Imagine a future where innovation isn’t just about the latest tech, but about healing our planet and uplifting our communities—that's what Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) are all about. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems, which focus on building coalitions of diverse organisations or departments to foster systemic innovation rooted in regenerative principles and practices.
At Unity Effect and RegenBeings, we focus on pollinating and cultivating Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems by leveraging our extensive experience with global corporations, NGOs, funds, and the United Nations. In this article, we'll offer an overview of what constitutes Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems, along with real-world examples that serve as case studies for ongoing and future projects, highlighting potential opportunities for collaboration and co-creation.
What are Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems?
Our world is facing unprecedented crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, social inequality, and health pandemics, among others. Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems offer a new path forward to address these issues, bringing together diverse organisations and communities to move away from extractive actions and towards co-creating long-term life-centred solutions.
Achieving this vision requires “radical collaboration,” where corporations, governments, and civil society unite to co-create ecosystems where innovation is:
- cultivated to prioritise life-centred solutions,
- grounded in regenerative and systemic thinking practices,
- and guided by diverse and inclusive worldviews.
This is the essence of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems.
Why We Need to Move Beyond Sustainable Innovation
In recent years, the concept of sustainability has permeated the discourse around innovation, pushing organisations to rethink their impact on the environment, society, and economy. Sustainability has been a critical step in reducing harm and improving our operations, but we need to acknowledge that many “sustainability innovations” have simply perpetuated the old paradigms without truly transforming the systems in which they operate. We at Unity Effect and RegenBeings believe it's time to go a step further.
Take electric cars, for instance: while they may reduce emissions, they fail to address the deeper issues of transportation and urban planning, missing the opportunity to fundamentally rethink how we approach mobility and access to goods and services. We need solutions that look at the whole system.
Enter the concept of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems, which, by contrast, invites us to look beyond quick fixes and identify the most powerful levers for change: our mindsets and underlying paradigms. This approach encourages us to reimagine the entire ecosystem, from the way we think, to the way we design our products, services, lives and communities. It helps us recognise the interconnectedness and interdependence of the systems we operate within, encouraging us to imagine transformative solutions.
An article from Griffith University's Centre for Systems Innovation showcases why ecosystem approaches to innovation can help guide more regenerative solutions. “Ecosystem approaches challenge ‘old’ ways of generating change that rely on scaling singular institutions, or competitively dividing resources across various programs — as is often the result of a continual focus on reducing duplication as core to efficiency and effectiveness. Instead, the focus is on developing more fluid organising frameworks and more creative approaches to how value can be co-created. [...] In an ecosystems approach there is also more focus on how multiple organisations can ‘amplify’ what works and innovate to adapt to different contexts and to changes in contexts, rather than ‘scaling’ or otherwise growing individual organisations.” (Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation, 2024).
By acknowledging how every element is linked and how we can shape the world we live in from the ground up, this holistic approach to thinking, being, relating and acting is key to designing systems that go beyond mere sustainability, driving regeneration at every level.
8 Guiding Principles of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems
What sets these ecosystems apart? In our experience, they follow eight guiding principles that foster systemic change, inner growth, and radical collaboration. These principles go beyond innovation for its own sake, focusing on creating regenerative solutions that can adapt and flourish for future generations. While not exhaustive or definitive, these principles serve as key markers that clarify how this innovation process stands out from others.
- Systemic Change Over Incremental Change: Traditional innovation often focuses on short-term gains and linear solutions. We believe in long-term, systemic transformation. This means addressing the root causes of the issues we face rather than simply improving existing systems. For example, to address the issue of affordable housing,, rather than just building more units with "sustainable materials", we could create regenerative neighbourhoods with multifunctional spaces that meet community needs, strengthen social bonds, support local wild ecosystems, and promote environmental stewardship, providing a more resilient and holistic living experience for both people and nature.
- Inner Growth for Outer Transformation: For Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems to reach their full potential, we must recognise that true systemic change begins from within. Supporting the inner growth of the participants of these ecosystems is essential to break free from the cycles of greed, grandiosity, and separation that have long fueled destructive behaviours and stunted compassionate, inclusive innovation. By cultivating skills like integrity, trust, courage, optimism, and complexity awareness, we can contribute to healing collective past traumas and social conditioning, which is essential for creating innovation that transcends ego-driven desires. This personal and collective transformation fosters resilient and safe(r) spaces for collaboration, particularly for those from underserved communities. Only through continuous inner work and collective leadership development can we build ecosystems rooted in shared values, ensuring that our innovations truly serve the wellbeing of all life, rather than perpetuating harm. With the UN 2.0 Common Agenda, the United Nations emphasises “Behavior Science” as a key skill to support the world in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
- Diverse & Equitable Collaboration: One of the key elements of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems is bringing together multiple, diverse players from different sectors—private organisations, governments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) like the United Nations, and underserved Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) such as those created by Indigenous or Black communities. This creates a richer, more holistic approach to innovation that draws on a broad range of perspectives and expertise. The complex nature of global challenges requires this level of collaboration, as no single sector or organisation can solve these issues alone. These ecosystems operate on the principles of reciprocity, collaboration, and inclusivity, drawing from diverse knowledge systems, including indigenous wisdom, modern science, and systemic innovation.
- Not Reinventing the Wheel: Collaboration lies at the heart of Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems, recognizing that many of the solutions we need already exist. Rather than starting from scratch, these ecosystems emphasise forming partnerships with those pursuing similar goals, across departments, sectors, countries, and even between neighbourhoods. Public-private collaborations are just one example of how we can weave together resources and expertise to scale solutions.
The key is in the process itself—by learning from others, scaling existing solutions, and continually refining our approach, we create bigger and more impactful building blocks. This cumulative process not only accelerates progress but also lays the foundation for a more regenerative society and economy. Innovation, then, isn’t just about new ideas, but about placing proven processes and solutions into the right context and relationships to build a more resilient and regenerative future.
- Learning from Ancient and Modern Science and Technology: Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems blend ancient and modern science to create scalable, adaptable solutions. Indigenous communities have practised regenerative principles for centuries, and modern technologies can now amplify and scale these methods. For example, concepts like "Buen Vivir" from the Andes or agroforestry in Brazil demonstrate how ancient cultures understood regeneration, while technologies like AI-driven climate modelling and blockchain for supply chain transparency enable agile, data-driven approaches to complex problems. This integration ensures that solutions are scalable, and respectful of the ecosystems and cultures they impact.
- Prioritising the Needs of Today and Future Generations: Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems focus not just on addressing immediate challenges but on considering the long-term wellbeing of future generations. By tackling today’s crises with a forward-looking mindset, these ecosystems ensure that the processes and solutions we develop now will remain relevant and beneficial far into the future. This aligns with the principle of "7 generations," which asks: will our descendants seven generations from now benefit from and value the decisions we make today? This concept also invites reflection on our ancestors, encouraging us to draw on the wisdom of the past 7 generations as we shape solutions that honour both our heritage and our shared future.
- Interdependence and Place: Recognising Our Collective Bonds: These ecosystems emphasise the interconnectedness of all life, ensuring innovation benefits both humans and the more-than-human world. By transcending human-centred approaches, they prioritise the wellbeing of all life forms in design and outcomes. Positive impacts ripple through human and natural systems, reducing harm by focusing on collective wellbeing over short-term desires. Place-based approaches are crucial in this context, as they ground efforts in the specific needs, cultures, and ecologies of a location, making them more effective and regenerative. Ubuntu, the African philosophy of interconnectedness - “I am because we are” - reinforces the need for regenerative innovation that prioritises the health of entire systems—people, communities, and ecosystems—over individual gains. It is through this recognition of our interconnectedness that we can begin to cultivate innovation ecosystems that foster long-term, regenerative change, rooted deeply in the unique characteristics and potential of each place. Place-based strategies are not just beneficial but essential in creating Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems that are resilient, adaptive, and truly regenerative.
- Innovation to Transform Economies: Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems are essential for building a Wellbeing Economy or Regenerative Economy - “rather than treating economic growth as an end in and of itself and pursuing it at all costs, a Wellbeing Economy puts our human and planetary needs at the centre of its activities, ensuring that these needs are all equally met, by default.” (Wellbeing Economy, 2024). This encourages a shift from short-term profits to long-term resilience, balancing human prosperity with planetary health. By aligning innovation with regenerative principles, we nurture life, communities, and ecosystems, creating an economy that prioritises wellbeing over extraction and fosters systemic transformation.
History has shown that unchecked human wants—such as the widespread misuse of plastics—can result in unintended consequences for communities and the environment, making it essential to refocus on our true collective needs, ensuring a healthier future for all. Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems challenge us to think on a larger scale, collaborate more equitably, and cultivate the soil for a more vibrant, interconnected and resilient future.
"The greatest danger to our future is apathy, especially when it comes to the overconsumption of resources that is destroying ecosystems and pushing species toward extinction." Jane Goodall
Connecting Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems to Your Work
Here’s how Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) can support organisations, particularly in areas like venture building, business model transformation and by fostering regenerative, systemic innovation:
- Learning & Innovation Development: RIE can support the creation of learning and innovation development with clear principles on how to move promising innovations forward collaboratively, while prioritising regenerative principles. This enables organisations to foster solutions that are adaptive, resilient, and aligned with global sustainability trends.
- Venture Building: RIE can enable organisations to create and scale solutions and processes that are not only economically viable but also regenerative. By fostering collaborations across diverse sectors and focusing on long-term sustainability, RIE helps ventures align with future market demands and environmental needs.
- Business Model Transformation for Regenerative Impact: RIE can guide companies to transition to regenerative business models. By shifting their operations toward positive impact and leveraging their talent to develop products and services that promote global wellbeing, they can reposition themselves as leaders in the regenerative economy.
- Sustainable Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): RIE can support M&A strategies by prioritising regenerative principles, ensuring acquisitions align with long-term environmental impact and social goals. By strengthening the awareness of the cultural and values-based dimensions of mergers and deeply listening to people and their needs in transition phases, this approach helps companies focus on holistic value creation and enhance the overall impact of their business ecosystem.
- Strategic Alignment with ESG Goals: RIE can enable organisations to embed sustainability at the core of their operations by driving supply chain collaboration. Through holistic collaboration and systems thinking, partnering across the supply chain enhances transparency and provides deeper insights into the sourcing and production of materials.
- Leadership and Change Management: RIE can cultivate leadership that prioritises systemic change. By fostering inner development and systemic thinking, it equips leaders to guide their organisations toward regenerative practices and to embed sustainability in company culture.
Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems provide the structure and principles that organisations need to create ventures and innovations that are not only sustainable, but capable of thriving in an interconnected, evolving world.
As the examples illustrate, Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems can take different shapes and forms. What they all share are eight guiding principles which we will lay out below. But before that, let’s take a step back.
Regenerative Innovation Ecosystems in Action
Chances are that you have already actively participated in, or maybe even co-developed, a Regenerative Innovation Ecosystem. Before we share more about the need for them and some guiding principles, let us share two examples:
- Kofi Annan Foundation: Since 2022, Unity Effect has worked with the Kofi Annan Foundation to design, facilitate and evaluate their Changemakers Initiative: a year-long program that brings together 12 selected young changemakers, online and in person in Geneva, Switzerland. Part of the program is not only to provide training and workshop offers, but also to connect participants with institutions such as the United Nations and a personal mentor, and to provide seed funding for a personal project.
What makes the program a Regenerative Innovation Ecosystem?
- The focus on holistic support, including inner development and wellbeing of the participants, at the same time as providing opportunities for skills development
- Linking inner development with intentional action through a seed grant project, and providing additional support to further scale successful and innovative approaches
- Embedding participants into an ecosystem of actors and an alumni community, creating a support network on different levels.
To read more about our work with the Kofi Annan Foundation and similar projects, have a look at our example projects for Learning Experience Design.
- Inner Development Goals Summit - Transforming Systems Track
The Inner Development Goals (IDG) Summit 2024 provides a unique platform merging the UN Climate Change Secretariat’s Global Innovation Hub (UGIH) systems innovation methodology with the IDG framework. Participants will create project ideas that blend inner collective growth with regenerative climate innovation. The most promising ideas will be presented to UGIH for selection into Systemic Innovation Workshops, giving participants the chance to bring these projects to life, backed by UN resources and global networks. This collaboration seeks to empower city governments to drive climate innovation by engaging citizens through inner skills development.
What makes it a Regenerative Innovation Ecosystem?
- Ecosystem weaving: The Summit workshop unites the United Nations, the Inner Development Goals framework and global partners. With over 650 IDG Hubs and international experts, it fosters a cross-sector ecosystem of radical collaboration and knowledge exchange. By connecting the Global South and North and integrating technical and inner development expertise, the workshop drives climate innovation and catalyses transformative change globally and locally.
- Inner development as a key instrument for change: The initiative prioritises cultivating inner skills that are part of the Inner Development Goals framework —such as inner compass, complexity thinking, and mobilisation—as a foundation for climate innovation. By merging inner growth with climate innovation, participants are empowered to create transformative, regenerative project ideas that prioritise long-term sustainability.
- Systems Innovation Approach: The workshop will focus on developing bold, systemic climate innovations by addressing the core needs of cities. Rather than incremental solutions like electric cars, it promotes transformative ideas, such as 15-minute cities, which reimagine urban design for better access to goods and services. The goal is to regenerate our imagination, tackle deeper systemic issues, and expand possibilities for a more desirable future.
This approach amplifies the potential for lasting, regenerative transformation, driven by personal and collective growth, innovative partnerships, and a shared global purpose. For more details, you can explore the Global Innovation Hub's website here and learn more about the Inner Development Goals Summit here.
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