Integrated Capital for Economic Democracy in the Age of AI

The impact investing world is at a crossroads. Resources are tightening and political headwinds are real, yet communities are arriving at sharper clarity and bolder strategy than ever before. This session explores how integrated capital structures, weaving together philanthropic, investment, and community-controlled resources, can drive genuine economic democracy. Drawing on Aaron Tanaka’s experience co-founding institutions including the Center for Economic Democracy and Boston’s Ujima common platform, we examine how AI is reshaping who controls economic infrastructure, who benefits, and what it means for funders and investors to align capital with real community power in 2026.