Global Innovation Coop

🌎 So many to thank and celebrate for their contribution to social innovation and for the success of the last two days!

Gratitude that Fuels Cooperation 🤝🌍

As GICS 2025 comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the partners who made this edition possible.

This year’s Summit — built on collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose — was proudly brought to you by the International Cooperative Innovation Network (ICIN) and co-hosted by

A special thank you to our Official Service Provider, Le Consortium de coopération des entreprises collectives, and to our Financial Partners — .coop, InVivo, Desjardins, and the Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité — for helping turn ideas into action.

We also acknowledge our Institutional Partners — Cooperatives Europe, ICA Asia & Pacific, ICA Africa, União das Misericórdias Portuguesas, Co-operatives UK, and Co-op News — for their ongoing support and commitment to advancing the cooperative movement worldwide.

💚 Together, we proved that when cooperatives collaborate, the future grows stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable.

Co-creating for Inclusive and Lasting Change 🌍✨

The final day of the Global Innovation Coop Summit 2025 in Torres Vedras brought together insight, creativity, and commitment — a fitting conclusion to three days of collaboration and action.

The morning opened with Arthur Bruel and Joanne Lechasseur, setting the stage for powerful conversations that connected innovation, trust, and purpose.

🌐 German Lorenzo (MONDRAGON) introduced *ASETT – The Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank, an initiative uniting cooperatives, academia, and institutions to strengthen dialogue and innovation in the social economy.

Sessions like “What We Learned from the Workshops — Building Trust Together” and “Co-Creating for Inclusive and Lasting Change” showcased how cooperatives worldwide are turning shared values into tangible solutions — from renewable energy and circular economy practices to AI-driven decision-making and sustainable finance.

The day continued with engaging Innovation Factories and workshops, and concluded with the final plenary, “Cooperate for the Future — From Innovation to Action.”

Moderated by Agnès Mathis (Cooperatives Europe), this closing dialogue reflected on the key takeaways and commitments that will guide the cooperative movement forward.

As Joanne Lechasseur (ICIN) led the symbolic closing, participants reaffirmed a shared commitment: to act cooperatively for a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable world.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, moderators, and participants and to our co-host, Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras, for making this summit possible.

🌎 The first day was quite exciting with many sessions and plenaries to discuss the key questions about AI, climate change, and even democratic threats and challenges.

✨ How can we best handle these issues and work cooperatively?

💡 Many speakers and opportunities during the workshops to engage insights and experiences.

📌 Share your most insightful moment! 👇🏻

💬 Plenary Session – Cooperate for the Future: From Innovation to Action | Building a Sustainable Impact 🌍🤝

As the core discussions of GICS 2025 come to a close, this final plenary will bring participants together for a moment of collective reflection and forward vision.

“Cooperate for the Future” is not about having all the answers — it’s about planting seeds of transformation. This roundtable will explore how cooperatives and mutuals can turn the ideas shared throughout the Summit into concrete actions for a more sustainable, inclusive future.

Moderated by Agnès Mathis, General Director, Cooperatives Europe (Belgium), the session will feature:
🔹 Osamu Nakano, Vice Executive Director, Japan Workers’ Co-operative Union (JWCU) (Japan)
🔹 Siward Zomer, Chair, Energie Samen (Netherlands)
🔹 Ilana Gotz, Senior Project Manager, EURICSE & Secretariat of ICBEC (Italy)
🔹 Robby Tulus, International Cooperative Expert Advisor, Global Affairs Canada’s Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) (Indonesia)

The insights from this session will help shape the Summit’s final report, capturing the commitments, proposals, and ideas that emerged in Torres Vedras.

📌 Join us as we connect vision to action — and cooperation to sustainable impact — at GICS 2025, co-hosted by Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras.
🔗 Register now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalinnovationcoopsummit/1546439

💬 Workshop 3.3 – From Resilience to Impact: Cooperatives as Drivers of the Circular Economy 🌍♻️

Cooperatives do not just adapt — they lead.

At GICS 2025, this workshop will explore how cooperatives can go beyond resilience to become key drivers of the circular economy. By embedding sustainability into their core practices, coops can lead systemic change toward a more resource-efficient and regenerative future.

Participants will discover concrete strategies to mobilize members, implement circular and sustainable energy solutions, and build collective projects that turn ecological responsibility into measurable impact.

Key Themes: Circular economy | Cooperative leadership | Ecological transition | Resource efficiency | Regenerative practices | Collective action | Systems change | Measurable impact

📌 Join us at GICS 2025 in Torres Vedras, co-hosted by Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras, and help shape a truly circular and cooperative future.

🔗 Register now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalinnovationcoopsummit/1546439

💬 Workshop 3.2 – AI for Energy Transition | Meet the Speakers ⚙️🌍

🌍 AI is transforming how we power the world — and cooperatives are at the forefront of this change.

At GICS 2025, this session will explore how AI can help optimize renewable energy systems, manage smart grids, and drive a regenerative energy transition that supports communities and the planet.

We are proud to introduce the experts leading this discussion:
Moderated by 🔹 David Beauchemin, Executive Director & AI Expert, Baseline (Canada)
🔹 Nuno Matias, Founder, T4HD - Technology 4 Human Development & P4HD - People 4 Human Development, Portugal (Portugal)
🔹 Valter Caldeira, Lead Data Scientist, T4HD - Technology 4 Human Development (Portugal)

Together, they will unpack how data-driven innovation and AI can make energy systems smarter, cleaner, and more resilient — aligned with cooperative values and sustainability goals.

📌 Don’t miss this workshop at GICS 2025 in Torres Vedras, co-hosted by Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras.

🔗 Register now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalinnovationcoopsummit/1546439

💬 Workshop 3.2 – AI for Energy Transition | Meet the Speakers ⚙️🌍

AI is transforming how we power the world — and cooperatives are at the forefront of this change.

At GICS 2025, this session will explore how AI can help optimize renewable energy systems, manage smart grids, and drive a regenerative energy transition that supports communities and the planet.

We are proud to introduce the experts leading this discussion:
🔹 David Beauchemin, Executive Director & AI Expert, Baseline (Canada) – Moderator
🔹 Paulo de Carvalho, Co-Founder, Value Flow Association, Portugal
🔹 Valter Caldeira, Lead Data Scientist, T4HD - Technology 4 Human Development (Portugal)

Together, they will unpack how data-driven innovation and AI can make energy systems smarter, cleaner, and more resilient — aligned with cooperative values and sustainability goals.

📌 Don’t miss this workshop at GICS 2025 in Torres Vedras, co-hosted by Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras.

🔗 Register now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalinnovationcoopsummit/1546439

💬 Workshop 3.2 – AI for Energy Transition: Optimizing, Repairing, and Innovating

🔋 How can Artificial Intelligence accelerate the energy transition and help cooperatives lead the shift toward a regenerative future?

At GICS 2025, this workshop will explore how AI can optimise renewable energy solutions, enhance energy efficiency, manage smart grids, and reduce waste — all while supporting cooperative resilience in the face of environmental and social challenges.

Participants will engage in hands-on discussions and learn how data-driven innovation can turn AI into a tool for sustainability, not just productivity.

Key Themes: AI | Energy transition | Renewable optimization | Energy efficiency | Smart grids | Waste reduction | Regenerative systems | Cooperative resilience

📌 Join the conversation at GICS 2025 in Torres Vedras, and discover how cooperatives can lead a smarter, greener energy transition, co-hosted by Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras

🔗 Register now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalinnovationcoopsummit/1546439