We are GIG
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
Global Innovation Gathering and Fab City Foundation held a community call on January 21, 2026, focused on circularity in Asian textiles and fashion. The session was part of the make-a-thek project, funded by the European Horizon Europe programme. This project establishes maker spaces in libraries across Europe, connecting local initiatives to global sustainability goals and … Continue reading “Circularity in Asian Fashion and the future of the planet”
Written by Melanie Chan
We’re excited to kick off our first community call of 2026 with a conversation on circular and regenerative fashion systems. Join makers, designers, innovators, and researchers from around the world to explore powerful approaches to sustainability in fashion and material innovation. Co-hosted by Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) and the Fab City Foundation (FCF) as part … Continue reading “21st Jan Community Call: Textile-to-textile & circular fashion in Asia”
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 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 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 … Continue reading “GIG at VULCA 2025: Building Bridges Across Maker Communities”
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. … Continue reading “Community Call: P2P Financing and Cooperative Ecosystems”
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 Ricardo Ruiz
The Global Innovation Gathering Community Call on Solarpunk Visions and Makerspaces unfolded as a continuation of a dialogue first ignited in Berlin earlier this year. The discussion revisited questions of visibility, imagination, and shared futures within the maker movement. Led by GIG member Paweł Ngei, the session examined how storytelling can function as a prototype for social and … Continue reading “Solarpunk Visions and Makerspaces: Prototyping Narratives of Collective Futures”
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”
