[tacostakohashi]

> Why can't forms of capital available to other startups be available to coops?

... because then it wouldn't be a co-op. The whole point of a co-op is that it is owned by the workers/producers/consumers instead of equity investors.

[Mauricebranagh]

As long as the members co-operators own 50%+1 you can take external funding - doesn't always workout as Poptel found