WHAT ARE WE BUILDING IN THERE?
“Take the best that exists and make it better. If it does not exist, design it.”
Sir Henry Royce
Tools for transformation
Great ideas are awesome. They are also not as rare as you might think. We often assume that great ideas become memes that change the world on their own, but this is unfortunately not the case. Line up all the great philosophers against all the great engineers and ask yourself who has had the greater impact on our lives and the world at large? Engineers will win, hands down.
In the same vein, much as we love our ideas here at the lab, our focus is on engineering. To build these things we are dreaming up. To not just imagining a better world, but to build the tools that propel us there. Because great ideas deserve great engineering.
What are we building? Glad you asked…
Circles
Connect. Collaborate. Create Change.
Our flagship project, Circles, is designed with the Changemakers of the world in mind. More than just another social networking tool with an angle, Circles aims to provide a toolkit for community building without the constraints the advertising based model invariably leads to.
Circles is based on a geographical interface, allowing users to find projects, events, people and opportunities both locally and globally. In addition to this, we are integrating a full spectrum of governance tools for bottom up decision making as well as a project management suite to help individuals and communities get the jobs done that they need to get done.
Circles is where community-building meets action. Whether you’re looking to co-create, contribute, or organize, Circles gives you the tools to make it happen. It’s grassroots change, backed by code.
The Altruistic Wallet
Do Good. Better.
The Altruistic wallet is a wallet that can only be used on someone else. Originally envisioned as a decentralised way of reinvesting the surplus raised on the Circles platform, the concept has grown into a standalone project.
More than monetary funds, the Altruistic Wallet can contain other offers, such as time for volunteering or even physical resources that a person might want to lend or donate. The Altruistic Wallet is designed to integrate with as many systems and platforms as possible to have serious and transformative impact.
In addition, the Altruistic Wallet is probably our best option for establishing a global identity based on local community validation. In an era where trust will be tested like never before, a secure digital identity we control ourselves and is verified by our networks might well become the passport of tomorrow.
With secure self-controlled identities and peer-to-peer transactions, the Altruistic Wallet makes giving back easy, transparent, and efficient. Investing in the common good has never been this straightforward.
The Connectathon
Connecting The Dots
As we stand at the crossroads of history, the current poly-crises, technology, and evolution, we often find ourselves reacting to the world as it changes around us. From the discovery of fire to the dawn of artificial intelligence, humanity has progressed by leaps and bounds, yet always with our eyes fixed on the rearview mirror, addressing the consequences of our innovations after they’ve reshaped our world.
But what if we could turn around? What if, instead of moving backwards into the future, we faced it head-on, with open hearts and minds, alongside all of Life, willing to co-create with greater intention and unity?
The Connectathon is a gathering to dream, discuss, and deliberate on the civilization we aspire to create. Over 24 hours of continuous conversation, we’ll dive into the myriad facets of human existence—our technologies, our societies, our cultures—and weave together a tapestry of ideas that envisions where we truly want to go as a species. More than a hackathon, tt’s a heart-to-heart with humanity, a chance to redefine our collective journey and plot a course toward a future we choose, not one we inherit by default.
Social Systems Lab is one of several partners coordinating this biannual gathering.