Community Stories & Events

The Network in Action

The Helionyx community spans continents and cultures, united by a shared commitment to regenerative systems and local resilience. These stories showcase the diverse ways people are implementing our tools and principles in their own contexts.

From urban repair cafés to rural innovation labs, from digital sovereignty workshops to neighborhood resilience hubs, each story demonstrates that another way is possible—and already happening.

47 Active Communities

200+ Completed Projects

15 Countries Represented

Featured Stories

Portland, Oregon December 2024

The Alberta Repair Café: From Idea to Institution

What started as a small gathering in Maria Santos's garage has become a thriving weekly event that's diverted over 2,000 items from landfills. The Alberta Repair Café now operates in three locations and has trained 150+ volunteers in repair skills.

2,000+ Items Repaired 150+ Volunteers Trained $75,000 Saved

"We started with the Helionyx repair café schematic and made it our own. Now we're teaching other neighborhoods how to do the same. It's beautiful to watch the ripple effect." — Maria Santos, Founder

Woodstock, Vermont November 2024

Rural Innovation Lab Bridges Urban-Rural Divide

The Green Mountain Innovation Lab combines traditional farming knowledge with modern technology, creating solutions for rural challenges while maintaining community values.

20 Family Farms Supported 5 Patents Filed $200K in Grants Secured

Detroit, Michigan October 2024

Motor City Resilience Hub Powers Community Recovery

Built on a reclaimed lot in Southwest Detroit, this hub combines solar power, urban agriculture, and maker space facilities to serve 500+ families in the neighborhood.

500+ Families Served 50kW Solar Array 15 Community Gardens

Berlin, Germany September 2024

Berlin Collective Builds Digital Sovereignty Network

The Berlin Privacy Collective has trained over 300 people in digital sovereignty practices, creating a network of mutual aid for cybersecurity and data privacy.

300+ People Trained 12 Mesh Networks 50 Workshops Held

Community Spotlights

Austin Makers Collective

Austin, Texas

Transforming unused warehouse space into a thriving maker community with 200+ members. Their focus on regenerative systems has created a model for sustainable urban manufacturing.

200+ Members 15 Startups Launched Zero Waste Operations

Cascadia Resilience Network

Pacific Northwest

A bioregional network of communities preparing for climate change through mutual aid, skill sharing, and decentralized infrastructure. Spans 50+ communities across Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

50+ Communities 1,000+ Members 5 Emergency Responses

Mediterranean Regeneration Hub

Valencia, Spain

Combining traditional Mediterranean practices with modern permaculture, this hub serves as a training center for regenerative agriculture and water management across Southern Europe.

25 Farms Converted 500+ Trained 30% Water Savings

Prairie Innovation Lab

Saskatoon, Canada

Addressing rural challenges through appropriate technology and community-driven innovation. Their mobile lab brings maker space resources to remote communities across the prairies.

40 Communities Served 100+ Projects 20 Patents Pending

Recent Projects

Community Mesh Network

Digital Infrastructure

A decentralized communication network serving 12 neighborhoods in New Orleans, providing internet access and emergency communications independent of corporate infrastructure.

12 Neighborhoods 500+ Devices 99.5% Uptime

Neighborhood Resilience Kit

Emergency Preparedness

A standardized kit of tools and knowledge for neighborhood-level emergency preparedness, tested in 25 communities across California's fire-prone regions.

25 Communities 2,500+ Kits 5 Emergencies Served

Urban Food Forest Initiative

Food Security

Converting unused urban spaces into productive food forests using permaculture principles. Active in 15 cities with 200+ established food forests.

15 Cities 200+ Forests 10,000+ Trees

Circular Economy Marketplace

Economic Innovation

A digital platform connecting local businesses in circular economy loops, turning waste from one business into raw materials for another.

150+ Businesses 500+ Connections $2M+ Value

Upcoming Events

JAN 15

Regenerative Systems Summit

Virtual & Portland, OR

Three-day summit bringing together practitioners from around the world to share innovations in regenerative systems design and implementation.

50+ Speakers Virtual + In-Person $50 Sliding Scale

FEB 3

Digital Sovereignty Workshop

Chicago, IL

Hands-on workshop covering mesh networking, encrypted communications, and community-controlled digital infrastructure.

All Skill Levels 6 Hours Free

FEB 20

Community Repair Café Training

Multiple Locations

Training day for communities wanting to start their own repair cafés. Includes facilitation, safety protocols, and volunteer management.

12 Cities Full Day $25 Materials

MAR 10

Innovation Lab Organizers Gathering

Austin, TX

Annual gathering of innovation lab organizers for peer learning, resource sharing, and strategic planning for the year ahead.

By Invitation 3 Days Travel Support

Collaboration Opportunities

Skill Sharing Network

Connect with experts in regenerative systems, maker culture, and community organizing. Offer your skills and learn from others.

Join Network Learn More

Resource Sharing

Share tools, materials, and knowledge with other communities. Access a growing library of open-source designs and protocols.

Access Library Contribute

Project Partnerships

Find partners for ambitious projects that span multiple communities. Collaborate on research, development, and implementation.

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Recognition Program

Celebrate outstanding contributions to regenerative systems and community resilience. Nominate peers for community recognition.

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Community Impact

12,000+ Active Community Members

850+ Completed Projects

2.5M+ People Reached

$15M+ Local Economic Impact

Impact Highlights

Waste Diverted

Community repair cafés have diverted over 50,000 items from landfills, representing an estimated 200 tons of waste prevented.

Skills Developed

Over 8,000 people have learned practical repair skills through community workshops and peer-to-peer learning programs.

Local Businesses

Community innovation labs have supported the launch of 200+ local businesses focused on regenerative practices.

Digital Sovereignty

Digital sovereignty workshops have helped 5,000+ people reclaim control over their personal data and digital lives.

Get Involved

Share Your Story

Tell us about your community project, innovation, or collaboration. Your story could inspire others and help build connections across the network.

Submit Your Story

Host an Event

Organize a workshop, repair café, or community gathering in your area. We'll help you connect with local organizers and provide resources.

Plan an Event

Join a Project

Connect with ongoing projects in your region or contribute to distributed collaborations. Find ways to apply your skills and interests.

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