Amsterdam, 8 October 2026
Programme
On Thursday 8 October we gather at Kromhouthal in Amsterdam. In the city that invented shareholder capitalism, we are shifting perspectives with:
Explore what the future of business looks like at SOFA.
Meet the founders, investors and policymakers who are shaping an economy that's built to last. At SOFA you learn from pioneers, experts and peers. Get inspired and leave with new connections.
Explore and take a next step with steward ownership at SOFA!
Schedule
Arrive and meet fellow visitors. Stroll over the Steward Square and get a coffee from a steward-owned coffee bar. Explore what steward ownership can do for housing, our digital autonomy and healthcare. Shift your perspectives with art inspired by steward ownership.
The rules of ownership are changing. In 1602, the Dutch East India Company issued the first share ever. Soon after, the first stock exchange opened its doors in Amsterdam. What did it bring us and at what cost? Join us for an inspiring opening that sets the tone for the day.
Why ownership matters for mission driven companies.
The potential for steward ownership to create companies that are built to last and exist to contribute.
How steward ownership enables Sprinklr, Voys and other pioneers to create a healthy relationship with investors and organise succession while keeping their purpose alive
Explore the journey to steward ownership with pioneers and peers. How did other founders explore steward ownership and how do they look back at their decision? And how did CEO’s of steward-owned companies grow into running a steward-owned company?
For founders and families looking beyond family succession or a traditional exit, steward ownership can be an alternative. What are scenarios for financing the exit of existing shareholders and how can the bank contribute to fund the transition to steward ownership?
Together with American experts of the Democracy Collaborative and Amsterdam-based pioneers, we explore how community wealth building can help us build democratic steward-owned companies in which profit and voting rights are shared with employees and local communities.
Together with leading voices on responsible capitalism, politicians and the largest steward-owned company on the globe, we explore how to make our economy more sustainable and resilient. How can steward ownership become a practical building block for our future competitiveness and wellbeing?
Enjoy a healthy lunch, with choices from steward-owned companies. Get matched with other visitors, speak to experts and stroll over the Steward Square.
Let’s unpack a successful steward-owned venture capital deal with a founder, investor and venture capital lawyer. What were the key success factors to get both angel investors and VC funds on board at CrowdBuilding and how can other founders and investors apply this in their practice?
Lawyers and experts from We Are Stewards, Purpose and Copenhagen Business School share best practices for structuring steward ownership. Together we explore how to choose a model and building blocks for your company and what to expect from the new Dutch, German and European legal forms for steward ownership.
In this workshop, hosted by two coaches for stewards, you will actively get to work on the essential personal skills for stewards. The workshop will give you insights and tools that you can use in your day to day practice and will help you in your personal journey of be(com)ing a steward.
Yay, we've got a session spot left!
Can we be good ancestors? Join us for an inspiring closing that brings together the insights of the day. And explore the new legal form for steward ownership!
How next generation stewards take over the role of owners
Announcing the new legal form for steward ownership!
Have a bite and network with peers and experts before we bid you farewell and au revoir!
Speakers
Charlotte van Leeuwen
Energized
Pollien van Keulen
CEO, Voys
Jeroen Bakker
Partner, Novo Holdings
Nynke Laverman
Singer and language artist
Ian Hendriks
Community Wealth Building Amsterdam
Jan Peter Balkenende
Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Gijsbert Koren
Founder, We Are Stewards
Steen Thomsen
Professor of Enterprise Foundations, Copenhagen Business School
Bas van Riet Paap
CEO and steward, BuurtzorgT
Nina de Korte
Author and lecturer, The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Sophie Kuijpers
Lawyer, De Zaak van Advocaten
Suzanne van Straaten
Founder and steward, Sprinklr
Ted Howard
Activist, founder, The Democracy Collaborative
Liedewij Loorbach
Co-founder and steward, Sprinklr
Jorick Wijnen
Advisor, We Are Stewards
Roy van den Heuvel
Advisor, We Are Stewards
Brian Garret
Co-founder and steward, CrowdBuilding
Danny Konings
Reclaim het Centrum
Esther Welles
Community lead, We Are Stewards
Douwe van den Wall Bake
Innovation manager, TBI
Sigrid van Aken
CEO, Postcode Lottery Group
Merle Koomans van den Dries
CEO, Odin
Paul Geurts van Kessel
Co-founder and steward, Regionaal Energieloket
Sectors in the spotlight
Three sectors we're exploring at the Steward Square during SOFA:
Housing
Can we build houses that own themselves? To make housing more participative and affordable for generations to come, we should redesign the ownership of buildings and neighbourhoods. Together with steward-owned construction company TBI, CrowdBuilding and others, we explore how houses can own themselves.
Digital autonomy
Can we protect our vital digital infrastructure? Our digital infrastructure depends heavily on big tech, which creates systemic risks, especially in the current geopolitical climate. To guarantee continuity and safety, we should choose European alternatives and protect them from hostile takeovers. At SOFA we explore how steward ownership can be a foundation for our digital sovereignty.
Healthcare
Can we make sure healthcare providers put people and purpose over profit? While private equity funds have a growing interest in healthcare, steward ownership can prevent profit from being extracted at the expense of the quality of care. Together with frontrunners we explore how steward ownership gives healthcare companies the freedom to stay purpose-driven.
Side events
The day before and after SOFA, we organise a number of exciting side events.
Stewards City Tour
Home to over 50 steward-owned companies, Amsterdam is a global hotspot for steward ownership. The day before the main event, we take you on a tour through the city and visit steward-owned pioneers. Learn from their experiences and already get to know other festival visitors.
Signup available for visitors of the main event.
Academic Day
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is hosting a dedicated research and education day on the day before the main event. Are you researching or educating steward ownership or interested to do so? Registration is open now and the call for contributions is open until 1 September.
Investor Circle
The afternoon before the main event, we gather with a diverse group of investors, from early stage VC's to institutional investors. The Investor Circle is a place to learn, share experiences and connect with other investors. The Investor Circle is organised in partnership with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.
This side event is invite only and aimed at investors who also join the main event.
Steward ownership
Steward ownership is based on two core principles:
Self-governance
Control lies in the hands of stewards – people who are connected to the company and its mission. Control cannot be sold.
The principle of 'self-governance' means that the controlling voting rights rests with stewards and cannot be sold or inherited. At some steward-owned companies, self-governance takes shape by allowing only employees to serve as stewards. At others, it is expressed through the involvement of primarily independent stewards.
Profit serves purpose
Profit is a means, not an end in itself. It serves the company's mission and development and is reinvested or donated in alignment with that mission. Investors, founders, and other stakeholders are fairly compensated.
The principle of profit serves purpose means in practice that compensation to capital providers is limited in duration, amount, and/or influence – and that profit can never be distributed at the expense of the company.
About us
SOFA is organised by We Are Stewards, with support from our committed partners and you! Together we make SOFA a true festival. We invite you to co-create SOFA with us.
We Are Stewards is building a movement and ecosystem for steward ownership in the Netherlands, to inspire beautiful companies to commit to their purpose, in perpetuity.
Partners
SOFA is made possible by amazing partners:
Feature partners:
Supporters:
Media partners:
