A regenerative global economy
David, please share something about your work and how it intersects with the impact space.
I weave together high-performance digital impact ecosystems to accelerate the emergence of a regenerative global economy. Most recently, I launched the Global Regeneration CoLab, an ecosystem of social entrepreneurs focused on creating a regenerative global economy.
I am currently working on several new ecosystems. One is the Nature Tech Nexus, the goal of which is to accelerate the flow of investment into technologies that support the deployment of Nature-Based Solutions globally. Another is with Common Earth (https://common.earth/), to accelerate the development of regenerative bioregional initiatives across the Commonwealth. And a third is starting to emerge around accelerating the transformation of the food system.
A global economy that is regenerative of the biosphere and humanity
What is your definition of “impact”, David?
My definition of impact is the creation of a global economy that is regenerative of the biosphere and humanity.
Net-regenerative global economy
Based on your experience, what do you believe is one of the most important issues that needs to be solved over the next 10 years?
The most important issue is that the global economy is destroying the biological systems on which all life depends, and thus humanity is committing suicide unless we can rapidly change course. Therefore, we fundamentally need to shift the global economy to become net regenerative.
Multi-capital perspective within the global economy
What do you think are some of the biggest challenges in the impact space?
I see a few challenges. The biggest challenge I see is that it is fundamentally more profitable to destroy nature rather than regenerate it. We have to shift this fundamental economic logic and internalize all the costs that are currently externalized and thrust onto society. True cost accounting from a multi-capital perspective embedded within the global economy is thus the key to transformation. Another key challenge is that there is insufficient risk capital, either governmental or philanthropic, available to enable the transformative innovation necessary to enable the regeneration of the biosphere at scale.
Digital impact ecosystems
Separation between impact and the everyday world
What misconceptions have you noticed regarding the meaning of “impact”?
The primary misconception I see is that the world of impact is separate from the everyday world. Yet everything humanity does has an impact, it is just that most of the time the impact created is net-negative when viewed through the lens of "Will this lead to a positive future for humanity?".
David, could you elaborate on the long-term vision you have for your work? How do you measure & quantify your impact?
The long term vision I have is of the creation of hundreds of high-performance digital impact ecosystems, focused on different aspects of economic transformation. I measure my impact by the number of high-potential collaborative relationships that I facilitate.
David Hodgson: A net-regenerative global economy
This week, our TTI Interview Series covers our member David Hodgson. David is a father and ecosystem builder focused on accelerating the emergence of a regenerative global economy. In a previous life, he was a technologist working on peer-to-peer file sharing, and video games. He holds several patents. In his spare time he makes electronic music, and looks after chickens.
In this interview, David talks about impact being the creation of a global economy that is regenerative of the biosphere and of humanity. To achieve a net-regenerative economy, he explains his vision of hundreds of high-performance digital impact ecosystems.
