i started a business that i'm planning to organize as a cooperative. currently looking for funding and it's hard because the structure is foreign to investors, though it's a business structure that is proven to work. maybe if more people organized their enterprises this way then it would be easier to find investment.
Yes, it takes some education. I've founded a cooperative in Finland and, although the legislation here is very favourable to cooperatives, it took me months to convince PRH (the public register) to certify our bylaws which included an option for investment shares. But we did it!
Do seek professional help. It doesn't need to be expensive lawyers, there may be gratis support from the cooperative network. https://ica.coop/en
