Shaping Innovation Futures: Uncovering the Infrastructure Required for Resilient and Regenerative Futures in Australia

In an era where the challenges we face are not only environmental but also deeply social, technological and economic. As a result, there is a growing urgency for transdisciplinary thinking and systemic responses. As Rob Ricigliano reminds us, ‘Systems don’t get solved. At best, we hope to shift systems to a healthier state. Systems don’t just need things fixed. They need the healing of relationships, historic inequities, destructive patterns, and the environment.’ This gleaming insight underlines the complexity of the moment and highlights the need for new infrastructures that can support regenerative and distributive futures in Australia. But that begs the question, what innovation infrastructure is required to make this happen?

Why Systems Innovation?

Our global challenges today – climate change, ecological degradation, energy blindness, food security, COVID-19, the cost of living crisis, and social inequality – cannot be understood in isolation. They are interdependent and interconnected ‘systemic’ issues that, according to leading systems theorist, Fritjof Capra, ‘can ultimately be seen as just different facets of one single crisis, which is largely a crisis of perception’. He goes on to mention how our modern mechanistic worldview, is inadequate for dealing with the the major problems of our times. In the past few years, these interrelated crises have come to be known as multifaceted manifestations of the metacrisis. This term, ‘metacrisis’ refers to the convergence of multiple crises, such as environmental degradation, economic instability, social inequality, and political fragmentation, that compound and amplify one another, resulting in a systemic, existential threat to not just our future, but to the future of all complex life. As Jonathan Rowson describes in his essay Taste the Pickle, the metacrisis is not just a collection of problems but an intricate entanglement of underlying systemic failures, requiring us to ‘taste’ and acknowledge the bitter complexity of the pickle that we’re in before we can address it. 

Similarly, the work of Daniel Schmachtenberger (another galaxy brain at the forefront of making sense of our collective coordination failures) highlights the inadequacy of conventional problem-solving frameworks in the face of such deep complexity. He emphasises the need for a consilience-based approach, coupled with and collaborative, multi-sectoral approaches to create lasting solutions. These crises require a shift from traditional, narrow concepts of innovation to a broader, systemic approach, ensuring we move away from Naive to Authentic Progress. Systems innovation stresses the importance of interconnectedness, collaboration, and adaptability, making it essential for addressing the root causes of the metacrisis, rather than just its symptoms.

Playing With Books: Halogens Perspective on Innovation

This is where Halogen’s playbook for systemic innovation comes into the mix. Halogen’s approach provides a practical roadmap for shifting from isolated innovations to systemic solutions, aligning with the work being done by CoLabs Australia and the Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation (GCSI). The playbook offers a framework for creating enabling infrastructures that allow diverse actors to collaborate across sectors and disciplines, laying the foundation for systemic responses to our interconnected crises.

The Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation and Life-Ennobling Economics

The Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation (GCSI) is a pioneer in advancing systems-based approaches to innovation. GCSI emphasises a notion they call challenge-led innovation, the importance of addressing complex, real-world problems by bringing together diverse disciplines to co-create solutions that are grounded in the context of the challenge itself.  GCSI’s work aligns with broader frameworks, like those emerging ideas espoused by Dark Matter Labs in Life-Ennobling Economics (LEE). This insightful two-part provocation (which, what are the chances, references Henri Bortoft, a thinker who I’m currently reading) calls for a new vision of the economy – one that recognises the interconnected web of life and promotes its regenerative vitality. LEE offers a philosophical and action-oriented scaffold for rethinking our socio-economic systems, moving beyond extractive economic models towards systems that serve life in all its forms. This lineage of thinking, one that focuses on cultivating an ecological worldview, has been cultivated by world-leading institutions such as Schumacher College for over 30 years.

Side note: As a part of our systems innovation play, we’re looking to co-create something similar to Santa Fe Institute, Schumacher College and Monviso Institute here in Australia. The Living Systems Institute, LSI for short, will be a bioregional learning centre dedicated to transdisciplinary research and education on complexity, living systems thinking, and ecological design. With a focus on realigning humanity with nature, LSI will explore the deep interconnections between self, society, and the natural world. Through holistic, relational scholarship, the institute will seek to inspire new ways of thinking and living in harmony with the ecosystems that sustain us, fostering a deeper understanding of how we can thrive as part of the Earth’s intricate web of life. 

Annnnnyway, let’s not get ahead of ourselves; let’s go back to the innovation piece… So, here at CoLabs Australia, we are working towards the tangible application of this vision for a flourishing future. One where humanity, our tools and our technology are synergistic and symbiotic with Nature’s fundamental patterns and principles. We are in the process of creating accessible enabling infrastructure for startups in BioTech, HealthTech, Climate Tech, DeepTech and Regenerative Entrepreneurship, offering a space where a diverse mix of innovators, change makers, and orthogonal thinkers can come together to collaborate and coalesce around appropriate interventions for some of the planet’s most pressing problems. This infrastructure is essential to fostering transdisciplinary innovation that not only drives technological progress but addresses the root causes of our societal and environmental challenges.

Here’s a bit of a take on what an ecological civilisation could look like, from Jeremy Lent, author of The Patterning Instinct and The Web of Meaning 

We draw inspiration from visionary pioneers like OXMAN Lab and Terreform ONE, who are redefining the intersection between design, technology, and nature. OXMAN Lab, a world-leading nature-centric design lab, envisions a future where human innovation is seamlessly integrated with natural systems – creating technologies and tools that are synergistic and symbiotic with the environment. Similarly, NYC-based Terreform ONE pushes the boundaries of ecological design by focusing on sustainable urbanism and bio-driven solutions to environmental challenges. These trailblazing efforts inform our work at CoLabs, where we aim to foster innovation that regenerates ecosystems, reimagines human interaction with nature, and drives systemic change in ways that address the root causes of the world’s most pressing challenges.

We are also deeply inspired by Newlab, a pioneering innovation hub that brings together engineers, entrepreneurs, and scientists to develop breakthrough technologies at the intersection of hardware, software, and biology. Newlab fosters collaboration across disciplines, creating an ecosystem where diverse innovators work together to tackle complex, systemic challenges. Their model of being a climate and deep tech venture platform with a place-based approach aligns closely with our mission at CoLabs Australia – to provide the infrastructure and community that supports transformative innovation. 

By drawing on the inspiration of OXMAN Lab, Terreform ONE, and Newlab in our own unique, idiosyncratic way, we aim to empower startups and change-makers at CoLabs Australia to co-create solutions that address pressing environmental and societal issues. (Side note: When we speak of scalability, in a similar way to Daniel Christian Wahl, we mean solutions that are scalable within the appropriate context – recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach often overlooks the uniqueness of place). Our goal here is to foster innovation that is not only adaptable and sensitive to local needs but also sustainable, driving systemic change that has the capacity to regenerate ecosystems and redefine humanity’s relationship with the natural world. This approach of designing for positive emergence, Wahl notes, ‘requires local capacity building, life-long learning and the appropriate participation of people in place. So, the path of getting there will make us a globally connected and locally adapted species capable of learning and responding to change with transformation’. 

The Case for Systems Innovation Infrastructure

One of our core objectives with the CoLabs initiative is to uncover the enabling infrastructure needed for bio-led design and innovation to accelerate the transition towards a more resilient and regenerative future through facilitating the emergence of a distributed network of accessible, affordable spaces for translating research into applied innovation across Australia (and potentially APAC and Europe). This includes raising awareness of organised systems innovation (read this as explaining what the heck we are doing to folks and why it’s actually a worthwhile pursuit), generating knowledge about how to support these approaches, convincing stakeholders who have platform technologies – such as universities, large corporations, CSIRO etc. – that collaboration, cooperation and coordination around something like an ‘Innovation Passport’ is essential if we wish to increase the agility and rapidity of innovation to meet a constantly changing world. Then, after all that, building the case for investment into such initiatives.

But why is this critical? As the Bioregional Financing Facilities (BFFs) framework explains, financial capital alone cannot address the metacrisis. The BFF model suggests decentralising financial governance to connect place-based regenerative projects with capital. These facilities function like the mycelial network in a forest, silently yet efficiently transporting nutrients to where they are most needed. Just as the fungi in a forest shuttle vital resources between trees and plants, connecting stronger, established organisms with those that require support to grow, the Bioregional Financing Facilities (BFFs) serve as the financial mycelium. Linking capital holders with regenerative projects and channelling financial resources to communities that need them to thrive. This interconnected flow ensures that every part of the ecosystem – the projects, like saplings – receives the nourishment necessary for regeneration and long-term sustainability. 

The Transformation Gap

Despite increased recognition of the need for systems change, the practical mechanisms to mobilise such change remain unclear. Many promising systems initiatives lack the resources and support they need. This is where CoLabs Australia’s role becomes invaluable—not only as an incubator for impact-oriented ideas but also as consultants specialising in innovation facilitation, living systems thinking, and the development of innovation ecosystems and infrastructure.

At CoLabs, we don’t just provide access to enabling infrastructure; we are active partners in the innovation process, bridging the transformation gap (or the translational gap for those in life sciences). We ensure that startups and initiatives have the resources, networks, and platforms they need to thrive in a rapidly changing environment. By offering consulting services, we support organisations in navigating the complexities of venture creation and transformational change, helping them adopt systemic, living systems approaches to innovation.

Our work as consultants involves facilitating cross-sector collaboration, where we bring together diverse stakeholders – ranging from scientists and entrepreneurs to policymakers and community leaders – to co-create solutions that address complex societal and environmental challenges. We act as a catalyst for systems innovation, ensuring that organisations not only gain access to shared knowledge but are also equipped with the tools and frameworks they need to, depending on their scale and scope of operations, build or participate within regenerative and sustainable innovation ecosystems.

CoLabs as a Systems Innovation Play

At its core, CoLabs Australia is a systems innovation play, designed to create enabling infrastructures that facilitate the growth of startups and systemic solutions to complex challenges. Our model is built on living systems thinking, where we integrate different components – physical infrastructure, networks, and support services – into a holistic system that nurtures innovation in a sustainable and regenerative way.

As part of our commitment to systems change, CoLabs operates alongside two charitable organisations that further embody our systemic approach: Bioquisitive and The Phoenix School Program.

Bioquisitive provides hands-on access and education for individuals interested in the life sciences, creating a democratised space where anyone – regardless of background – can engage with scientific tools and knowledge. This open-access, inclusive model promotes lifelong learning and civic science in a safe, supportive environment, helping to lower barriers to entry into the field and expanding the talent pool for life science innovations.

Meanwhile, The Phoenix School Program diverts valuable scientific equipment from landfills, donating it to schools in need to enhance STEM education. For equipment that is too specialised for schools, The Phoenix School Program redirects these tools to CoLabs, where they become part of our shared infrastructure, available to startups working in BioTech and related fields. This circular approach not only reduces waste but also maximises the utility of scientific resources, ensuring they continue to contribute to innovation.

CoLabs itself is a circular solution, operating on a product-service system model that reduces the material footprint of innovation while increasing the likelihood of startup success. CoLabs minimises the need for startups to invest in resource-intensive infrastructures from scratch by offering shared workspaces, laboratories, and equipment. This shared-resource model supports a more sustainable innovation ecosystem, where the environmental impact of innovation is reduced through efficient use of space and equipment, and the financial burden on startups is eased, allowing them to focus on what matters: developing solutions to critical societal and environmental issues.

Together, these initiatives – CoLabs, Bioquisitive, and The Phoenix School Program  – form a synergistic ecosystem designed to promote systemic change. Through circular economy principles, democratised access to education, and shared innovation infrastructure, CoLabs is working to make the innovation process more inclusive, sustainable, and impactful, driving forward a vision where innovation not only solves problems but does so in harmony with the planet’s natural systems.

Furthermore, by leveraging our expertise in building innovation ecosystems, we help organisations transition from siloed approaches to holistic, interconnected ways of seeing that are dynamic, adaptable and future-proof. Through our complexity-informed living systems thinking approach, we emphasise the importance of designing innovations that are resilient, context-sensitive, and regenerative, enabling long-term impact rather than short-term fixes.

Common Attributes of Systems Initiatives

Whether at CoLabs or in the broader bioregional framework outlined by BFFs, successful systems initiatives share several key attributes:

• Bold ambition to rethink societal structures.
• Provision of platforms for collaboration across sectors.
• A focus on incentivising and sustaining multiple innovations.
• Mechanisms for coherence, such as networked governance, ensuring that efforts are greater than the sum of their parts.

For instance, Life-Ennobling Economics highlights the need for philosophical shifts, advocating for economies that value interdependence and relationships. This kind of regenerative economy requires innovation infrastructures that enable systemic transformation. This includes not just technological advancements but new governance models, financing mechanisms, and value systems.

Why Focus on Systems Innovation?

Innovation, in the traditional sense, is often tied to market-based solutions. However, as BFFs argue, true innovation must transcend technological fixes and market-driven entrepreneurship. We need new models of finance, governance, and organisation to support the systemic changes necessary for a regenerative future. The BFF framework offers a model for how decentralised financial systems can enable place-based regenerative economies that are responsive to local needs.

Similarly, Metabolic Ventures’ work on Systemic Venture Building emphasises the need to develop ventures that address the root causes of societal and environmental challenges. Their approach focuses on creating transformative change through ventures that aim to shift the dynamics of entire systems rather than just implementing incremental fixes. By integrating systems thinking into the venture-building process, Metabolic advocates for scalable impact that is not tied solely to financial growth but is instead centred on achieving meaningful and lasting transformation.

At CoLabs, this broader vision of innovation is already taking shape. By offering a platform where startups can experiment with new approaches, CoLabs helps to foster innovations that are not just technological but systemic, addressing the complexity of challenges like climate change, inequality, and health.

Looking Forward: Building the Infrastructure for the Future

If we are to accelerate regenerative and distributive futures in Australia, we must invest in the infrastructure that enables systemic change. This means developing platforms like CoLabs and embracing financial models like Bioregional Financing Facilities, which align capital with regenerative principles. It also means adopting frameworks like Life-Ennobling Economics, which pushes us to imagine economies that are optimised for multi-capital abundance and are in service to the interconnected web of life.

The critical question remains: How can we enhance our capacity to drive the transformative innovation needed to address the urgent and complex challenges confronting our society and environment?

The answer lies in building innovation infrastructures that are adaptive, inclusive, and systemic. By doing so, we create the conditions for regenerative futures that can meet the needs of both people and the planet – now and for future generations.

Useful References and Further Reading:

• Life-Ennobling Economics (LEE) – This two-part framework offers insights into how economies can shift away from extractive models to ones that serve the interconnected web of life.
  • Further Reading: Dark Matter Labs – Life-Ennobling Economics
• Bioregional Financing Facilities (BFFs) – A model for decentralising financial governance to support place-based, regenerative economies.
  • Further Reading: Bioregional Financing Facilities Whitepaper
• OXMAN Lab – Pioneers in nature-centric design, focusing on synergistic and symbiotic relationships between technology and nature.
  • Further Reading: OXMAN Lab Projects
• Terreform ONE – A nonprofit architecture and urban design group that promotes ecological urbanism and biotechnologies.
  • Further Reading: Terreform ONE
• Newlab – An innovation platform that fosters collaboration between engineers, entrepreneurs, and scientists to solve complex global challenges.
  • Further Reading: Newlab Website
• Metabolic Ventures – Systemic Venture Building – This approach focuses on creating ventures that address the root causes of systemic issues, rather than incremental fixes.
  • Further Reading: Systemic Venture Building Whitepaper
• Schumacher College – A world-renowned centre for ecological studies and transdisciplinary learning. Their long courses have stopped running due to funding shortages, which makes me very sad. 
  • Further Reading: Schumacher College
• Santa Fe Institute – A research institute dedicated to the study of complex systems, an inspiration for CoLabs’ Living Systems Institute.
  • Further Reading: Santa Fe Institute
• Monviso Institute – A research and education platform focused on regenerative design, systems thinking, and sustainability in mountain regions.
  • Further Reading: Monviso Institute
• Systemic Design Labs – A group focused on advancing systemic design principles for transformative change in social and environmental systems.

Further Reading: Systemic Design Labs