Weaving Future Systems: Digital Fabrication, Biomaterials, and Traditional Knowledge in Latin America

(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, … Continue reading “Weaving Future Systems: Digital Fabrication, Biomaterials, and Traditional Knowledge in Latin America”

Bridging Tradition and Innovation: A Glimpse into Sustainable Fashion with Make-a-thek Community Calls

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 … Continue reading “Bridging Tradition and Innovation: A Glimpse into Sustainable Fashion with Make-a-thek Community Calls”

Open Source Weather Stations and Community-Led Climate Resilience: Insights from a GIG Community Call

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 … Continue reading “Open Source Weather Stations and Community-Led Climate Resilience: Insights from a GIG Community Call”

12th GIG Gathering Berlin – A Celebration of Global Cooperation and Sustainable Practices

We are looking forward to our 12th Global Innovation Gathering in Berlin. Through our long lasting partnership with re:publica GIG is inviting innovators from our network to Berlin. At re:publica GIG will be hosting the makerspace and related content like a repair café addressing global innovation and sustainability topics. In addition to GIGs presence at re:publica, … Continue reading “12th GIG Gathering Berlin – A Celebration of Global Cooperation and Sustainable Practices”

14th May 2025 Community Call: Circular design for disabilities

We’re excited to invite you to a special Community Call, also the first for our new EU Horizon Project make-a-thek, that brings together makers, designers, and circular fashion experts from around the world.  The meetup will offer a space to exchange and discuss approaches and ideas for sustainable and circular adaptive and inclusive design. Different … Continue reading “14th May 2025 Community Call: Circular design for disabilities”

LibreWater in Iraq: Advancing Small-Scale Solar Desalination

Water scarcity is persistent in many regions, particularly arid and semi-arid areas. Due to environmental and geopolitical factors, Iraq faces significant challenges in securing clean drinking water. LibreWater, an open-source initiative, seeks to address this issue through decentralized, small-scale solar desalination. The project is part of a broader effort from the Global Innovation Gathering to … Continue reading “LibreWater in Iraq: Advancing Small-Scale Solar Desalination”

Circular Material Valuer Curriculum — Participatory Knowledge for the Circular Economy

GIG presents the citizen science initiative ”Circular Material Valuer Curriculum – participatory knowledge for the circular economy”. It is an open investigation about concrete practices of material assessment for circular systems, with a particular focus on the enabling conditions for an increased reuse of materials.   The project, supported by the Hans Sauer Foundation, kicks off … Continue reading “Circular Material Valuer Curriculum — Participatory Knowledge for the Circular Economy”

Sustainable Business Models for Makerspaces

The “Open Catalogue of Business Models,” developed by the MAKE project, serves as a resource to enhance the financial sustainability of makerspaces and foster a decentralized production ecosystem. This catalogue is structured to provide inspiration and guidance, allowing makerspaces to adapt and experiment with various business model elements to suit their unique environments. The catalogue … Continue reading “Sustainable Business Models for Makerspaces”

Exploring Circular Economy Innovations: The SCoPE Initiative in Lomé

The SCoPE project, led by L’Africaine d’architecture and implemented at Woelab in Lomé, Togo, aims to tackle plastic waste issues by creating a circular economy model. Supported by the Stiftung Nord-Süd-Brücken and the Global Innovation Gathering, this initiative represents a collaborative effort to innovate waste management practices. Through the project, plastic waste is collected, sorted, … Continue reading “Exploring Circular Economy Innovations: The SCoPE Initiative in Lomé”