The traditional web has inherited exploitative economic rulesets that limit power and influence in the hands of the few. The Optimism Collective aims to create a new internet that benefits all and is owned by none. This internet will be sustained by rewarding public goods through Retro Funding. The Optimism Collective is a new model of digital democratic governance. It is a band of communities, companies, and citizens united by the axiom of impact=profit — the principle that positive impact to the Collective should be rewarded with profit to the individual.