Last week @ericasmar, myself and happysmala's other co-founder Arnaud met to discuss partnership and collaboration across our projects and strategies in the Mediterranean (Southern Europe/ MENA).
It's clear that there is an abundance of alignment in our pathways. I share here a brief summary for the likes of you in particular @nadia @matthias @hazem and @zmorda, also worth noting for you @alberto re: potential in the research network, and you @noemi and @natalia_skoczylas re: museums of the future.
In short, what I took away from the meeting is that there are the following areas of happysmala's work as a start-up studio where we could collaborate:
Crowdsourcing and circular economies: happysmala's main focus is in collaborative economies and innovation and they have developed a few unique crowdsourcing platforms. The most relevant is one based on the traditional "savings circles" of North Africa known as tentine (en français). They are in beta testing an online/ mobile based platform for these - CIWA - to support the distributed and rotating organisation of savings and credit. I see a particular opportunity here for the collective/ shared financing of multiple OpenVillage prototypes towards self-sufficiency.
Crowdsolving: happysmala are a part of the Yomken network - an open innovation and crowdsolving platform across environmental, industrial and social challenges - who are also our partners on the UNDemocracy Fund proposal for a citizen science project in MENA. See below for an immediate opportunity associated to this.
Skills development and new organisational forms: here happysmala engage in partnerships to experiment with collaboration approaches to create innovation and impact. This is the overarching area where we could look to co-produce a series of workshops/ a retreat/ a programme in their "start-up studio" to support members of the OpenVillage R&D ecosystem in skills and business development.
Co-living/ co-working spaces: Like many of us, happysmala see great opportunity in community building meeting programmable property, and are in the process of setting up their first co-living / co-working space in Marrakech for the end of this year, with another coming up in Lisbon. Clearly opportunity to discuss the possibility of this being a part of the OpenVillage house network.
Research: happysmala have engaged in various research/ policy studies and I think it's a good idea for us to keep them in mind on our research projects.
Lobbying: They have been significantly involved in a new legal framework for crowdfunding in Morocco and note @ericasmar that I think it's worthwhile us connecting you with Alberto Alemanno and the folks over at The Good Lobby.
Museums of the future: happysmala will shortly be involved in the We Are Museums international event in Marrakech to experiment with new forms of the digital museum. Let's keep this in mind as we develop the potential of our involvement in UNLive.
There is already one immediate and time-specific collaboration opportunity for the participants of the OpenVillage House in Sidi Kaouki and here I'd like to get your thoughts @matthias and @hazem . happysmala will be launching a crowdsolving campaign with Yomken as early as next week and we're interested in supporting the ideas and prototypes coming out of the house in Sidi K.
@ericasmar, here's a list of the projects as they stand, although can you confirm if there are any others that could benefit from crowdsolving please @matthias/ @hazem ? One option for next steps is we have a group skype when I'm in the house with @matthias and some of the project leaders in Sidi K on Friday or Monday. Thoughts/ possible?
- Toys out of trash: Educational program stimulating the creativity and imagination among underprivileged children.
- TANDA (Sofien's project): An entrepreneurial road trip to find traditional craftsmen and craftswomen in Africa and assist them to use their designs and expertise for new products to be sold on the international market.
- Dar Habiba: The first farmstay hospitality business in Sidi Kaouki, Morocco. A joint venture of a local family and Edgeryders community members from Tunisia and Morocco (for planning, digital marketing etc.).
- Coffee sorter: A small and inexpensive machine to produce higher-value coffee, increasing the income of smallholder coffee farmers.
- Free mind by Nassim (@zmorda do you have any more info on this?)
(*Also relevant, Dorsaf's biohacking space and Yosser's co-working space in Tunisia)
