Brainstorming potential LOTE5 partners

Here’s a draft page for LOTE5 partners and topics ideas. As you might already heard a big slice of the event will be dedicated to FuckUps or how to talk about (and listen to) unsuccess stories and innovate through intelligent failures (an example of intelligent failures from Ideo “crap map” here). During the last open call (Monday Sept, 7th) Noemi and I discussed about potential strategic partners and products (like   LOTE4 ethnography of stewardship) that could be resulting from this year’s LOTE.

In addition to its role in triggering “grounded spaces”,  we would like to make LOTE a well-known brand described as the “Davos forum for the alternative / edge economies”. We would like it to be used:

  • to connect current or past projects of funders with other projects to make them more successful through synergies.
  • for live-testing and evaluating prototypes and proposed projects "from the Edge for the future".

In addition to its role in triggering “grounded spaces”,  we would like to make LOTE a well-known brand described as the “Davos forum for the alternative / edge economies”. We would like it to be used:

  • to connect current or past projects of funders with other projects to make them more successful through synergies.
  • for live-testing and evaluating prototypes and proposed projects "from the Edge for the future".

In addition to its role in triggering “grounded spaces”,  we would like to make LOTE a well-known brand described as the “Davos forum for the alternative / edge economies”. We would like it to be used:

  • to connect current or past projects of funders with other projects to make them more successful through synergies.
  • for live-testing and evaluating prototypes and proposed projects "from the Edge for the future".

Before I start to shoot names, a premise on LOTE conception as the “altern/edge economies Davos”. One of living on the edge most pressing objectives are, quoting @Nadia from LOTE4,

to engage in a local/regional/national development package in which ER come to place and stay if government/foundations/private sector provide break-even support for two years, and a space”.

Brussels is already a base for Edgeryders, both in terms of its history (Council of Europe) and living space of two of its founding members and I bet a considerable community bunch at some point in the past. On top of being a surprising not-boring-as-they-told-you social experiment, Brussels can be a resourceful hotspot for many of us. I’m sure that past allies and a very unusual and diverse new ones will be spotted before anyone could expect it.

Also, since a clearer idea of Edgeryders next stormy waters (meaning the next two flagship projects and a shared one page strategic vision) will be discussed in less than a month, I guess this list should be seriously interpreted as the first LOTE5 small and purposeful fuckup.

  • Sponsoring partners:
    • BNP Paribas, SNCB (Belgian rails), "evil construction companies" that could be interested in respectively innovative finance models and currencies, networked communities and transportation and open housing.
    • Lunt Foundation, the foundation for future generations that just supported MakeSense incubator in Brussels is interested in a diverse range of projects, from youth camps and high level events sustainability DIY kits to research grants. Antiheroes (@Kira and I) can get in contact with most of the aforementioned organizations (evil construction companies included, indeed :D)
    • The European Commission (Alberto, via Fabrizio Sestini)
  • Community partners: OuiShare, 2 of the COP21 projects were Belgian, I can ping a friend that was there, Growfunding, a very local and interesting crowdfunding platform supported by the region, Urban Ecology Center Bruxelles, a cooperative/laboratory for ecological action that made a pretty impressive stewardship work on the park where I used to jog, Brussels Academy, the BXL citizen university mixing academics, urban planners, Brussels enthusiasts and citizens with intriguing results supported by the region, InnoMate, a meetup about innovation and entrepreneurship that got us access to many unexpected (non)governmental actors, Attac Bruxelles 2, a grassroot movement there to be the countervoice of the actual state of the finance world, AYAY! the Belgian platform of citizens turning frustrations into joyful and creative actions (so they say and it's true), 1000BXL en transition, or the Transition Network in Brussels, they map many carbon-free/participative initiatives in the city,  Hackistan, a newcomer and ambitious collective of startuppers and innovators building a laboratory dedicated to 'une innovation de rupture' (co-working, fablab, openbiolab, etc.), potential key speaker Buurtzorg (alernative health care group in the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan and USA) - the Dutch part of the org, l'Art-Chétipe, an organization at the intersection of the arts, care and ICT made in Mons
  • Spaces/Allies:
    • iMAL, center for digital cultures and technologies (currently led a very nice cyclehack),
    • Foam, the cultural laboratory to re-imagine possible futures, one of the managing partners was already a FuckUp Night speaker (among many more interesting gigs I bet), they have a pretty big space to host both people and LOTE,
    • LeSpace, a community bridging bar whose aim is to connect worlds (Dansaert and Molenbeek, one of the biggest poor-rich gap corner of Brussels) one drink at a time (and they serve very little alcohol! chapeau),
    • BRASS, cause it's close to Nadia&Alberto place and it's a pretty cool inclusive artsy old brewery, 
    • OpenKitchen, a friend project opening up city spaces (mainly private living rooms) for story sharing around food and culture (we could all go and eat in random Brussels houses, just shooting),
    • Abattoir, cause it's the cheapest and biggest covered market that promises to be one of the most ambitious sustainability projects of the region,
    • NomadNess, or how to match small-pockets (nomad) artists with unused or abandoned spaces in the city,
    • Recyclart
    • Namahn 
    • Universities ?!? Alberto??
4 Likes

Respect! What next?

Irene, this is really great work. I would also consider design company Namahn, because we like Joannes Vandermuelen; they have a spectacular space which they give for free to people they like on weekends (probably not a good match for LOTE5, but you never know). Also, Belgium is small, and @Thomas_Goorden in Antwerp might be willing to play ball too.

But other than that, it is clear that I cannot contribute much to your analysis, I am nowhere near as well plugged into the city as you are. So, how do we proceed? Are you thinking of shooting an email out to all these people and orgs? Do you want help in narrowing it down?

2 Likes

USE-IT rules

and that’s how Use-it afecionados got sensitive antennas on the city vibes. I’ve already been in Namahn during their sponsoring weekends, it’s a really cool place! Also, any comments from @KiraVde and @Thomas_Goorden are more than appreciated. I also have more ideas and with @Noemi we thought about waiting for the after retreat to make best tailored choices. What do you think?

1 Like

The embassies and cultural institutions

They may be able to partner with the event by providing travel funding and translation services? 

Also of the things that have been largely missing from previous events are

  1. great party and atmosphere of celebration

  2. more physical/non verbal sessions that are experiential- could be art/performance or live music. Around fucking up and fear/joy. Maybe art, theatre or dance schools as partners?

1 Like

Oh yes! Bring on music and festivities! I think Zombies would be happy to have a gig @ LOTE5 and their music is all about fucking up! ))

1 Like

Comms/ media partners

I’ve used this equation for past events: get some media on board to cover the event (x amount o exposure), then go to corporates and get them onboard through various packages which include the exposure (they can stick it into their marketing budget).

I’ve contacted Buurtzorg already, same with Geraldine. Searching for some more ideas before I can actually write a post, and scheduling a meeting online with Kira. Sorry, but last weekend I had a wave of bad news to sort out and couldn’t take over the conference thing.

We can do it tomorrow

if you have the time, that way I can still report back to the community call at night.

I have two more people that are interested to join the development work, and if I recall correctly @alberto had a UN contact in London that would be easy to engage for this cause as well.

Hope the bad news wave has stopped for you now!

Confirmed

My man in London (ex-UNDP, now NESTA) has confirmed he is interested.

3 Likes

I have a new speaker for us - Piotr Działak, a friend of mine. He lives in Ulfborg in denmark and teaches at the http://www.dns-tvind.dk/ - special school with programme around development. He will prepare a few interesting stories about his field trips to Asia and Africa. I will prepare some more info by next week, and ask him to write a post;)

2 Likes