Metabolic Ventures commissioned to develop Landscape Review of Europe’s new economy ecosystem
Partners for a New Economy has commissioned Netherlands-based Metabolic Ventures to deliver an ambitious research and analysis project uncovering the scale, shape and strength of the new economy field across Europe. P4NE’s Director Jo Swison said:
There’s a dynamic and growing ecosystem of organisations across Europe working to transform the economy to serve people and nature. This mapping project aims to help these pioneers strengthen their impact and collective power. For funders, we hope this will be useful compass pointing toward a mosaic of place-based, national, and pan-European initiatives that are enabling economic systems change to gain traction. In a time of such volatile geopolitics, cultivating beacons of the new economy across Europe feels ever more important.
The work aims to map and understand the landscape of organisations working to transform our economic system. Through desk research, ‘nodal’ interviews, a field survey and online convenings, Metabolic Ventures are engaging hundreds of actors across Europe to build a picture of the field. With support from philanthropy experts The Hour is Late, the initiative will also begin to map philanthropic funding flows into new economy work, revealing patterns and trends across geographies and sectors.
Metabolic Ventures’ Director Chris Monaghan said:
There is an evolving community of organisations focusing on the structure of our economic system as the root cause of our social and environmental challenges. This project is an exciting opportunity to understand and provide more visibility of this community in order to advance its collective mission.
Jon Cracknell, Director at The Hour is Late said:
At The Hour is Late we believe that it is important for funders to analyse the philanthropic grants directed to their priority issues by different foundations, in order to get an understanding of where funding is being directed, and how their foundation’s work relates to that of their peers. We are delighted to be working with Partners for a New Economy and Metabolic to explore philanthropic support for European new economy initiatives.”
This Landscape Review builds upon “Turning the Tide”, a report published by Demos Helsinki in collaboration with P4NE and Laudes Foundation in 2022. That report analysed 128 organisations focused on economic transformation, detailing the starting context and varied approaches for economic transformation across Europe. Recognising the evolution and importance of this landscape, this work aims to update and expand the original research, and will be guided by a Peer Review group including the Demos Helsinki team.
The new study will provide an updated mapping of organisations, as well as suggested taxonomy for navigating the field. The project also aims to offer insights about the scale, challenges, and emerging trends across economic transformation efforts throughout Europe. The findings will be made publicly available in September 2025.