We are GIG
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
(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”
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 … Continue reading “Bridging Tradition and Innovation: A Glimpse into Sustainable Fashion with Make-a-thek Community Calls”
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
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 … Continue reading “Heritage Crafts and Sustainable Futures: Great learnings from the Community Call”
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 … Continue reading “Community Call: the LibreWater Prototype Replication in Iraq”
Written by Fadia Elgharib
This year’s Makerspace at re:publica was a vibrant explosion of creativity, collaboration, and community, and one thing became immediately apparent: when communities come together, they can move mountains. The Makerspace continues to be the most global spot at re:publica — with more than 20 hands-on workshops led by an inspiring mix of Makers from over … Continue reading “Reflections from the Makerspace at re:publica 25: Radical Creativity, Shared Futures”
Written by Ricardo Ruiz
The LibreWater project has recently achieved significant results, particularly in deploying small-scale solar desalination prototypes in Basra, Iraq. Rooted in open-source methodologies and collaborative global innovation, the project examined two distinct approaches for solar-powered water desalination: the solar concentrator dish and the Fresnel lens design. The LibreWater and ScienceCamp team developed substantial insights regarding technical … Continue reading “Building Sustainable Futures: Outcomes from LibreWater’s Solar Desalination Efforts”
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, … Continue reading “Insights from the Make-a-thek Community Call on Inclusive Fashion and Assistive Technology”
