Michel Bauwens Presents ‘Innovation Forum’

Design Global, Manufacture Local
Open Design + Distributed Manufacturing

What happens when individuals with access to computers and a social network can freely self-organise, collaborate and produce digital commons of knowledge, software, and design?

Michel Bauwens, peer-to-peer and collaborative economy expert and founder of the P2P Foundation, will present on how commons-oriented technologies and collaborative environments, along with distributed and micro-manufacturing, can lead to new methods of production.

Bauwens will explore:

• how digital innovation coupled with collaborative design is enabling new ways to create value

• how open, productive communities are creating a ‘commons’ of shared resources through their contributions, and how market-oriented entities are creating added value alongside this commons

• how peer production can assist in transitioning to low-carbon, resilient futures in Australian cities, and open up opportunities for business and innovation

• the diverse possibilities of production emerging from meshing collaborative design with networked makerspaces, co-working spaces, fablabs and microfactories

Michel Bauwens is a world-renowned theorist, writer, researcher and speaker on the peer-to-peer and collaborative economy.In his first business career, Michel worked for USIA, British Petroleum, Riverland Publications, Belgacom, and created two internet start-ups, respectively on intranet/extranets (E-Com) and interactive marketing (KyberCo), which were sold to Alcatel and Tagora Holdings.