This talk develops a multilevel theory of social capital and social innovation, asking how trust, networks, shared meanings, and collective experimentation interact across local, regional, and global scales. Rather than treating social capital as a static resource, the research shows how it becomes a dynamic infrastructure for social innovation. Through the case of coffee-producing territories in Huila, Colombia, the study reveals how local ties, institutional bridges, and market linkages generate feedback loops that can either unlock collective upgrading or reproduce structural lock-in. In short: social innovation does not simply happen in communities; it emerges across nested levels of relationships, power, and time.
Dario Cottafava is an Assistant Professor in Management at the Business Department of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and a researcher at CREIS, the Centre for Studies and Research in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His work explores circular economy, sustainability transitions, social innovation, impact assessment, and the socio-environmental implications of ecological transformation. With a PhD in Circular Economy and a background in Physics of Complex Systems, he combines systems thinking, qualitative research, and impact-oriented methodologies to study complex sustainability challenges. He is also co-founder of greenTO, an environmental NGO based in Turin, and BIOMA Solutions, a circular biomaterials startup transforming coffee waste into innovative materials for the textile sector.
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