We are GIG
Written by Melanie Chan
What if the ride to work could help make a city safer? DATA-RIDE is a citizen science and urban advocacy initiative developed within LAUDS Factories, in collaboration with Université de Lorraine and the Lorraine Smart Cities Living Lab (LSCLL) in Nancy. At its heart is a simple question: how can everyday cycling experiences become evidence … Continue reading “DATA-RIDE in Nancy: Citizen engagement through bike rides”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
In 2013, a team from Seeed Studio spent three months walking through Huaqiangbei, the electronics market of Shenzhen. They made several field trips to the market to search for resources, took pictures, and designed and redesigned until the map was ready. The result was the Shenzhen Map for Makers. The PDF was free to download, … Continue reading “Sensing the World: Seeed Studio and the GIG Network”
Written by Geraldine de Bastion
What if we measured the digital maturity of a city not only by the services it digitises, the data it collects or the AI it deploys — but by the agency it gives to the people who live there? For decades, the idea of the “smart city” has been closely associated with the ability to … Continue reading “Beyond the Smart City: From Digital Services to Digital Agency”
Written by Melanie Chan
Air pollution and climate change remain urgent global challenges, yet many cities lack the environmental data needed to act. While major developed cities may have regular air-quality monitoring, many countries, especially across Africa, rely on only a handful of sensors to represent millions of residents. Meanwhile, cycling, often framed as an inexpensive solution to urban … Continue reading “senseBox:Bike: Cycling for Citizen Science and Urban Safety”
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 … Continue reading “GIG Community Call: Adapting LabStorm from Brazil to the Philippines”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The OpenFlexure Project is an open-source initiative that provides high-precision mechanical positioning tools accessible to anyone with a 3D printer. It focuses on developing scientific hardware such as microscopes and micromanipulators, enabling low-cost, customisable solutions for research and education. The project includes designs like the OpenFlexure Microscope and various mechanical stages, all supported through community … Continue reading “OpenFlexure Microscope: A Distributed Model for Scientific Hardware Innovation”
Written by Melanie Chan
At GIG, we love celebrating our members’ inspiring achievements, and we cannot wait to share this inspiring collaboration story we have witnessed from a GIG member this year. What happens when a local makerspace in Kenya partners with one of the world’s largest car manufacturers? A revolutionary seat that moves like the human spine, transforming … Continue reading “When innovation meets community: A collaboration between FabLab Winam and Toyota”
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? … Continue reading “OAXIN Brings Community-Driven Innovation to Life at IDDS Ayuujk 2025 in Oaxaca, Mexico”
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 … Continue reading “Open Source Weather Stations and Community-Led Climate Resilience: Insights from a GIG Community Call”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
Innovation is a powerful force that can drive social and economic development, especially in the Global South. Unfortunately, the distorted image portrayed by media often obscures the potential of digital innovations in countries in the Global South. As a result, Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) took on the challenge of highlighting the developmental potential of digital … Continue reading “Celebrating the Innovation Global Project and Its Online Exhibition”
