Winding Down the Sprint: On Parental Leave, Founding Again, and the Shape of What’s Next

Fully Back — Not Just in Spirit

It’s midsummer. We’re in stride now — not out of the sprint entirely, but just enough to take a breath. Just enough to look around and realize how much we’ve done, and how much is still taking form.

I’ve been back from parental leave for just over three months now — after what was supposed to be one or two months off in March 2022. That pause turned into something deeper: a 13-month chapter as primary carer to our two young children. It was one of the most meaningful periods of my life — caring for my family, maintaining our home, living close to the land.

And now I’m back. Fully. Not just as a co-founder again, but as someone who lives and breathes this work daily — with renewed clarity and direction.

The World Changed — And Then Changed Again

AgroReGenerations emerged from a broader Web3-for-Good ecosystem we launched in 2022 under the name Epidaurus (EPiD). At that time, few in the Web3 space were prioritizing environmental resilience, carbon equity, or regenerative systems. But we were already trying — even if our model was still too close to the 2017 version of what Web3 hoped to be.

We launched during a moment of global recovery. After collectively consuming a rather large plate of panettone — globally, figuratively, and for some literally — the world had shifted. And then shifted again. And again. The shocks and compound crises of the past two decades alone are enough to show us that change is not coming. It’s here.

And that means the window to simply observe or wait has long passed.

We must act. And we are.

What We’ve Been Building

Since returning, it’s been a real founder sprint. But not one of urgency for urgency’s sake. A sprint of recalibration. Of building with care. Of placing our energy where it’s most needed.

We’ve:

• Formalized our early pilots — small in number, but deeply deliberate — across Kenya, Indonesia, and Southern Europe, encompassing multiple biomes:

  
  

  • Volcanic highlands and lowlands of Lombok, Indonesia

  • Blue carbon mangrove zones in Sumbawa, Indonesia

  • Mount Kenya and Lake Victoria ecosystems

  • Transition zones from dry inland farming in northeast Spain to more lush regenerative practices in the hills of Abruzzo, Italy

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• Begun building our non-monetized seasonal journal and public digital commons

• Finalized a prototype MVP for regenerative audit tooling — measuring both nutrition and carbon sink value — now entering proof-of-concept phase

• Initiated a massive security audit for our underlying token infrastructure

• Published the first of two build reports, now live on our website — detailing the early trajectory of Epidaurus and the decisions that led to this new phase

• Continued participating in innovation challenges, incubators, and partner alignments that reinforce our direction

The Mold Is Still Drying

We’re currently preparing a full stakeholder update, which will outline our validator model, revenue logic, upcoming award cycles, and future roadmap. These updates will roll out incrementally over the summer.

Our materials are becoming public — bit by bit — but they remain in motion. The mold is still drying. We are still shaping what’s next with care and intention.

This Isn’t a Forecast — It’s Reality

Climate instability is no longer a forecast — it’s daily life. We live it, adapt to it, and build because of it. Not out of fear, but with full understanding that resilience now requires action. We are no longer operating on a stable, neutral planet. The systems around us are reactive — more than ever before — and we must become systems of adaptation, stewardship, and repair.

To build for regeneration is not easy.

To build while parenting is even harder.

But it is possible — and necessary.

Not Just Change-Makers — But Change-Livers

This isn’t just about being change-makers.

It’s about living through the change.

Enduring it.

Shaping it.

And, most importantly, doing so together.

To everyone who’s been part of this journey so far: thank you.

We’re not building in silence — we’re building in the open.

Follow AgroReGenerations on LinkedIn.

Browse the first pieces on our website.

And if you’re a founder navigating this balance — or someone who sees the need for deep, rooted change — we’d love to connect.

Here’s to good soil, strong systems, and the stride ahead.

Publish on medium

https://medium.com/@michaeljones_78125/winding-down-the-sprint-on-parental-leave-founding-again-and-the-shape-of-whats-next-0e19a74bfb4d