Hypothesis¶
What is this?
This section sets out our core scientific and practical hypothesis for Smartup Zero. Instead of patching old systems, we propose re-engineering the way technology is built, owned, and governed—creating a new “species” of organization that can address the failures confirmed by both the latest SDG report and sociotechnical theory.
I just want to see the abstract
This page sets out the core hypothesis behind Smartup Zero. Building on our observations—and the latest evidence from the UN’s SDG report—we believe the current way technology is created, owned, and governed keeps us from making real progress on urgent global challenges. Our hypothesis: If we redesign digital organizations—so that ownership, contribution, and decision-making are collective, transparent, and grounded in science—then we can finally create the digital toolset and community power needed to reach our shared goals. This page breaks down how we think these system shifts must happen, subsystem by subsystem.
Core Hypothesis¶
Our world is missing its SDG targets not for lack of effort, ideas, or technical skill—but because the systems we use to build, fund, and govern technology are fundamentally misaligned with collective needs.
Startups, NGOs, and even open source teams generally follow a logic that prioritizes shareholders, siloed expertise, or short-term results. These familiar models cannot fix our biggest problems at their roots.
We need a new kind of digital institution—a true sociotechnical “organism,” designed from the ground up so that collective action is easy, meaningful, and sustainable.
1. Adjustment to the Social Subsystem¶
Today, ownership and power over technology live with founders and shareholders—not the people who use and build it. Most people are locked out of real decision-making, or can only “help” on the side.
Our hypothesis:
If we move from shareholder-owned technology to people-owned technology, then joining, contributing, earning, and governing become accessible to all. Participating in positive change becomes a “day job,” not an afterthought.
In Practice
In a Smartup, all contributors—no matter their background—can own, shape, and steer the direction of projects together.
The experiment setting: A New Social Subsystem
2. Adjustment to the Technical Subsystem¶
The mainstream model of digital design treats people as isolated “users.” Our tools are engineered for personal consumption or individual productivity—not for communities trying to solve big problems together.
Our hypothesis:
If we explicitly design technology for citizen groups—drawing on the lessons of Douglas Engelbart and others—then our collective intelligence and ability to take coordinated action will accelerate.
“Smartup tech is built for groups to collaborate, deliberate, and act as one.”
Inspiration
“The real breakthrough comes when technology supports groups solving problems together.”
— Douglas Engelbart (paraphrased)
The experiment setting: A New Technical Subsystem
3. Adjustment to the External Subsystem¶
Traditional organizations—corporations, governments, even many NGOs—depend on closed funding streams, proprietary platforms, and top-down decision-making. These systems are vulnerable to external shocks and often shaped by priorities at odds with public value.
Our hypothesis:
If we shift to decentralized, open funding (via crowdfunding, community partnerships, and open-source collaboration), then technology projects can remain truly accountable and resilient—serving society, not distant investors or powerbrokers.
Mechanism
Smartup Zero is structured so that funding, data, and decision rights are distributed and transparent—not captured by single entities or platforms.
The experiment setting: A New External Subsystem
Blueprint for a New Kind of Organization¶
To realign our systems with societal and planetary needs, we hypothesize that a new kind of organization—one that rewires ownership, technical design, and external relationships—can transform collective intent into real progress.
What's Next?
The next section documents how we are testing these hypotheses through the Smartup Zero experiment, step by step.
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