Wealth Hackers Initiative

Born out of a conversation between a small group of peers in the UK and US, we recognised the work we were each doing was going against the grain of a system designed to reward the extraction and accumulation of wealth for the few, at the expense of many – what’s sometimes called the ‘Wealth Defence Industry’.

Together we identified a list of hacks, by which we mean practical tools and technologies that can channel wealth and resources for the benefit of people and the planet. Everything from new laws and policies to financial models, accounting standards and digital platforms, and even hacks for changing behaviours. These are the things that need to come into existence to create an economy that:

• is reparative rather than harmful

• is regenerative rather than extractive

• distributes power, wealth and opportunities rather than concentrating more of these things in the hands of fewer and fewer people

• centres human and planetary flourishing rather than the creation of wealth for wealth’s sake

We also recognised that there are many, many more people working deeply in the wealth system who are best placed to design and implement hacks.

So in 2024, with seed funding from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, we knocked together a website, shared the idea of ‘hacking the wealth defence industry’ on international stages like SOCAP Global and Next Frontiers, and in publications like the Stanford Social Innovation Review. We started an open mailing list and launched the first innovation challenge to hear from others doing this kind of work. Hundreds of people responded, from radical wealth holders to wealth advisors, field builders, financial planners, lawyers, accountants, and others, who are actively building hacks that divert wealth for everyone’s benefit, and looking to connect with peers. Our goal is to support their work.

Now we’re figuring out how to grow, resource and connect up this network to advance the field. Learn with us as we go.