GRASSROOTS
ECONOMY

MINISTRY OF IDEAS
ON THE
GRASSROOTS
ECONOMY

THE GOAL
MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AGAIN

TODAY EACH OF US LIVES SEVERAL
HUNDRED YEARS IN A DECADE

OUR GLOBAL VILLAGE AT
NIGHT

CHANGE IN SOCIETY
GAP!
ABILITY OF EDUCATION TO ADAPT
TIME

“WE CANNOT
SOLVE OUR
PROBLEMS
WITH THE SAME
THINKING WE
USED WHEN WE
CREATED THEM”

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
ABOUT SCHOOLING

THE PAST: INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
Artist: Lotta Viitaniemi, Story: Kim Forsman & Teemu Arina Dic

INDUSTRIAL LOGIC APPLIED TO LEARNING
Artist: Lotta Viitaniemi, Story: Kim Forsman & Teemu Arina Dicole Ltd.

THE GIFT ECONOMY

WIKIPEDIA VS BRITANNICA

NOW #1 MUSIC RETAILER IN US
PASSES WAL-MART

THINK iTUNES IS THE
FUTURE
OF MUSIC?

THINK AGAIN.

ALWAYS ROOM FOR
DISRUPTION
FREEMUSIC YOU NEED
ALL THE

WHERE IS THE
MONEY FREE?
ON PLANET

MORE AND MORE
PROFITABLE COMPANIES ARE FREE
FOR THE CONSUMER

IF YOU DON’T
SOMEONE ELSE WILL

551 M
382 M
195 M
62 M
7 M
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
REVENUE GROWTH
HOW MUCH OF A BUSINESS MODEL?

BUILD NOW
MONETIZE LATER

STARTUPS REVENUE MODEL
MODELS • FEES
• SUBSCRIPTION
• COMMISSION
• ATTENTION
PRODUCT BUSINESS
MODEL MODEL
• MARKETS • DESTINATION
• HYPERMEDIA • PLATFORM
• UTILITY COMPUTING • NETWORK

GRASSROOTS
ECONOMY
YOU CREATE
PRODUCTS, SERVICES, EXPERIENCES

MINISTRY OF IDEAS
FREE NON-POLITICAL
PROCESS
FOR THE GRASSROOT

ACT
I VE VISION
DEM
OCR
ACY
PROJECT INI WEEKLY
TATIVE
OPEN
DM ODEL MEETUP
L
WOR
G 2 0 NEW
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

HEARTBEAT
OF THE GRASSROOT
IN INNOVATION
52 BEATS A YEAR
52 STEPS CLOSER TO THE FUTURE

GENERAL ELECTRIC 327.000
ICELAND 319.756
GENERAL ELECTRIC HAS A VISION
ICELAND NEEDS A VISION

HOW DID WE GET TO THE
MOON?

WITH A SIMPLE
VISION

"...I BELIEVE THAT
THIS NATION SHOULD
COMMIT ITSELF TO
ACHIEVING THE GOAL,
BEFORE THIS DECADE
IS OUT, OF LANDING A
MAN ON THE MOON
AND RETURNING HIM
SAFELY TO THE
MAY 25TH 1961 EARTH…”

“MY WORK IS TO GET
A MAN TO THE MOON…”
SAID THE BOOKKEEPER AT NASA

US INVESTS IN SPACEPEN
CO$T MILLIONS
FISHER AG-7 SPACE PEN

PENCIL!

FUTURE
IS
ART

THE FUTURE IS LIKE
JAPANESE
MARTIAL ART!

USE ITS
FORCE
IN OUR
AIKIDO
THE WAY OF UNIFYING WITH LIFE ENERGY
ADVATAGE

WE ONLY HAVE
[ STILL ]
ONE

PLANET NEEDS
US
UK

THE ICELANDIC OPPORTUNITY
INSPIRATION
FOR A NEW
WORLD MODEL

ICELAND HAS
ENERGY

TINY IN POPULATION
300
THOUSANDS

INFRASTRUCTURE
THE BASIC PHYSICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURES NEEDED FOR THE OPERATION OF A
SOCIETY OR ENTERPRISE, OR THE SERVICES AND
FACILITIES NECESSARY FOR AN ECONOMY TO FUNCTION

PROTOTYPE A ON ELECTRIC CARS
PROTOTYPE B ON DATA CENTERS
PROTOTYPE C ON BATTERY CHARGING
PROTOTYPE D TRANSPORTAION BUSINESS MODEL
PROTOTYPE E ACTIVE DEMOCRATIC
PROTOTYPE F ON REALTIME CURRENCY
ALL YOU NEED
FOR A GOOD
LAB

THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
TODAY
NOKIA 20 YEARS AGO

AS WE ALL
THINK
WHY NOT THINK
BIG

The Icelandic opportunity: Inspiration for a new world model
DEAR BARACK OBAMA,
31st March, 2009
G20
To the Leaders at the G20 London Summit,
A people's movement in Iceland, the Ministry of Ideas hereby outlines to the G20 leaders an
opportunity for prototyping a sustainable world.
What level of growth is sustainable in the long term? The answer is not clear, but it is
WE HAVE A PROPOSAL
imperative that we find out. Our behavior is and has been unsustainable. The key to
understanding is to earnestly admit that we all share but one ultimate resource, our fragile
planet.
The crash of the Icelandic financial system was a clear early indicator of an unsustainable
economy and democracy. It demonstrated the vulnerability of modern political systems and
the need for clear values.
Solving the current challenges by adding new policies to an already fractured framework,
as well as injecting economic stimulants, should merely be a short-term fix, to keep the
wheels turning while getting to the root of the problem. We now know that long-term
problems are not solved with short-term solutions. The very foundations of liberty and
democracy must be revisited.
At this significant moment in time we do not just stand as nations, alliances or empires but
as citizens of a global village. We all share a dream to create and sustain prosperity for
generations to come. United by our common resources, we need a shared vision.
Iceland has a longstanding democratic and entrepreneurial heritage, with a parliament
dating back to 930. It has no military and a highly educated population of just 300
thousand. After its recent rise and fall, Iceland offers a unique opportunity in history as the
laboratory for prototyping the development of a sustainable model society in all areas,
including democracy, economy, currency and energy.
The time for action is now, while Iceland's infrastructure and financial system are being
rebooted. We invite you to take part in this exciting venture.
On behalf of the Ministry of Ideas in Iceland
The people's movement
www.ministryofideas.is
secretariat@ministryofideas.is

“MR. FOREIGN MINISTER
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VISIT
I BELIEVE ICELAND WILL BE FIRST TO RECOVER”

SOLUTIONS ?
THINKING DIFFERENT
BLENDED VALUES
GLOBAL AWARENESS

200
BILLION ISK
IN INNOVATION

200 - S OU
BILLION ISK
W D
RC E D
O
IN INNOVATION
R
C

THE WISDOM
OF CROWDS

- NATIONAL ASSEMBLY -
NOVEMBER 14TH 2009 - LAUGARDALSHÖLL

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
DRIVER OF 200B ISK VC FUND
ELECTRIC CARS
ENERGY
IT
EDUCATION 2.0
BIOTECH
DEMOCRACY 2.0
DESIGN

THE ICELANDIC OPPORTUNITY
INSPIRATION
FOR A NEW
WORLD MODEL

200 BILLION ISK BOTH “STUCK” & NEW CAPITAL
WORLD BANK / NIB OFFERS AAA RATING
RENAISSANCE CAPITAL CROWDSOURCED VISION
INVESTMENT DEFINED BY THE VISION
CAPITAL INJECTION
DIVERCE INDUSTRIES

“BLENDED VALUES”
SOCIAL ✚ FINANCIAL ✚ ENVIRONMENTAL
VALUE CREATED
GRASSROOTS ECONOMY ✚ CROWDSOURCING

MINISTRY OF IDEAS
GET IN TOUCH:
GUDJON MAR GUDJONSSON
GUDJON@MINISTRYOFIDEAS.IS
GSM +354 820.0000