We are GIG
Written by Melanie Chan
What happens when communities facing climate disasters come together to create their own solutions? In our latest GIG community call, we explored an inspiring journey of grassroots innovation that traveled from Brazil to the Philippines, showing how powerful ideas can replicate across the globe. The call opened with an introduction to LabStorm, a citizen innovation […]
Written by Fadia Elgharib
This November, Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) was delighted to take part in the 8th edition of the VULCA Seminar in Ispra, Italy, hosted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) — the third-largest European Commission site. The seminar marked a significant milestone: 11 years of VULCA’s journey, evolving from a citizen-led initiative into a vibrant member-driven […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
Join us for an inspiring Community Call exploring peer-to-peer (P2P) financing and cooperative ecosystems. Discover how these models can empower grassroots innovation across the Global South and unlock sustainable growth for innovators worldwide. GIG will co-host this online session with Platform Coops eG, a pioneering German cooperative that champions digital, democratic, and community-led economic models. […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
(Spanish version below) The Global Innovation Gathering (GIG), through the Make-a-thek Community Call series supported by the EU Horizon framework, has been exploring how making culture can be embedded in libraries through fashion and extended into global contexts. The latest session focused on Latin America, highlighting sustainable practices at the intersection of digital fabrication, biomaterials, […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) recently hosted another insightful session as part of its Make-a-thek Community Calls, a series integral to the EU Horizon project “MAKE-a-thek”. This ambitious project aims to build and activate maker spaces within Europe’s library network, with a dedicated focus on sustainable fashion. These maker spaces are envisioned as vibrant community […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
Centro Oaxaqueño de Innovación (OAXIN), a Global Innovation Gathering Hub Member, is advancing community-driven design in Oaxaca through the International Development Design Summit (IDDS) Ayuujk 2025 in Santa María Tlahuitoltepec. This article outlines OAXIN’s approach, the summit’s scope, the projects under development, and the concrete ways supporters can enable continuity and implementation. Who is OAXIN? […]
Written by Melanie Chan
The Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) recently hosted a community call focused on open-source weather stations and their role in fostering climate resilience. The session featured presentations from Gustav Iskander of Common Room Indonesia and Nils Brock from Rhizomatica, who shared their experiences in developing community-centred technologies. The discussion highlighted the intersection of open-source hardware, local […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The recent community call convened by Global Innovation Gathering as part of the make-a-thek project examined the relationship between heritage crafts, sustainability, and circularity across diverse contexts. The conversation centred on the work of practitioners in Ukraine and Iraq and explored the intersection of crafts with community identity, economic development, and mental health. It was […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) convened a community call to examine the outcomes of the LibreWater prototype replication in Basra, Iraq, supported by the Roddenberry Fund. The session aimed to analyse the technological and collaborative dimensions of transferring an open-source solar-powered desalination device from design and laboratory testing to field conditions in Iraq, within the […]
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The Make-a-thek Community Call on May 14, 2025, brought together experts and practitioners to discuss inclusive fashion and assistive technology. The session featured presentations from Sema Gedik, founder of Auf Augenhoehe, and Saad Chinoy, a maker and advocate for accessible design. Their work highlights the intersection of sustainability, inclusion, and innovation. Sema shared her journey, […]
