Next Generation Business Models … redefining value, ownership, scale, and trust … powered by AI and data, decentralised and human, catalysed by sustainability … Bytedance and Earthchain, KlimaDAO and On, Ping An and Soul Machines

June 5, 2025

The most innovative businesses today are reimagining what it means to create, deliver, and capture value.

Moving far beyond traditional “new” models – like auctions and exchanges, licensing and subscriptions – a next generation of business models is emerging — powered by AI, new technologies like blockchain and robotics, ecosystems, unlocking intangible assets, and catalysed by urgent environmental and social challenges.

Across every sector, these radical business models are reshaping how companies grow and compete. What defines them is not just their use of technology — but their redefinition of value itself. They:

  • Shift from ownership to access, or from access to participation

  • Replace centralised control with decentralised collaboration

  • Convert data, trust, and relationships into monetisable assets

  • Build value systems where profit and purpose reinforce each other

The future of business isn’t just digital. It’s distributed, decentralised, and deeply human in its impact.

These models are the blueprint for the next generation of business — intelligent, inclusive, and built around the intangible assets that now drive competitive advantage. In a world where code, creativity, and climate matter more than capital, these pioneers are not just changing business. They’re reinventing it.

Here’s a global look at some of the most radical business models reshaping industries today.

1. Brand-led ecosystems and cultural capital models

Examples: Patagonia (US), On Running (Switzerland), Glossier (US)

Certain brands today are building entire ecosystems around cultural identity, shared purpose, and community contribution. Patagonia’s transformation into a non-profit trust reshaped its business into an engine for climate action. Glossier used its loyal fanbase to co-create products and fuel word-of-mouth growth. On Running leverages its elite athlete endorsements and sustainability credentials to grow a purpose-led premium community.

Here, the brand itself becomes the platform — an intangible asset that compounds over time through trust, activism, and user collaboration.

  • These businesses monetise cultural alignment, not just products. Brands capture ideas and propositions that are much more than technology. Their model grows stronger the more people believe in it.

2. Data-native platforms and relationship-driven ecosystems

Examples: Tesla (US), Bytedance (China), Ping An (China)

Some companies have made data their central business model. Tesla doesn’t just sell cars; it continuously collects driving data to improve its autonomous systems and energy products. Ping An, a Chinese financial services group, builds interconnected services — from health to banking to insurance — around deep customer data and long-term trust.

In these models, relationships — often invisible — become the key strategic asset. The more a business knows about its users, the more predictive and sticky its offerings become.

  • Data becomes the flywheel. The more it’s used, the more value it creates — forming a self-reinforcing advantage that’s hard to replicate.

3. Regenerative and circular value models

Examples: Notpla (UK), Bext360 (Africa/US), TerraCycle/Loop (US)

These models embed sustainability and circularity into the business logic itself. Notpla, a London startup, makes biodegradable packaging from seaweed. Bext360 uses blockchain and AI to trace every coffee bean back to its origin, rewarding sustainable farming practices. Loop, developed by TerraCycle, builds reusable packaging systems for brands like Nestlé and Unilever.

Here, transparency, traceability, and customer trust become key intangible assets. The brand value is inseparable from environmental impact and social equity.

  • Consumers increasingly demand climate-positive action — not just neutrality. These businesses are turning sustainability into a competitive advantage, not a compliance burden.

4. AI-native autonomous enterprises

Examples: Lindy.ai (US), Cognosys (Global), Hypertype (EU)

These businesses don’t just use AI — they are built around it. Entire workflows, decision-making structures, and customer interactions are being run by AI agents and autonomous systems. Lindy.ai, for instance, creates a personalised “chief of staff” AI that handles scheduling, communication, and task prioritisation. As these systems mature, companies may no longer need large administrative layers.

These models rely heavily on intangible assets — particularly proprietary data, user behaviour insights, and relationship history — to continuously learn and personalise services at scale.

  • These businesses radically lower operational costs and redefine scale. A team of five people with the right AI stack can now rival the output of a 100-person company

5. DAOs: decentralized autonomous organisations

Examples: KlimaDAO (Global), CabinDAO (US), BitDAO (Singapore)

DAOs replace traditional corporate hierarchies with decentralized governance, where decisions are made by token-holders and enforced by smart contracts. KlimaDAO, for example, is building a blockchain-based economy around carbon credits. CabinDAO is creating a global co-living network governed by its digital community.

The value lies in community trust, governance transparency, and open-source code — intangible assets that replace boardrooms with consensus mechanisms.

  • DAOs challenge the fundamental idea of top-down control, instead enabling collective ownership and direction — a model better suited to borderless, digital-native organizations

6. Tokenized ownership and micro-incentives

Examples: Rally.io (US), RealT (US), Sweat Economy (UK)

Tokenization enables companies to convert physical or digital value into fractional, tradeable ownership. RealT tokenizes real estate properties, allowing individuals to buy shares and receive rental income in crypto. Sweat Economy rewards people for physical activity with tokens that can be traded or spent. Rally.io enables creators to launch their own branded tokens, giving fans both access and investment-like upside.

Here, brands and communities are transformed into economic ecosystems where participation equals ownership — and engagement drives value.

  • These models offer new ways to align incentives and unlock value that used to be passive or inaccessible.

7. Emotionally Intelligent AI Companions

Examples: Character.ai (US), Replika (US), Soul Machines (NZ)

A new category of business is emerging at the intersection of AI, emotion, and digital identity. Character.ai lets users build AI personalities that can engage in realistic conversations. Soul Machines develops digital humans for customer service, healthcare, and education — capable of reading and responding to emotions.

The core value is in relationships and trust — ephemeral yet deeply powerful assets. Users don’t just use these services; they form bonds with them.

  • These models shift business from transactional to relational. You’re not just selling a service — you’re co-creating an emotional experience.

8. Embedded climate accounting and ethical nudging

Examples: Doconomy (Sweden), Earthchain (UK), Klarna’s carbon insights (Sweden)

These businesses integrate carbon tracking and impact measurement into daily spending. Doconomy’s credit card tracks users’ carbon footprints and can even block purchases beyond a set CO2 limit. Earthchain works with retailers to embed product-level climate impact at the point of sale.

Such models rely on consumer consciousness and ethical engagement — new forms of value that turn impact awareness into competitive edge.

  • These models turn climate literacy into action, and offer companies a new lever for differentiation beyond price and product.

Reinventing the concept of business

These radical new business models are reshaping how companies grow and compete. However organisations have been reinventing their organisations for quite some time – a concept that became very popular with the advent of online platforms like Airbnb or Uber. Everyone wanted to reinvent their business as a platform, an exchange, or subscription.

So while many of these forms of business models are not new, its worth taking a few steps back to remind ourselves about what is a business model, what are the diverse options available, and how to we build them and transition from old to new.

The evolution of business models

Historically, businesses were built on simple models:

  • Product sales (e.g., Ford selling cars),

  • Service models (e.g., legal firms billing by the hour), or

  • Retail and distribution (e.g., department stores buying wholesale and selling at a markup).

These models were linear and predictable — until they weren’t.

The digital revolution triggered a seismic shift. The rise of the internet in the 1990s enabled new intermediaries, such as eBay’s auction marketplace, and Amazon’s online retail model. In the 2000s, platforms and apps introduced further models based on ecosystems and data. Then came mobile, social media, and cloud computing — which reduced the costs of reaching customers and operating at scale.

Today, companies no longer compete only on products or services, but on the architecture of their business model. A superior product with an inferior model may lose. A simple idea with a breakthrough model can win big.

The expanding universe of business models

Over time, a wide range of business models has emerged. Some are classic, others born of digital transformation. Many combine multiple components. Here’s a snapshot of key types:

1. Product Sales

  • The most traditional model: make something, sell it for more than it cost.

  • Example: Toyota, Zara — selling cars or fashion with volume and margin.

2. Licensing

  • Charging others to use intellectual property.

  • Example: ARM Holdings licenses its chip designs to tech manufacturers around the world.

3. Razor and Blades

  • Sell one item cheap (the razor), make money on the consumables (the blades).

  • Example: HP printers and ink, or Nespresso and coffee pods.

4. Subscription

  • Recurring revenue in exchange for ongoing access.

  • Example: Netflix, Spotify, Adobe Creative Cloud.

5. Freemium

  • Offer a free basic version; charge for premium features.

  • Example: Dropbox, Zoom, and Notion — converting a small % of free users to paid ones.

6. Marketplace or Platform

  • Connect buyers and sellers, take a cut.

  • Example: Uber, Airbnb, Alibaba. These rely on building trust, liquidity, and network effects.

7. Franchise

  • License the brand and model to independent operators.

  • Example: McDonald’s, Anytime Fitness, or Marriott Hotels.

8. Auction and Exchange

  • Dynamic pricing based on demand.

  • Example: eBay, or StockX in the sneaker and fashion resale market.

9. Data Monetization

  • Offer free services, and monetize user data or insights.

  • Example: Google and Facebook generate vast revenues through targeted advertising.

10. Usage-Based or Pay-As-You-Go

  • Charge only for what’s used — ideal for cloud computing or utilities.

  • Example: AWS (Amazon Web Services), Twilio, Zipcar.

11. Crowdsourcing and Crowdfunding

  • Leverage communities to build or fund products.

  • Example: Kickstarter, GoFundMe, or Threadless for design.

12. Direct-to-Consumer (D2C)

  • Bypass traditional retail to own customer relationships and data.

  • Example: Warby Parker, Allbirds, or India’s boAt electronics.

13. Circular and Sharing Economy

  • Based on reuse or shared access instead of ownership.

  • Example: ThredUp, Fat Llama, or Lime scooters.

14. Ecosystem-Based

  • Creating a constellation of products, services, and partners that reinforce each other.

  • Example: Apple’s walled garden, or Tencent’s super app WeChat in China.

Examples of global business model innovation

  • Haier evolved from a traditional appliance manufacturer into a platform of micro-enterprises. Each business unit within Haier operates like a startup — incentivized to serve customers directly, with shared services in the background. The result: agility, innovation, and resilience.
  • Unilever in emerging markets uses a reverse logistics model for its “Shakti” initiative in India — empowering rural women as micro-entrepreneurs who sell hygiene products locally and collect packaging for reuse.
  • Tesla’s model integrates software, hardware, and energy services — combining direct-to-consumer sales, over-the-air updates, energy storage, and AI-based autonomous driving. Its value is no longer just in vehicles but in data, brand, and energy platforms.
  • Shopify enabled a new kind of distributed entrepreneurship — with tools, templates, and infrastructure that allowed anyone to become an online retailer. Its model grows by helping others grow.

How to build a new business model

Creating a new business model starts with rethinking the assumptions of your current one. Key questions include:

  • Who is our customer — and what job are they hiring us to do?

  • What unique value can we offer — and how can we deliver it differently?

  • What relationships, data, or brand assets can we leverage?

  • How can technology reshape the cost or experience of delivery?

  • Where is the money coming from — and is that the only way?

One powerful tool is the Business Model Canvas — a simple framework that breaks a business into nine components: customer segments, value propositions, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key activities, key resources, key partners, and cost structure.

To innovate, test different combinations:

  • Could we shift from selling to subscription?

  • Could we serve new customer segments through platforms?

  • Could we turn data into a new product or insight engine?

  • Could we create new value by collaborating with unlikely partners?

Transitioning from old to new models

Transitioning to a new business model is one of the hardest — and most critical — leadership challenges. It means letting go of legacy assumptions, revenue streams, and ways of working. The shift must often be staged and carefully managed.

Here are key steps:

  1. Start small: Pilot the new model in one segment, geography, or customer base.

  2. Learn fast: Measure what works, adapt quickly, and scale only what proves value.

  3. Align incentives: Ensure internal teams are rewarded for embracing new models, not protecting old ones.

  4. Communicate clearly: Customers, investors, and employees need to understand why the change matters.

  5. Keep both engines running: During transition, companies may need to balance the legacy model (“Engine 1”) and the new model (“Engine 2”) — as explained in O’Reilly and Tushman’s ambidextrous organization framework.

Jump to the future

We now see even more radical models emerge — powered by AI, blockchain, sustainability pressures, and new social expectations. Business models will become more fluid, adaptive, and ecosystem-based. Value will increasingly flow from intangible assets like trust, brand, relationships, and data.

The ability to design, test, and evolve business models will be the most important skill of future-ready leaders. Because in a world of change, your business model — not just your product — will decide whether you win or vanish.

Business model innovation is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity. Whether you’re a startup or a century-old corporation, your future depends on your ability to imagine new ways to create and capture value — and to let go of the past to embrace what comes next.

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