New Economy Network Australia

What New Economy Network Australia does

New Economy Network Australia (NENA) is a Brisbane-based cooperative structured as Co-op Ltd., founded around 2015–2016, that connects organizations and individuals across Australia working to transform the economic system toward ecological sustainability and social justice. Its stated mission is to foster an inclusive new economy by convening members, sharing knowledge, and advocating for systemic change. NENA is nationally distributed rather than serving a single vertical, with members spanning civil society, cooperatives, social enterprises, researchers, and aligned individuals.

NENA's core offerings are organized around an online membership platform called NENAsphere, a public NENA Directory, a monthly New Economy Journal, a Courses & Education platform, biennial national conferences, and thematic Hubs (including a Narratives Hub co-developed with the University of Technology Sydney and a University Research Hub with the University of Newcastle). It also delivers recurring programming such as the annual Federal Budget Rundown webinar, produced in partnership with The Australia Institute, and engages internationally through formal representation on RIPESS, the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy.

The business model is membership-based, with subscription fees supporting operations alongside revenue from courses, directory listings, journal contributions, and conference registration. The organization operates with a small team (approximately 7 employees) and is governed cooperatively by its members. Its growth is driven by community participation, institutional partnerships, and incremental expansion of programming rather than venture-style scaling.

Name

New Economy Network Australia

Legal name

New Economy Network Australia Co-op Ltd.

Website

https://neweconomy.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Economy Network Australia is a Brisbane-based cooperative that connects organizations and individuals across Australia working to transform the economy toward ecological sustainability and social justice, via a membership platform, monthly journal, biennial conferences, courses, and thematic Hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: NENA operates as a membership-based organisation where individuals and organisations join the network to access knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer support, and collaborative opportunities. Members receive access to the NENAsphere online community, the New Economy Journal, member directory listings, and discounted or priority access to events and conferences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NENA operates a cooperative membership network that provides a platform for knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer support, cross-pollination of ideas, and collaboration among Australian organisations and individuals working to transform Australia's economic system. Members gain access to the NENAsphere online community, the monthly New Economy Journal, a searchable member directory, courses, sector-based hubs, and biennial conferences.

Product overview

New Economy Network Australia operates as a network organization offering a portfolio of interconnected platforms and programs. The core offerings include the NENAsphere membership platform, the NENA Directory for member discovery, the New Economy Journal for knowledge dissemination, and the NENA Courses & Education platform for learning. The organization structures its work through sector-based and geographic Hubs, and convenes the biennial NENA Conference. The NENA member directory categories span 30+ sectors including environment, food, governance, technology, and sharing economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NENAsphere Online membership community platform connecting individuals and organizations working to create an ecologically healthy and socially just society through knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer support, and collaboration.
• NENA Directory Member directory listing individual and organizational NENA members across Australia, searchable by category including co-operatives, commerce, environment, food, governance, and technology sectors.
• New Economy Journal Official journal of NENA published monthly featuring articles on the New Economy movement, with themes including Rethinking Value, New Stories for the New Economy, Connections to Place, Health and Wellbeing, Regenerative Economics, and Does Capitalism Have a Future?
• NENA Courses & Education Platform Educational platform providing courses and educational resources related to new economy concepts and practices.
• NENA Biennial Conference Major biennial conference bringing together participants committed to advancing social justice, ecological sustainability, and economic equity, featuring presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities.
• NENA Hubs Sector-based and geographic organizational structure covering areas including Arts & Culture, Degrowth, Earth Economies, Economic Literacy, Human Habitats, Localisation, Storytelling, and Systems Change.
• Peoples' Plan for a New Economy Governance initiative documenting the collective vision and plan for transforming Australia's economic system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 years of continuous operation and network building across Australia

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• The Australia InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023NENA partners with The Australia Institute for the annual Federal Budget Rundown webinar. Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff from The Australia Institute provides analysis of the Federal Budget from a new economy perspective, examining welfare, housing, environment, and care sector allocations.
• RIPESS (Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022NENA formally represents RIPESS within Oceania. This international partnership connects NENA to a global network of social solidarity economy organisations. NENA members participated in the Asian Solidarity Economy Forum 2022, and NENA actively contributes to RIPESS initiatives including SSE Course development and international declarations.
• University of NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNENA began a Research Hub partnership with the University of Newcastle. The collaboration focuses on research into quality of life and wellbeing, with NENA and the university co-hosting events and discussions on measuring progress and wellbeing in Australia.
• ARENA (Australian Research Environmental Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNENA is associated with ARENA through the Community Land Trust Manual publication. ARENA published 'Enabling Community Land Trusts in Australia' which NENA promotes to its network as part of housing and property work within the new economy.
• UTS Institute for Sustainable FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Chris Riedy from UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures co-convenes NENA's Narratives Hub. This academic partnership brings research expertise to NENA's narrative transformation work, including hosting workshops and developing communication strategies for the new economy movement.
• Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELA and NENA are closely aligned, with Dr Michelle Maloney serving as Co-Founder and Director of both organisations. The two organisations collaborate on earth laws, governance, and systems change work, sharing resources and participating in joint initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Australian Ethical: Australian ethical investment and superannuation provider aligned with new-economy values. Comparable as an Australian organisation advancing ethical/economic-system change, though commercial in structure.

Direct peers

• Social Enterprise UK: UK membership body for social enterprises that provides a network, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing platform. Closely mirrors NENA's membership-led, knowledge-sharing model, though geographically separate.
• Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll): Global collaboration of organisations advancing wellbeing economy frameworks. Comparable to NENA in advocating systemic economic transformation and convening aligned organisations across regions.
• Social Traders: Australian membership network connecting social enterprises with buyers and supporters. Direct domestic peer operating a similar member-based, sector-advancing model within Australia.
• RIPESS (Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy): Global intercontinental network of social solidarity economy organisations. NENA formally represents RIPESS within Oceania, making it the most direct peer in terms of mission, structure, and constituency.
• New Economics Foundation: UK-based independent think tank promoting new economic models for people and planet. Highly comparable as a national-level organisation focused on transforming economic systems through research, advocacy, and convening.

Broad incumbents

• B Lab Global (B Corporation): Global nonprofit certifying B Corps and promoting business as a force for good. Operates in adjacent new-economy territory with a broader, more commercial model than NENA.
• Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS): Australia's peak national body for the community and welfare sector. Larger, more established Australian advocacy network that NENA intersects with on social-justice and economic-policy themes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nena_aus
• Facebookfacebook.com/neweconomyaustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-economy-network-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Economy Network Australia