The Global Flying Labs Retreat 2026: A Recap

From 26th to 28th January 2026, Flying Labs from different parts of the world, along with the WeRobotics team, gathered in Pune, India, for the Global Flying Labs Retreat. We came together to reconnect across regions and cultures, learn from one another, imagine the future of the Network, and simply enjoy being together. The first Global Flying Labs Retreat took place in New York in 2019, and since then, in-person retreats have become an important part of how we strengthen relationships within the Network and decide how to move forward together. This year’s retreat offered another opportunity to take stock. What has the Flying Labs Network meant to its people in the past couple of years? What should it become next?

India Flying Labs was our generous host at the Institute of Sustainability and Development Studies (ISDS) in Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha  (MKSSS), an institution that has worked to empower women through education for 130 years now. On this campus we had the privilege of attending a ceremony commemorating India’s Republic Day, which coincided with the first day of our retreat. The national holiday marks the occasion in 1950 when India's Constitution came into force and is celebrated through cultural ceremonies that take place across the country. We were honored to be invited to join in and watch dazzling displays of India’s rich history and colourful cultures through performances by students. 

It is always a highlight of our retreats to experience the history, traditions, and everyday life of a different place, and this was only the first of several opportunities we got to experience Indian culture. Throughout the retreat, we enjoyed an abundance and variety of Indian food, and we got to close our first day by learning a few moves from traditional Indian dance. Additionally, on our final day, we ventured out to the Karla Caves, an ancient Buddhist site, where gazing up at towering, intricate architecture hand-carved from rock over 2,000 years ago left us amazed by the depth of history and the extraordinary craftsmanship. 

What the Network Means to Flying Labs

Over the course of two days, we covered a lot of ground. One of the exercises we engaged in invited participants to identify their most meaningful experiences as members of the Flying Labs Network. The answers reflected the many dimensions of the Network's value.

For some, it was the opportunity to work on Turning Data Into Action (TDIA) projects and experience what meaningful stakeholder engagement can look like in practice. For others, media exposure from activities connected to the Network had brought much greater visibility to their work, which in turn opened doors to other opportunities. The retreats themselves featured prominently as well: Flying Labs spoke about the immense value of the multiculturalism and diversity of the Network, and the opportunity to meet people whose experiences, contexts, and ways of working differ from their own. STEM projects were another source of pride. Through these programmes, Flying Labs have been able to inspire and train children and youth, which not only opens up possibilities for the next generation to engage with emerging technologies but also results in a deep sense of fulfilment.

Perhaps one of the most significant benefits described was less tangible: a shift in mindset. Being part of a global network means encountering different ways of approaching the same problem. A challenge in one country may be understood differently somewhere else, and a solution developed in one context can prompt a Flying Labs elsewhere to view their own challenges with new eyes. A great value of the Network to Flying Labs, therefore, is simply the creation of opportunities to encounter different perspectives, question their own approaches, and learn from one another.

Thinking Together

Building on our collective reflection on what we have already achieved, we turned our attention to what comes next. Through a series of co-creation sessions, Flying Labs and the WeRobotics team worked together to define the future of the Flying Labs Network for the next two to three years. What would Flying Labs like to celebrate about their own organizations in the years ahead? And what would they like the Network as a whole to celebrate?

For individual Flying Labs, aspirations mentioned included deeper relationships with their local communities and stakeholders, stronger programs, and greater capacity to carry out their activities more effectively. At the Network level, the aspirations pointed towards a community that continues to grow without losing the local leadership at its core.

Most of the second day of the retreat was about exploring challenges, bringing different perspectives to the table, and developing ideas for strengthening the Network. We considered how to improve Network coordination and administration, ways of sharing and collaborating, and tracking and communicating the impact of both individual Flying Labs and the Network as a whole — including through stronger storytelling and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning practices.

The conversations were insightful and, importantly, honest. We cannot say that we solved every challenge or found answers to every question. But coming together to listen, reflect, and work through what needs attention made a great difference in itself. 

What We Took Away

We came away from the retreat with deepened friendships, clarity about where we are headed, and renewed belief in the power of co-creation. Bringing people together from different continents takes a lot of planning and coordination, but we are glad we put in the effort; it was well worth it. The Network's history can be measured in numbers — how many Flying Labs from how many countries and regions, how many projects and programs, how many outputs and outcomes. But its deeper history is found in the relationships and experiences that those numbers represent. We are immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to meet in person and pour into the relationships that make our work possible and hold the Network together.