Stuart Cowan

Stuart is the Co-Founder of Autopoiesis LLC, which applies complex living systems models to regenerative design, development, and finance for clients ranging from GE Capital to the International Living Future Institute. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Chief Scientist for the Smart Cities Council, the world’s premier consortium of smart cities practitioners and solution providers, where he developed knowledge frameworks and tools supporting the integration of smart technologies with urban sustainability and resilience. Stuart served as a Transaction Manager and founding team member with Portland Family of Funds, an innovative sustainable community investment fund, which together with its national affiliate, United Fund Advisors, LLC, have closed $2.8 billion in transactions, generating 21,000 jobs. At Ecotrust he led the development of the Reliable Prosperity framework for a regenerative bioregion, which provides a fractal integration of patterns of natural, social, and economic capital.

He is the co-author with Sim Van der Ryn of Ecological Design (1996/2007), a visionary overview of the whole systems integration of ecology and architecture, land-use planning, and product design that has been translated into three languages. He received his doctorate in Applied Mathematics from U.C. Berkeley with a focus on complex systems modeling and ecological economics. He has taught complex systems, ecological design, and regenerative economics at U.C. Berkeley, Presidio Graduate School, Portland State University, and Naropa University. He has presented and facilitated internationally for cities, companies, state and federal agencies, and other clients.

Stuart's Bounce Beyond role

I lead the processes to identify potential CoNECTs and review of their self-nomination to be CoNECTs.  We do this through numerous network connections to publicize the opportunity.