1 of 29

AET GOVERNANCE

SO … HOW ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE ON TRANSFORMING THE WORLD?

AUG, 2018 — ART / EARTH / TECH NUCLEUS

2 of 29

QUESTION

What are the governance structures, patterns and practices we should put in place that support:

  • A sense of ownership, fairness and trust amongst the nucleus, members, and the broader community
  • People investing their time, energy and goodwill in a way that is aligned with the mission and values, and preserves and enhances AET’s reputation
  • AET staying true to the deepest elements of its vision, mission, values and culture [whilst being able to evolve in line with circumstance]
  • AET being able to live on beyond its founders
  • Clear reciprocal relationships with associated projects [such as London Hub, LEAP, Datopian, Institute, Ecosoul etc]
  • Clarity on all of the above

3 of 29

HYPOTHESIS

Create an explicit membership model, establish a board, create separate voting and revenue shares with a formula for assessing contribution and allocating new [revenue] shares based on contribution; set out clear community agreements; create template agreements for new associated projects and spaces and test these out with the London Hub and at least two projects …

4 of 29

5 of 29

6 of 29

MEMBERSHIP

HOW DO YOU BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY? WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS?

7 of 29

You become a member by being an active member of a “family”.

A “family” is a group that meets regularly for mutual support, sharing and exchange rooted in AET values and practices [joy, open-mindedness, getting stuff done, rigour]

Group size: usually ~5-8 people

Meet regularly: at least once a month

Meet: in person by default or online if no other means

How does a member leave?

By ceasing to be actively involved in a family.

8 of 29

Members

Friends & Partners

The World

9 of 29

Art / Earth / Tech Family, Group, Tribe and Community

Family: is a group of 5-7 people that meets regularly for mutual support, sharing and exchange rooted in AET values and practices.

Groups: are between 25 to 45 people that come together at events

Group: ~30

Family: ~5-7

Tribe: ~150 people

Art / Earth / Tech

Community

10 of 29

How does a member leave?

By ceasing to be actively involved in a family.

How can a member be removed?

A member can be removed by Board without recourse or cause by written notice (though obviously endeavour to discuss, complete etc).

11 of 29

Entry - Free - Newsletter

To be a member: member of a family, you need to join a family and be an active member of a family.

L1 Supporter - 25 per year - Invited to our events, newsletter, share research (Yip, Lucie, Ozlem

L2 Member - 15 per month - Member rates for our events, access to timeshare at member rates, access to skills share, become a voting member (Penny, Joe, Nick, Hannah, Awais)

L3 Contributor - x per month - Tom, Cecile, Esteban +++

L4 Shareholder

12 of 29

CONTRIBUTORS

HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED IN OUR ACTIVITIES? WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS? WHAT AUTHORITY DOES IT GIVE YOU? HOW DOES REMUNERATION WORK?

13 of 29

WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE

Level 1 Supporters

Make a financial and/or in-kind contribution (e.g. regular donation of €10 a month or help run a supper)

Level 2 Contributor

You represent AET, have been a family leader, and have attended at least one Gathering and have actively contributed to one major initiative.

Level 3: Shareholder

L2 + you have and are leading a major event (30 people +) or an initiative and shown competence and commitment. Long-term commitment to AET mission and vision. Attend all quarterly leadership team meeting and training and have done self- transforming work.

LEVEL 2:

Contributors

LEVEL 3:

Shareholder

LEVEL 1: Supporters

Sympathisers

14 of 29

Level 1: Supporter

Have access to some perks e.g. dinner, sprints and Hub at member price.

Pays a membership of €X per month

Level 2: Contributor

Represent AET, collaborate & can be involved in some decision-making on e.g. events

Pays a membership of €X per month; has attended the Gathering once and has gone to 2 events in last year (eg: sprint, dinner, workshop…) and [actively] contributing to at least one initiative

Level 3: Shareholder

L2 + have run major event or an initiative and shown competence and commitment. Long-term commitment to AET mission and vision. Attend all quarterly team meeting and training and miss no more than 2 consecutive monthly meetings. Doing self-transformation work. Continuing to be actively engaged in major [associated] events or initiatives.

LEVEL 3:

Contributors

LEVEL 4:

Shareholder

LEVEL 2: Members of a Family + Run 30 people event + family leader : give you voting over what event we do...

Level 1: Member of a family

15 of 29

SHARES, REVENUE, VOTING & MORE

16 of 29

INTENTION

  • Recognizing value: Have a common yardstick for recognizing and remunerating value: ultimately (over the long-run) we want value in ~= value out (modulo people’s generosity and a recognition that for a community like this to work everyone needs to approach this with an attitude more than they get out) => “valuums” (which look at lot like shares)
  • Recognizing risk (and differential availability of cash): some people may invest energy and money when there is little cash around – we want them to get compensated later. One option is loans; one option is equity.
  • Fair but not equal => we want to recognize differntial contribution so that people feel fairly treated and we have incentives; at the same time we want to “flatten” those incentives compared to the outside world (we want to incentivize effort and quality but without giving too much weight to inequality in skill and life endowments people don’t control)

17 of 29

PRINCIPLES

The core AET entity will operate more like a CIC (community interest company) than a traditional for-profit company though the exact legal structure is tbd.

  • Asset lock: the assets held by AET can not be liquidated and distributed except to another entity pursuing the same purpose and mission
  • Distribution to shareholders will be set

18 of 29

VOTING & REVENUE SHARES

19 of 29

TODOS

  • What are agreements for members (at different levels) e.g. do not gossip, keep X confidential, …
  • Membership application process

  • Wouldn’t it be better if AET central fund reinvested all it surplus into AET?
  • What that is that people make money out of AET, that they earn it from the profit earning of associated companies of AET
  • Why would AET want to be a non-profit?
  • Fear: is that the making money will kill the community

20 of 29

Management

Board + Founding Members

Voting Share

Economical Share

21 of 29

THE BOARD

The board is not remunerated. Board decisions are by majority voting with majority required of both permanent and non-permanent board members.

What are the criteria to be a board member?

To be a Level 3 member and have done the Landmark Forum so that they share a language. Shown past & present commitment to self-development and transformation.

How do you get elected to be on the board?

Consensus invitation by founding board members for a two year term.

22 of 29

How does one leave the board?

To leave the board, we expect 9 months notice. Plus non-permanent serve 2 year terms (can be renewed by agreement of member and board).

How does one remove someone from the board?

Majority vote of permanent and all board members.

Are founding board members governed by the same rules?

No. Permanent members of the board can only be removed by consensus of other permanent members.

23 of 29

MANAGEMENT

COO/CFO: admin, HR, operations and finance

CEO: strategy, direction, business development, partnerships

CMO/CCO: Communications, branding etc

Head of Institute: (CRO) chief research officer

Head of Spaces: manage existing spaces + dev new ones

24 of 29

RELATIONSHIP WITH ASSOCIATED PROJECTS

Who are the stakeholders, what is their value proposition, what is the flow of value between them such that [more] people associate their project with aet, aet has resources for managing, people feel clear on relationship with AET, and AET is managing risks [e.g. reputational] going forward?

Example: London Hub, Datopian

25 of 29

Stakeholders

Value proposition

Value flow: Give

Value flow: Receive

Owners of Fairchild House

[Catalina + Rufus]

- Get access to space (with people there who like / aligned)

- Don’t have to manage the space [done by AET]

- Admin [AET]

- Finding tenants [AET + hub nucleus]

- Space / people management [Hub nucleus]

- Purpose: contribute to a wiser society and specifically AET

Financial [may get these anyway]

- Capital appreciation

- Get a rent [below market]

- Lend capital at below market rent

- Flexibility [capital lent long term]

- Support - believe in you

- Hassle free rent [rent to people you trust]

- Stay with AET people

- Social impact [sexiness]

Hub Residents /

Hub Nucleus

- Live in a beautiful place

- Attractive rents

- With aligned people

- Flexibility but in a community

- Part of a bigger community [AET] - CV, Purpose, …

- Co-creation of this community

- Creative freedom to use the space

- Connected to a broader community that nourishes them

- Sense of purpose and meaning

- Rents

- Time to organize

- Belief

- Demo / pilot [of coliving, AET]

- Presence in London

- Represent AET

- Below market rents

- Colive with aligned people [access to network of aligned people] = great flatmates

- Support

- Professional connections and development

- Reputation

- Purpose

AET

? depends on our mission

Build the network

Base in London that allows AET to

- Develop relationships [for business and our broader mission]

- Run events

- Be in touch with what’s going on

- Reputation [we are around]

- Recruit Projects

- Recruit “Members”

Financial

- Just for management (not surplus)

- Surplus either in-kind or money

- Below market rents

- Purpose

- Community [e.g. gathering]

- A kick-ass nucleus

- Management of space

- Aesthetics

- Values

- SCQH

- Opportunity to create their dreams

- Surplus in money [Rents]

- Surplus in kind e.g. Esteban & Tom helping with Gathering

- Contribution to running costs / management

- Exposure - more people know about AET plus members

- Leads for incubator projects

- Cobelieving community with shared values [hard to find]

- Experiment in coliving which is directly connected to mission

Nucleus

General

- Purpose: Dedicate my life to something bigger than myself

- Agency: Part of creating something bigger than myself

- Generous: get to be generous and a contribution

- Develop: learn skills, meet people, build CV

Building something bigger than yourself

Specifics

- Subsidized stays in London

- Being treated e.g. Florence

- Spend time together [without a purpose + resource we would not do it]

- Salary (?)

Live an extra-ordinary, radical life [purposeful, exciting, respected]

Give

- Time & energy [a lot]

- Vision

- Facilitation

Receive

- Recognition and reputation

- Gets money [if doing management]

- A place to stay in London if needed

- In kind support from community e.g. Esteban & Tom on Gathering

26 of 29

TODO: DATOPIAN VALUE PROPOSITION

27 of 29

Project Network

Project Creators

Art / Earth / Tech

Value Proposition

– Support – people who believe in you

– Consulting

– Expertise

– In-kind contribution to team (potential)

– Name + Reputation (less atm)

– Legal home + bank account [fiscal sponsorship]

– Credit (small-scale) – tbd

– Network

– Access to investors (?)

Contribute to Art / Earth / Tech

Income sharing and solidarity

– Value flow back for time invested

– No need to “meter” / NDA

– Risk-sharing

– Investment pool of projects that are aligned

– Fostering (right) livelihood

28 of 29

FAQs

– How does it work for non-profits

– How does it apply to consulting or professional work? [Like income-sharing]

29 of 29

AET Real Estate Co

AET Ltd

AET Investment Co