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
This article was originally written in German by Geraldine de Bastion for the INKOTA Network on 4th March 2026. Read the original here. In the public eye, artificial intelligence (AI) is often portrayed as a technological marvel operating in an immaterial cloud, free from physical constraints. Yet the reality in Nairobi, Kenya paints a radically … Continue reading “The Infrastructure of Power: Artificial Intelligence between Global Innovation & Structural Exploitation”
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 Ricardo Ruiz
On November 27, 2025, the Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) convened a call focused on peer-to-peer (P2P) financing and cooperative ecosystems. Innovators, activists, and practitioners examined alternative financial models, the role of cooperatives, and community-driven currencies. The aim of the session was to present alternative organizational models for grassroots organizations, especially those in the global south, … Continue reading “Peer-to-peer financing and cooperative ecosystems as drivers of community empowerment”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) recently hosted a community call focusing on project sustainability and value generation. The session featured Miguel Chavez, a GIG member who joined the network in 2015, sharing his professional trajectory. The discussion explored achieving sustainability beyond relying solely on grants or investment, emphasising the necessity of generating value for users … Continue reading “Community Call Report: Value Generation as a Driver for Sustainability”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
On October 1st, the Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) hosted an inspiring community call centred around the transformative concept of reciprocity as a resource beyond monetary exchange. This session built on enriching discussions from the GIG Day workshops in May, continuing our journey toward alternative systems of value and support. Our guest speaker was GIG member … Continue reading “Exploring Reciprocity as a Resource: A Recap of the Community Call”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
In Brazilian Portuguese, cirandar evokes the joyful act of dancing hand-in-hand in a continuous circle, guided by the rhythm of ciranda—a traditional dance rooted in community, inclusion, and shared movement. This circular motion is more than choreography; it’s a metaphor for collective harmony and the power of togetherness. Inspired by this symbolism, Cirandar is also … Continue reading “Circular Design and Environmental Education in Brazil: Cirandar”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The latest Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) Community Call brought together members of the network to discuss an open-source project that directly addresses water access challenges in rural and coastal regions. The project centres on a portable, solar-powered reverse osmosis (RO) system with a seven-stage filtration design. Developed through collaboration and knowledge exchange, the system is … Continue reading “Open Hardware Solutions for Rural Water Access: A GIG Community Story”
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”
