crosscooperative

Crosscooperative is a cooperative model in which multiple independent cooperatives—often across sectors or regions—form a collaborative network to pursue shared goals while preserving autonomous governance. The arrangement is typically organized as a federation or platform coordinating activities and resources across members.

Key features include voluntary membership, democratic control, and economic participation by member cooperatives. The network emphasizes mutual aid, shared standards, and joint development of products, services, or infrastructure, while respecting each member's autonomy.

Governance tends to be federated, with a central coordinating body handling procurement, logistics, training, and knowledge exchange. Decision-making follows subsidiarity, with strategic directions set by member assemblies and rotating sector representation. Legal forms may include a federation or platform cooperative network.

Common models include cross-sector procurement pools, shared distribution, co-developed standards, and joint innovation labs. Digital platforms can connect members for information exchange, financing, and market access, enabling scale with local autonomy.

Benefits include stronger bargaining power, risk diversification, shared capital, and broader market access. Challenges involve coordinating diverse interests, governance complexity, data and IP management, and regulatory compliance. Success depends on a clear mission, transparent governance, phased pilots, and effective conflict resolution.

Crosscooperatives relate to cooperative federations, platform co-ops, and value-chain co-ops within the solidarity economy. They aim to combine local resilience with the efficiencies of scale through collaboration.