Scaling Impact with WeRobotics’ Glocalization Model

How do we change the world? 

A simple answer is: Together, each of us shining a bright light in the corners of this planet where we find ourselves. 

But the on-the-ground reality as well as the bird’s eye view both tell us that while it is simple, it is not easy. Complex social challenges—such as alleviating poverty, delivering humanitarian aid in the wake of disaster, protecting biodiversity, and promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth—are complex because the factors that create and sustain them are numerous, interconnected, and deeply rooted. Most significantly perhaps, each strand of this tapestry links directly to human life, not just to broad statistics. When this is what is at stake, more is asked of us—more care, more thoughtfulness, more humility. This way, the power to create lasting social change through innovative, collaborative effort rests in all of our hands. 

For WeRobotics, this manifests practically in our Glocalization Model. Previously called the Inclusive Networks Model, the Glocalization Model is our way of contributing to systems innovation in the international aid and development sectors. How do we transform individual changemaking into a force that can achieve exponentially greater impact? By uniting these independent local efforts and providing a space for connection, collaboration, and knowledge exchange through a network approach. 

Our Glocalization Model is well fitted for networks that:

1. bring together a diverse and large group of existing and locally owned organizations committed to a common goal/purpose;
2. are enabled by a decentralized power structure and shared governance model;
3. focus on growing and learning collectively through open collaboration, contribution, and sharing.

Our belief is that by co-creating inclusive networks of local experts, we can harness diversity of experience and perspective into a collective wisdom that not only multiplies our solutions to social challenges but also ensures that change is locally relevant and locally owned, and therefore sustainable. 

Building on this, we developed our approach to localization, in which knowledge flows from local communities to the global stage and back to local communities, creating a cycle of innovation and impact that cannot be ignored. The Glocalization Model is therefore the result of our 8+ years of co-creating the global Flying Labs Network and learning what it really means to make a better world together.

The Glocalization Model: A Blueprint for Change

Our Glocalization Model is built on three core components that address the practical and philosophical challenges of transitioning from traditional, top-down governance approaches towards a decentralized and equitable power dynamic.

1. A framework for decentralized power
   Inspired by a social franchise and network approach, this framework is inherently bottom-up and facilitates power sharing between local and global actors. It enables local efforts, expertise, and initiatives to inform and shape global actions, ensuring that local knowledge drives global solutions. The framework also clearly defines roles, contributions, and collaboration mechanisms, fostering equitable partnerships across the network.
2. A framework for shared governance
   Decentralized power requires strong accountability mechanisms. Our governance framework addresses this by defining joint values, accountabilities, and contributions in a measurable way. This approach ensures that all network members operate with transparency and shared responsibility. It also incorporates a practical monitoring and evaluation system that allows for continuous improvement.
3. The adoption packages
   We’ve developed various packages that support organizations through every step of the model adoption process:
   • A 3-day strategy co-creation workshop that allows the organization adopting the model to build their strategy as well as a detailed implementation plan. In this workshop, we share the details of our model as well as our success and failure stories. Workshop outcomes include a clearly defined framework for the social franchise setup (including elements such as branding and how to join, stay, and leave the social franchise), a first framework for shared governance, as well as an implementation plan.
   • A resources package containing templates for both processes and documents that support the frameworks. For example, social franchise license agreement contracts, onboarding and offboarding processes, detailed facilitation processes, and more. While these resources need to be adapted to the specific need of the model adopter, they build a sturdy base. We believe that sharing is caring, and access to all our resources is our way of making the model adoption easy, simple, efficient, and effective. 
   • Personal support from a variety of WeRobotics team members. No one knows the ins and outs of our model better than the team members who are on a daily basis co-creating, facilitating, and improving the Flying Labs Network. Depending on need, this last package offers direct access for targeted discussions with and learnings from team members who support the Flying Labs Network in coordination, facilitation, growth, M&E, technology support, communication, and more.

As the localization movement, epitomized by the call to #ShiftThePower, continues to gain momentum, this model proves increasingly relevant. While many organizations are embracing localization in principle, implementing it in practice—especially at scale—remains challenging. Our model adoption approach provides a clear pathway for those ready to take this step, including international and global organizations seeking to enhance their localization strategies and local social enterprises eager to scale their impact globally. 

Learning and Success with First Adopters

Over the past two years, we’ve worked with three forward-thinking organizations - GRAIN, Ciber Voluntarios, and Urban Better - to learn how to best adopt the Glocalization Model.

• Gender and Responsible AI Network (GRAIN): This organization, which focuses on addressing many of the gaps in AI and gender in Sub-Saharan Africa, is using our model to create a new medium for collaboration and partnership among academia and institutions interested in AI and/or gender issues.
• Fundación Cibervoluntarios is a Spanish NGO of international scope, a pioneer in technological volunteering. With more than 20 years of experience working for an inclusive digital transition that guarantees civic rights. Cibervoluntarios mission is to ensure that all people have access to the necessary digital tools to enhance their rights, their education and their participation in society.  They use the model to expand their highly impactful work in Spain to Latin America by creating and developing Cibervoluntarios Network, a global community of local entities committed to strengthening and democratising access to technology knowledge. Cibervoluntarios Network are building a global network of diverse and independent local entities with a common purpose: to help understand and use technology so that digital transformation is a real opportunity for all people, and for citizens to actively participate in building the digital ecosystem.
• UrbanBetter, a data-driven advocacy movement, urban health practice, and learning platform aimed at accelerating healthy and sustainable development in urban(izing) spaces globally. Their work focuses on urban places and the spaces that influence the air we breathe, the ways we move, and the food we eat. By adopting our model, UrbanBetter aspires to grow their movement to 100,000 Cityzens and 100 Hubs over the next 10 years.

A fourth adoption is underway with Aiducation, an international "for impact" non-profit organization in the field of education that goes beyond education access. They work with underprivileged and talented individuals and support them throughout their educational journey, currently in Kenya and the Philippines. Aiducation is using our model to condense their combined 45 years of operations in Kenya and the Philippines along an adapted and localized “for impact” model, and then to expand into new markets supported by the blueprint of our model. 

Why This Matters

Local experts hold the key to crafting and scaling the sustainable solutions that will change the world. Yet, especially in emerging economies, they often face exclusion or are relegated to executing decisions made at the international level. These dynamics not only stifle local innovation but also undermine the lasting power of any implemented interventions. 

Equally pertinent, many local solutions fail to scale beyond their immediate context. This is often due to a lack of mechanisms to facilitate broader adoption, even though these solutions could be easily adapted elsewhere. Additionally, current approaches to scaling in the international development sector tend to be top-down or rely on a strong central secretariat, leaving little room for alternative, more inclusive methods.

This is where the Glocalization Model makes a tangible difference. By creating decentralized networks that connect local actors horizontally (with peers in similar contexts) and vertically (with global platforms and resources), the model enables local actors to co-create, replicate, and adapt solutions and to collaborate to scale their impact. Collaboration between local and global actors is on the rise, and this represents a significant shift in how we address the challenges that affect us all. For organizations committed to systems change, adopting the Glocalization Model represents a chance to not only #ShiftThePower but also achieve their missions more effectively.

Join the Movement

We can change the world together, but often that “together” is where we trip up—uniting across diversity is easier said than done. Drawn from our 8+ years of experience co-creating the Flying Labs Network, present across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia/Pacific, the Glocalization Model shows us how to embrace diversity as a gift rather than shy away from it as an encumbrance. Practical and replicable, it represents a way to unlock the full potential of localization and build a world where local expertise is recognized and valued as an essential driver of global change. 

WeRobotics invites other organizations—whether international NGOs, social enterprises, or global coalitions—to join us in exploring and expanding this paradigm shift. Whether you’re looking to deepen your localization efforts, scale your impact, or discover a new model for collaboration, our model offers a proven pathway to success.