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:
SOFA is a festival full of inspiration, insights and new connections. Explore and take a next step with steward ownership at SOFA!
SOFA is co-created with you!
Together we make SOFA a true festival. We invite you to co-create SOFA with us.
Co-create SOFA with usSchedule
Arrive and meet fellow visitors. Stroll over the marketplace and get a coffee from a steward-owned barista. Explore the scene and 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? Let's shift our perspectives. Join us for an inspiring opening that sets the tone for the day.
Explore the journey to steward ownership with pioneers and peers.
From founder or family-owned to steward-owned and the role of a bank to finance the exit.
Sharing voting rights and profits with employees and local communities.
Yay, we've got a session spot left!
Exploring venture capital, the steward owned way, with founders and investors.
Making European social market economies and cities more sustainable and resilient.
Best practices and developments in legal structures for steward ownership
Let's talk about stewardship and learn about the essential skills for stewards.
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!
Speakers
Jeroen Bakker
Partner, Novo Holdings
Douwe van den Wall Bake
Innovation manager, TBI
Suzanne van Straaten
Founder and steward, Sprinklr
Charlotte van Leeuwen
Energized
Merle Koomans van den Dries
CEO, Odin
Pollien van Keulen
Circle lead, Voys
Brian Garret
Co-founder and steward, CrowdBuilding
Liedewij Loorbach
Co-founder and steward, Sprinklr
Steen Thomsen
Professor of Enterprise Foundations, Copenhagen Business School
Nina de Korte
Author and lecturer, The Hague University of Applied Sciences
Gijsbert Koren
Founder, We Are Stewards
Nynke Laverman
Singer and language artist
Esther Welles
Community lead, We Are Stewards
Bas van Riet Paap
CEO and steward, BuurtzorgT
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 Circle
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) is hosting a dedicated research workshop for academics the day before the main event. Are you researching steward ownership or interested to do so? Join the Academic Circle.
Signup available soon.
Investor Circle
The evening before the main event, we gather with a diverse group of investors, from early stage VC's to institutional investors.
This side event is invite only.
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:
