{"title": "ReFi Barcelona - a ReFi Local Node as a Cooperative Embedded in the Social & Solidarity Economy", "logoImg": "bafkreif4hpcz3fzvefmk4uzp6etkpvst3tiogu6h5s3u54oukptldfcwwy", "website": "https://ReFiBCN.cat", "bannerImg": "bafkreidmr4ffyxupwfehidm3tkghmm5gco55yzdh7ifat4mfvvs37kqbqm", "createdAt": 1743522339650, "userGithub": "luizfernandosg", "credentials": {}, "description": "## **A Local Node as a Rooted Cooperative  🌱**\n\n[**ReFi Barcelona**](https://refibcn.cat/Home_CAT) is a local node within the global [**ReFi movement**](https://refibcn.cat/Ecosystem+Map/Global+-+ReFi+and+Web3/ReFi+Ecosystem), focused on connecting **regenerative finance, local regenerators and the Social & Solidarity Economy (ESS)** in Barcelona and across Catalonia - to drive forward the so called **[ecosocial transition](https://www.bcn.coop/transicio-ecosocial/).**\n\nWe’re also part of a broader bioregional effort through [**ReFi Mediterranean**](https://www.regencoordination.xyz/refi-mediterranean-gg23), where we collaborate with other nodes across the bioregion to scale regenerative strategies and funding mechanisms for regenerative work.\n\n> We serve as a bridge between global Web3 infrastructure and place-based economic transformation.\n> \n\n### Our Approach: Building Hybrid Systems Through Cooperative Structures **🌍**\n\nReFi Barcelona is a **proof of concept** for building regenerative systems that are both **technologically innovative and socially grounded**.\n\nWe believe that to regenerate economies, we need **hybrid infrastructures** that:\n\n- **Leverage Web3** for transparency, coordination, and composability; as well as for opening opportunities for funding and support\n- **Integrate cooperative models** for human-scale governance and economic justice\n- **Learn from local territories**, while staying globally connected\n\n### Our plan: Growing from the roots of cooperativism 🌲\n\nTo build systems that work beyond theory, we need **real-world grounding**.\n\nThat’s why ReFi BCN is based at [**Bloc4**](https://bloc4.coop/), Europe’s largest cooperative innovation hub — home to more than 40 cooperatives and social enterprises. Bloc4 provides:\n\n- Access to **funding channels beyond Web3** (public & cooperative finance)\n- **Mentorship and training** in governance, sustainability and viability\n- Daily exposure to the **needs, tools and culture** of ESS actors\n- Incubation from Bloc4/Coòpolis, Barcelona's cooperative development agency\n\n> Bloc4 amplifies our ability to design, test and share\n> \n> \n> **hybrid regenerative models with the local Social & Solidarity Economy.**\n> \n\n![image.png](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/a19384a8-35f8-46d0-b142-acbaeef51911/New_Draft_Image.png?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-808a-bc32-f89393d277a5&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=3nlR-dOXuJ-lUAfTvc87ut6k2XjT8IyR4D7sav-VfKs&downloadName=New+Draft+Image.png)\n\n![photo_2025-03-27 13.53.32.jpeg](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/09458670-9d1e-4f73-b6a3-abee709f28f9/New_Draft_Photo_Mar_27_2025.jpeg?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-801a-929b-d114ed900336&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=c8mjrCuzjd5vdJnB21kJYmRDfgWWdpUVOpQ1R7-c2Mg&downloadName=New+Draft+Photo+Mar+27+2025.jpeg)\n\n## The strategic lines we are building 🎍\n\nWe’ve identified the following key strategic lines of work to support the work of local regenerators. These pillars guide our activities and shape our approach to supporting the ecosocial transition.\n\nOur strategic lines are designed as a progression, from building awareness to enabling action:\n\n1. **📚 Knowledge, Research & Education** — *From unawareness to understanding*\n    \n    We develop open knowledge and its repositories, materials, and practical guides that make regenerative concepts accessible to diverse audiences, with special attention to connecting global ReFi innovations with local contexts and needs, and vice versa.\n    \n    - [ReFi BCN Knowledge Base](https://refibcn.cat/Ecosystem+Map/Ecosystem+Map)\n\n2. **👥 Community & Network** — *From understanding to collaboration*\n    \n    We organize events and spaces for connection, dialogue, and mutual learning between local and global actors.\n    \n    - ReFi Unconference Barcelona ‘24\n    - BioFi Barcelona ‘25\n\n3. **♻️ Financial Resources** — *From collaboration to supporting tangible impact*\n    \n    We aim to help local projects access regenerative funding through Web3 platforms and ethical banking in the Social & Solidarity economy, exploring how to create hybrid financial structures to support the much-needed regenerative work on the ground.\n    \n    - Piloting with the ReFi Mediterranean GG23 round\n\n4. **⚖️ Governance & Innovation** — *From consolidation to systemic transformation (future)*\n    \n    On the horizon, we’d like to promote governance approaches that combine cooperative principles with DAOs, exploring different models to fund and develop local communities—such as democratic decision-making, established financial flows, quadratic funding, community currencies, and more. This pillar will activate in a future phase as the network strengthens.\n    \n\n---\n\n# 2. What we are currently working on **🌿**\n\n### 🫂 Cooperative Constitution\n\n- First ReFi node to register as a legally recognized **workers cooperative (SCCL)**\n- Incubated by [**Coòpolis**](https://www.bcn.coop/), Barcelona’s cooperative incubator\n- We’re undergoing official training, forming bylaws, and building viable economic plans — with oversight from the most respected cooperative actors in Catalonia.\n- Laying the legal and economic foundation for ReFi BCN infrastructure\n- Establishing a practical model for ReFi nodes to integrate with local economic structures\n\n### 🌍 Upcoming *BioFi Barcelona* Event in May 2025\n\n- Flagship event on **Bioregional Finance in Barcelona**\n- Organized in collaboration with the Commons Agency; hosted at Bloc4 with\n- Bringing ecological thinking into financial infrastructure\n\n### 🌊 ReFi Mediterranean: Bioregional Coordination in Action\n\nReFi BCN is playing a foundational role in building **ReFi Mediterranean**, a bioregional collaboration hub across the bioregion.\n\nWe are:\n\n- Co-creating a **shared regenerative plan** for the Mediterranean\n- Piloting **Gitcoin rounds** to fund **local regenerators**\n- Onboarding projects into **GG23** and beyond\n\n---\n\n# 3. What we’ve done so far 🌾\n\n### 🗺️ Ecosystem Map & Knowledge Base\n\n![Gitcoin Explorer (1).webp](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/1314987e-4370-45e1-8f32-2278ac2ed726/Gitcoin_Explorer_(1)_(1).webp?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-80e1-8279-d4edad118255&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=mwEE8S-Safc5is7KVH1KpfmFt4jq8-1lQ-fvlhB7QZ0&downloadName=Gitcoin+Explorer+(1)+(1).webp)\n\nWe've created a comprehensive research resource that maps value-aligned actors across Barcelona and Catalonia, with specific focus on:\n\n- Social & Solidarity Economy organizations\n- Web3 and ReFi projects\n- Regenerative practitioners and initiatives\n\nThe knowledge base serves as a foundation for our work by documenting the existing ecosystem and identifying potential bridges between communities.\n\n> This knowledge base is a living research tool — not just for us, but for any one to explore, expand and build upon.\n> \n\nCheck-out the ecosystem map & knowledge base → [**https://ReFiBCN.cat**](https://refibcn.cat/)\n\n### 🌱 ReFi Unconference Barcelona 2024\n\n![Línea de Tiempo Para Negocio Degradado Llamativo Moderno Colorido Azul Lila Negro (3).png](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/94a648e7-4d5e-4356-bdbb-7f8088f9c681/Modern_Colorful_Timeline_Draft.png?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-801d-80bb-e71791592d8c&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=OSME_FS9GQAaHC0qx2M9SL6ZgB2dSHP26GkrgAdyGKU&downloadName=Modern+Colorful+Timeline+Draft.png)\n\nThe [**ReFi Unconference Barcelona**](https://www.notion.so/c184c3edc6ef462c9e64d49985d2b63e?pvs=21), organized by ReFi Barcelona local node in collaboration with the Crypto Commons Association and Trusted Seed, brought together relevant local projects focused on the Eco-Social Transition with key stakeholders from the global ReFi ecosystem.\n\n- 40+ stakeholders and 30+ sessions from the ReFi and related ecosystems\n- 🎥 [Watch the sessions](https://www.notion.so/0ad80a7c87994ef2b7e820057ec842ef?pvs=21) and check the resources\n\n---\n\n# 4. Who we are 👤\n\n![Luizfernandolfsg 1024.jpg](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/91b34598-600e-487a-aa2a-d518106b7cc6/New_Draft_Luizfernandolfsg_1024.jpg?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-8052-9af3-d52970a9518c&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=l73lYre3ZxA6pYVxE19py5DM3n7L8jui9OtfnI_neZ0&downloadName=New+Draft+Luizfernandolfsg+1024.jpg)\n\n**Luiz Fernando Gomez Segala** — Founder & Lead\n\n- Core Steward and Operations Lead at **ReFi DAO**\n- Steward (Gardener) at Trusted Seed\n\n→ [Twitter](https://twitter.com/louizfe) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/luizfernandosg/)\n\n![Profile - Emilia Sierra Guzmán.jpg](https://file.notion.so/f/f/98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e/bd988313-d19c-4474-825e-1b138094e6a3/Emilia_Sierra_Guzman_Profile.jpg?table=block&id=1c86ed08-45cb-802c-baf5-d8ca233acce3&spaceId=98673c04-e3cf-4b0a-8f3c-a85c8332f21e&expirationTimestamp=1743544800000&signature=zh57VHXK7iqgsti1ZqEmJlCn7Xq-xXewoMFjYYcRBCo&downloadName=Emilia+Sierra+Guzman+Profile.jpg)\n\n**Emilia Sierra Guzmán** — Community Lead\n\n- Creative Director & Brand Strategist\n- Innovation & Impact Strategy Consultant\n- Educator and Earth Guardian\n\n→ [Twitter](https://twitter.com/EmiliaEarth) | [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilia-earth-395b17171/)\n\nReFi BCN is to be a growing **collective of practitioners, educators, and ecosystem builders**.\n\n---\n\n## 🌐 Connect With Us\n\n- Twitter → [@ReFiBCN](https://twitter.com/refibcn)\n- Telegram → https://t.me/+j4zOWZGsITwxNmY8\n- Email → hola@refibcn.cat\n\n---\n\n## 🔗 Key Partners\n\n- **[Bloc4](https://bloc4.coop/) & [Coòpolis](https://bcn.coop/)** — Our cooperative home and incubator, anchoring us in Barcelona’s largest ecosystem of social enterprises while providing hands-on guidance and resources for establishing the cooperative.\n- [**Commons Agency**](https://www.commonseconomy.org/commons-agency) — Co-organizers of the upcoming BioFi Barcelona event in May ‘25.\n- [**ReFi DAO**](https://refidao.com/) — A global ReFi backbone, linking local nodes worldwide and fostering shared learning across the regenerative finance ecosystem.", "logoImgData": {}, "bannerImgData": {}, "projectTwitter": "ReFiBCN"}