Further examples illustrated the interfaces between open, frugal and social innovation. Frugal innovation is described as a user-oriented approach that is reduced to essential functions, conserves resources and is used in both the Global South and industrialised countries. With initiatives such as open hardware projects or makerspaces in libraries, as in the current make-a-thek project, Barbara illustrated the potential of open innovation ecosystems for sustainability, participation and local problem solving.
The presentation emphasised that open innovation processes are particularly well suited to addressing local needs. She also highlighted the strong parallels with citizen science, particularly in terms of bidirectional knowledge flows, focus on the common good and meaningful participation. At the same time, she pointed out structural barriers: openness does not guarantee equitable access, and without suitable framework conditions, many initiatives remain confined to the purely local level. Networks, institutional support, legal frameworks, broad awareness-raising and cooperation with politics and business are crucial for scaling and systemic change. In this context, Barbara also presented the idea of a ‘societal readiness level’ as a supplement to technological maturity models.
AIn conclusion, the keynote speech positioned citizen science as a potential driver of social innovation, but emphasised existing challenges in terms of recognition, policy integration and scaling up impact. The central argument was that open, inclusive and user-driven innovation processes can make a significant contribution to overcoming social challenges and should therefore be strategically strengthened.
