ACTOPIA
Slow down and connect in the jungle. Together, we’ll design two social businesses: cacao for the local community, social media for the global community.
Nov 9 - Dec 8
Protopia, Costa Rica
20+ residents
Technology. Business. Society.
Community. Nature. Purpose.
ACTopia brings together people from different backgrounds to explore community and user owned companies such as cooperatives, not-for-profit (NFPs), social technologies and social science ideas that shape our society.
We'll learn from researchers, builders of pro-social companies in Costa Rica and internationally, And together we will use our knoweldge and critical thinking to analyze multiple such projects.
Then we will apply the learning to design two projects:
1. Local Cacao Production and reforestation project
2. Global Social Media Project on the social web.
All while living together in Community immersed in nature
LOCAL PROJECT
La Cabanga Cacao Cooperative
A chocolate+ processing cooperative. Agroforestry planting system as an economically viable reforestation solution.
Explore a business model connecting local cacao production, chocolate making, agroforestry and reforestation.
We'll work on ownership, production, branding, financing and a path toward a viable company.
GLOBAL PROJECT
Social Web Not-for-profit
An ecosystem of software tools, platforms and digital services owned by users, interoperable and with data sovereignity.
Explore alternatives to today's dominant social media platforms. We'll map the Fediverse ecosystem, identify opportunities and develop a potential business model, prototype direction and funding strategy.
DIFFERENT WORLDS. SHARED QUESTIONS.
One project begins with land and cacao.
The other with software and protocols.
Both raise important questions:
Who owns it? Who decides?
How is value created and shared?
What makes a business viable?
By working on real cases, we connect
bigger ideas to practical decisions.
Slow down in nature and connect with each other in community.
Than we learn and apply together towards a better world for all.
A MONTH OF COMMUNITY, NATURE & EXPLORATION
ACTopia happens inside the everyday life of Protopia —
an arts and activist coliving community surrounded by rainforest, rivers and waterfalls.
Keep your own work and projects moving while sharing meals, movement, workshops, conversations and experiences with people from around the world.
7:00 AM
8:15 AM
8:45 AM
9:30 AM
13:00 PM
Afternoon
6:00 PM
Evening
Morning Movement
Yoga, boxing, workouts etc. The play house invites us all to move and stay physical. The program is co-created, though the community makes sure it's top quality.
Breakfast
Tropical fruits, eggs, fresh bread, banana bread, coffee; healthy food, tasty for foodies. No specific diets, but we accommodate those who have.
Community Sync Up
Protopia team and volunteers (guests recommended to join) meet for a morning check in. First, we do a quick emotional check, and after we share what is going on during the day, so everyone knows, and can participate on available projects. We close it with a fun fact, or a concept of the day.
Work & Shared Learning
Do your own work or join the collective projects and learning sessions. You can catch up on what you missed later.
Lunch
Lunch prepared daily. The table fills up, conversations start. Sometimes the best ideas come from lunch.
Work & Workshops
Continue your work, collaborate on the projects, or join workshops around the farm, wellbeing and community life.
Dinner
The main meal. Everyone sits together. Views reaching toward Lake Nicaragua. This is where friendships form.
Community Fun
Some nights there’s music and conversation around the fire. Some nights are quiet. The space is open for connection; always an invitation, never an obligation.
Who is ACTOPIA for?
BRING WHAT YOU KNOW. LEARN WHAT YOU DON'T.
Focused mornings at the shared work table. Wi-Fi, coffee and notebooks, with the jungle a few steps away.
Community circles in the main gathering space, where we check in, plan the week and make decisions together. The dogs usually attend.
Hot springs weekend excursion
Focused mornings at the shared work table. Wi-Fi, coffee and notebooks, with the jungle a few steps away.
Activists, entrepreneurs, technologists, designers, researchers, artists, investors, community builders and curious people interested in developing meaningful projects.
You don't need to be an expert in everything. Just curious and wanting to make the world a better place.
WHAT YOU'LL TAKE HOME
Experience designing community companies
A deeper understanding of natural building
Confidence to begin your own projects
New friendships and community
A lasting connection and alumni of Actopia
One price covers everything: the food, accommodation and all the workshops. If you can't afford this price, and you would like to attend, send us a message and let us know.
Every stay includes
30 nights of acoomodation
Morning Movement, and evenign workshops
Shared meals. Grass fed meat available.
Farm tour and fermentation workshiops
Workshops around self-development and inquiry
Access to all workshops & discussions
Fire
Circle
Help with
transportation
Facilitated by:
Alban Geci
Founder of Protopia. Alban explores alternative economics, social technologies and new models of ownership and organisation.
Oscar Correa II
Co-founder of Regen Tribe. He’ll help participants build AI second brains and agents. And he will build one for Protopia and the two projects.
Protopia Team
The Protopia team will help shape our everyday life together, from morning movement and time on the farm to cooking, shared meals, wellbeing workshops and evenings of fire, music, dancing and play
We built Protopia to contribute to a more equal, sustainable and collaborative world. A place for living well, developing pro-social projects and contributing beyond ourselves. ACTopia puts that intention into practice: sharing our knowledge, questioning existing models and designing companies and technologies that serve all people—all while living in community and close to nature.
Protopia Community
We’d love to get
to know you.
Please take a few minutes to complete this application. We’ll review it and get back to you shortly with availability and the next steps.