Makernet: open source business models for local manufacturing in developing countries

[mozfest-bot]

[ ID ] 89fdae98-3ffd-4e10-87da-d078d3224f12

[ Submitter's Name ] Anna Lowe [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] Makernet [ Submitter's Twitter ] @annawillcreate

[ Space ] localisation [ Secondary Space ] science

[ Format ] learning-lab

Description

Learn about Makernet, which is being developed as a way to use globally crowdsourced designs to manufacture products needed for humanitarian relief / international development locally to where they are needed, using makerspaces as hubs to engage local manufacturing facilities. It offers a new way for relief & development organizations to build capability and sustainable businesses in the communities where they operate, from cities to refugee camps to villages. And contribute their knowledge and ideas towards making it work.

Agenda

This session will give a short presentation explaining the work done to date in the pilot project ongoing in Kenya & Ghana, then engage participants in a discussion on:

• How can we offer both diversity in product designs (e.g. to cope with differing conditions or different manufacturing methods) and a way of assuring the quality of the designs and of the products made from them?
• What does the concept of ‘Open Source Business Models’ really mean and how can we make it work in practice for small makers and manufacturing facilities in developing countries?
• How can we encourage and incentivise active feedback on designs, manufacturing methods, tips and pitfalls?

  Participants

Presentation will be the same in any case, then we will either proceed with the discussion in plenary or else split into smaller groups for the discussion

Outcome

We will use our learnings We will take our learnings from the group discussion forwards into the next phase of the ongoing pilot project. We hope participants may be interested to contribute further to the ongoing work, e.g. by contributing product designs, working on some of the open source business models, or just telling other people about what we're doing.

[marcwalsh-zz]

Thanks for the submission! Unfortunately this session has not been selected as part of the program for 2016. Please expect an email from us with further information very soon.