ownership. This article provides some orientation by taking a closer look at the two key principles of steward-ownership: self-determination and purpose orientation. What exactly shapes them? And how are they technically spelled out?
"We are not driven by any short term concerns. We have the freedom to work with a long term perspective and a broader notion of value creation than what we usually see in the market."
Steward-Ownership Conference 2025
Soak up the spirit already today and watch the highlights video of the previous conference.
Haferkater's Transition to Steward-Ownership
Famous for its porridge-to-go, the German start-up successfully completed its transition to steward-ownership last autumn. For the big step, the founders had to raise at least around 3.5 million € of investment capital to buy out early stage investors.
It rewrites the psychology of companies, changing the deep structures that shape their behavior. There’s brilliance in this approach.
A Global Ecosystem
Steward-Ownership is gaining momentum worldwide – from bakeries in Portland to banks in Santiago de Chile to tech firms in Berlin. Across many regions, dedicated organisations have emerged, focusing their work on promoting steward-ownership locally: examples are Purpose LatAm, Purpose US, Purpose Schweiz, We Are Stewards, Steward-Owned, Stewards, Gobernanzas, Generous Ventures, Make Honey Ventures, and many more. Alongside the Purpose Foundation, they all share a common mission: making steward-ownership more accessible to entrepreneurs, investors, and all those interested.