• Cooperative Futures Institute.

    Building a Cooperative Future for America

  • About Us

    Our Story

    We live in an era of interwoven challenges — climate disruptions, rapid technological change, fragile systems, and social fragmentation. The Cooperative Futures Institute was created to meet this moment. We take decades of research on how cooperation works — from field studies in rural communities to insights from complexity science — and turn it into tools, simulations, and partnerships that help people, organizations, and communities work better together.

    Phase 1 begins here in Arizona, with pilots in the energy sector and disaster preparedness, building models we can scale across the U.S. and beyond.

    Who We Are

    We are an interdisciplinary team of scientists, facilitators, and creators dedicated to applying cooperation science to real-world challenges. Our backgrounds span anthropology, psychology, complexity science, public engagement, and game design. Together, we’ve led multi-year, multi-site research projects, developed interactive experiences for communities, and built partnerships across industry, government, and the public. The Cooperative Futures Institute is our next step: a launchpad for turning knowledge into action.

    Our Vision

    Our vision is a future where communities and organizations can navigate complexity with clarity, act decisively in the face of disruption, and thrive together. We believe autonomy and self-reliance are strongest when paired with connection and cooperation — and we’re building the tools, partnerships, and experiences to make that balance a reality.

  • What We Do

    At the Cooperative Futures Institute, we apply biological and evolutionary principles of cooperation to shape systems that are truly mutually beneficial—for humans, societies, and the technologies we create. By grounding human–technology design in the same dynamics that sustain cooperation in living systems, we ensure that innovation supports human fourishing rather than undermining it

    Applied Cooperation Frameworks

    Evidence-based strategies to align diverse stakeholders, simplify complex problems, and take effective collective action.

    Facilitation & Partnership Building

    Structured processes to help organizations, agencies, and communities collaborate across sectors and priorities.

    Redesigning Insurance & Risk Management

    Tools and products that help individuals and communities manage risk—and help insurers adapt to an evolving landscape of uncertainty.

    Simulation & Game-Based Learning

    Interactive experiences that make cooperation tangible, from tabletop and digital games to immersive disaster scenarios.

    Community Engagement Events

    Pop-up workshops and interactive activities in everyday spaces — from bodegas to festivals — to build resilience and trust at the grassroots level.

    Cooperative Infrastructure & Institutional Design

    In our pilot year, we’re partnering with Arizona energy companies, municipalities, and disaster preparedness agencies to co-design and test cooperative solutions.

  • Leadership

    The CFI leadership team brings decades of experience studying and practicing cooperation—and a proven ability to work effectively together. Through projects such as The Human Generosity Project, Cooperation Science Network, and Cooperation in the Apocalypse Project, they have built a foundation of collaborative research and innovation that now powers the Cooperative Futures Institute.

    Section image

    Athena Aktipis

    Executive Director

    Psychology Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Cooperation Initative at ASU. Aktipis studies cooperation, conflict, and decision-making across systems. As the founding director of CFI, she draws on decades of research in cooperation science and a career devoted to public engagement, from creating the Zombified Podcast and The Apocalypse Roadshow to writing books and articles that bring cooperation science to wider audiences.

    Section image

    Lee Cronk, PhD

    Director of Education & Academic Partnerships

    Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University. Cronk studies cooperation and cultural evolution, with a focus on how people share resources and solve collective problems. At CFI, he leads efforts to expand education, training, and academic collaborations in cooperation science.

    Section image

    Peter M. Todd, PhD

    Director of Human–Technology Systems

    Provost Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Todd studies cooperation, decision-making, and how people think about the future, guiding CFI’s work on building adaptive, cooperative human–technology systems.

  • Contact Us

    The Cooperative Futures Institute collaborates with leaders across research, industry, and the public sector to apply the science of cooperation to today’s most complex challenges. To explore partnership opportunities or learn more about our work, contact our team using the form below—or email us directly at connect@cooperativefutures.org.

    Cookie Use
    We use cookies to ensure a smooth browsing experience. By continuing we assume you accept the use of cookies.
    Learn More