Refreshing CoTech’s digital presence: Building the foundations for co-operative technology

CoTech is the UK network of worker-owned technology co-operatives. Under the CoTech umbrella are Outlandish, who work alongside numerous other worker co-operatives across the UK, all of whom work within the tech sector.

There are 28 co-operatives delivering services such as web development, cloud hosting, CRM systems, data, design, and digital campaigning. Collectively, CoTech's members support organisations ranging from grassroots groups to national institutions including the NHS, Oxfam, and the BBC. Their long-term strategy is to help create a democratically owned and controlled digital sector that serves people rather than shareholders. In the shorter term, they are focused on enabling the co-operative movement to lead the way by adopting, commissioning, and collectively governing its own technology.

With thanks to Co-operatives UK and The Co-operative Bank, CoTech has spent 2025 strengthening its digital presence and deepening its connection to the wider co-operative movement. In this guest blog Natasha Natarajan, Co-Director at Outlandish, explains how learnings from Co-op Congress 2025 helped create practical digital infrastructure, making it easier for co-operatives to find, commission, and collaborate on ethical technology.

From Congress conversations to concrete action

This project grew directly out of CoTech’s participation in Co-op Congress 2025, supported by bursaries and tickets, made possible by funding through The Co-operative Bank’s partnership with Co-operatives UK, writes Natasha Natarajan. A total of 12 CoTech members attended Congress, hosted a shared stall, and delivered a workshop focused on a core question for the movement: how can the co-operative sector own and shape its own technology?

The conversations that followed were both encouraging and clarifying. Many co-operators expressed a strong desire to work with values-aligned tech suppliers, but also highlighted persistent barriers, including low awareness of co-operative tech providers, uncertainty about where to start, and limited capacity to navigate digital choices. These insights directly shaped the focus of this funded work.

Strengthening pathways into co-operative tech

Following Congress, from September 2025, CoTech focused on improving public access to the network. We are now proud to launch the following:

1. A brand new, refreshed CoTech website offering clearer storytelling about the network, stronger calls to action, and distinct routes for three key audiences: co-operatives looking to commission ethical tech, people interested in learning about co-operative technology, and tech worker co-operatives who want to join the network.
2. A streamlined community forum creating space for discussion, learning, and connection across the wider co-operative tech community, while still supporting internal collaboration between members.
3. A shared network inbox and a lightweight lead triage system, improving how CoTech responds to enquiries and helping co-operatives find appropriate, co-operative solutions more quickly.

Looking ahead to 2026

This project represents an important step in delivering Co-operatives UK's and CoTech’s strategy of greater visibility, stronger collaboration, and clearer pathways into co-operative technology. 

The refreshed website and forum represent exactly the kind of digital infrastructure that is essential if the movement is to build values-led alternatives to dominant technology platforms.

CoTech plans to leverage this new infrastructure to support and participate in sector events, working closely with Co-operatives UK to create spaces on and offline where co-ops can meet, learn, and collaborate around technology. 

Our bi-yearly gathering is already planned for 19 March at SPACE4 in Finsbury Park, London. And we are planning a CoTech trade fair for the co-operative sector. So stay tuned, we hope to see you all there.