Civic Protocol Economies: What happens when the civic economy meets the protocol economy?

In 2024, the Civic Interaction Design research group, in collaboration with the Centre of Expertise Economic Transformation (CET), organized a research residency titled “What happens when the Civic Economy meets the Protocol Economy?” This initiative, led by researcher, curator, and technology strategist Iskander Smit, aimed to explore how these two significant economic and technological developments might complement and strengthen each other.

This report presents the findings of this exploratory research. It examines how communities pursuing non-profit, democratically governed economic models might responsibly leverage the potential of digital platforms and Web3 technologies. Our research contributes vital insights into this emerging intersection in a field where blueprints, guidelines, and exemplary prototypes remain scarce.