The Regenerative Software Manifesto

A Manifesto for Regenerative Software

We believe that software systems, like biological ecologies, must continually evolve and intertransform to adapt to a changing environment. We move beyond the “linear economy” of “take, make, dispose” and even beyond the “circular economy” of recycling.

Our goal is a regenerative economy designed to make a net positive contribution to both people and the planet. We view software not as a static product, but as a living system that supports socio-ecological restoration.

Core Philosophy: Beyond Sustainability

Sustainability is not enough. Sustainability means we minimize harm. Regeneration means we actively contribute to the world’s healing.

In the context of software:

We reject the extractive models that treat users as products to be exploited
We eliminate digital waste through green algorithms and conscious design
We build systems that serve human needs with transparency and integrity
We recognize that software is part of humanity’s cultural heritage, not merely corporate intellectual property

Systems Thinking and The Toyota Way

We embrace comprehensive thinking, seeking relationships between systems and events rather than breaking them into isolated parts.

Long-term vision takes priority over short-term gains. We follow the 14 principles of the Toyota Way:

Pull systems over push systems
One-piece flow over batch processing
Built-in quality over inspection
Continuous improvement (kaizen) over stagnation
Respect for people over exploitation
Anticipatory design over reactive fixes

Participatory Design: The User is Not the Product

We reject manipulative SaaS designs that treat the user as a product to be monetized. Instead, we commit to Participatory Design and humane user experiences.

Transparency is our aim: creating software that serves the genuine needs of end-users. We prioritize digital well-being and socially sustainable UX, ensuring our technology empowers rather than exploits.

Developer Experience (DevX) and the Lean Developer

We recognize that “the major cause of problems are solutions.” To avoid developer burnout and massive cognitive load, we focus on Developer Experience:

Effectiveness over speed — we don’t aim for “half speed,” but for optimized, effective workflows
Lean coding — implementing code optimization and energy-efficient principles to reduce processing power and e-waste
Continuous delivery — viewing deployment as the lean equivalent for software, ensuring it’s always in a maintainable, deployable state

Open Source as Cultural Heritage

We view Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) as a vital part of humanity’s cultural heritage.

The open sharing of knowledge results in better, more resilient technology. We believe in spontaneous cooperation and commit a significant portion of our profits specifically to Open Source development on projects we approve as advancing the global commons.

A Community of Practice

We are not merely a service provider; we are a Community of Practice that unites:

Employees who execute the mission
Client-Members who communicate regularly and share costs on joint efforts
Contributors who support the regenerative vision

Our customers are members with active representation in our governance, ensuring our strategic direction aligns with the community we serve.

The Non-Profit Business Model

We operate as a non-profit professional business. While we have employees, administrative needs, and operating costs, our primary goal is impact, not owner dividends.

We provide competitive salaries to attract top talent, but we do not pay out dividends to owners. Profits are split between:

50% Employee Bonus Pool — distributed as performance-based bonuses
50% Open Source & Impact Pool — assigned to projects advancing the global commons

Integrity and Accountability

Integrity is our most important issue. We operationalize our ethics through:

Measurable benchmarks — demonstrating accountability through data protection compliance and client satisfaction
Continuous self-assessment — using reflective practices and peer reviews to ensure we live up to our regenerative principles
Transparent operations — sharing our salary levels, advancement criteria, and decision-making processes

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

— R. Buckminster Fuller

We are building that new model. In software, that’s possible. Starting now.