A two day participatory event
for co-creating
culture, capital and community
for a more thrivable, equitable, humanity-centered economy

Zebras are individuals, businesses, funders, and partners committed to building the new economy, together.

Join Zebras Unite for 2 days of inspiring and educational content, and collaborative design sessions to co-create the business ecosystem we all need to thrive.  

  • Share time and space with leaders who are at the vanguard of changing the startup investment landscape

  • Discover the diverse perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurs who are charting different paths

  • Find your place in the movement that’s building businesses that are better for the world.

In 2017, our first DazzleCon inspired the emergence of a global community of over 20,000 like-minded entrepreneurs, funders, and allies in 27 countries, and launched a member-owned cooperative with 200+ members and more than $750,000 in in-kind support from our founding members.

We’re excited to gather the Dazzle again to weave the brilliance of our members, partners, and community as we continue to learn together


What to Expect

DazzleCon participants will experience collaborative hands-on sessions, actionable talks, meet interdisciplinary practitioners, and have ample time for discussion, collective problem-solving, and networking.

Here’s what to expect:

Inspiration

Stories and discussions that prove the viability of alternative ways of building an organization in service to both people and planet.

Education

Workshops and deep dives that broaden our awareness of what is possible and deepen into the skills needed to take action.

Connection

Holding space for an authentic, joyful community of zebras of all stripes, who are the heart and soul of the new economy.

Activation

Catalyzing the development of new tools, experiments and collaborations within and beyond our global Zebra community.


Themes

Cooperation is a critical attribute of healthy and equitable human societies, and is core to everything we do at Zebras Unite. In 2023 and at this year’s DazzleCon, we are focusing on three principal themes:

Building Mutualistic Organizations

How might we develop tools, resources, and frameworks for organizations of all types to embrace a more collaborative and cooperative approach?

Designing Capital Ecosystems

How might we find more effective, efficient, and equitable ways to mobilize capital to Zebra entrepreneurs around the world?

Scaling Community Capacity

How might we create shared spaces and processes that enhance our ability for collective coordination and capacity building?


Participation

Participation in DazzleCon 2023 is by rolling application which will be available to all Zebras-aligned entrepreneurs, funders, and allied practitioners. We encourage interested participants to register their interest early to be the first to know when ticket sales begin and further details of the program are announced.


Note: Our Zebras Unite Co-op members get to skip the application review process and will receive discounts on tickets and additional opportunity to engage in programming. Please be sure to indicate that you are a co-op member in the application.


Speaker Nominations

DazzleCon ‘23 programming will range from plenary sessions and panel discussions, deep-dive workshops, fireside chats, and unconference-style, peer-led programming. 

We’re now accepting speaker nominations; please let us know what and who you would like to see represented at the event!

Speaker nominations close July 31, 2023, and will be considered on a rolling basis.


Sponsorship

Align your brand with the Zebras Unite movement and support DazzleCon ‘23 with financial or in-kind donations.

Past DazzleCon sponsors have included the Knight, Rockefeller, and MacArthur Foundations; investors like Brad Feld & Amy Batchelor, Tiny Capital and Purpose; in-kind donors including the Long Now Foundation and Catalyst Law; corporate sponsors like Buffer and JLL; and and city economic development offices including Prosper Portland.


Questions

Have a question, comment, or suggestion that isn’t covered by our various forms above? We’d love to hear from you!