Intercultural Roots celebrates the successful launch of the EcoGPX™ prototype app in Ilkley, a groundbreaking tool combining arts, environment, and community engagement. The event garnered positive feedback from the local community, affirming the app's potential in fostering ecological awareness and social connectivity. This enthusiastic reception marks a significant step forward for the EcoGPX™ project, demonstrating its promise in driving global ecological and community initiatives.
The EcoGPX™ app, launched in Ilkley, is a prototype MVP designed to deepen connections with nature, heritage, and community through engaging technology. This innovative app, bringing together arts, environment, and community engagement, has been met with positive feedback from over 22 local and international collaborators. Attendees were particularly impressed by its potential to enhance environmental and health awareness, as evidenced by one attendee's remark,
"EcoGPX™ is not just an app, it's a new way of seeing our world,"
and another's appreciation,
"This is what our community needed to come together."
These enthusiastic responses underscore the app's promise in fostering community unity and ecological consciousness.
Building on the success of receiving the Innovate UK Creative Catalyst 2023 Award of £50,000, Intercultural Roots is actively pursuing additional research and development funding from Innovate UK and UKRI, who recognise the high growth potential of their latest initiative and a turnover that increased 173% in the last year. Furthermore, the nonprofit, that made a 180 degree pivot to incorporate technology during the pandemic, is exploring the establishment of an ethical for-profit subsidiary, opening doors for worldwide venture capital investment. This innovative approach offers a unique opportunity for investors to be part of a project and organisation with both social impact and financial potential, supporting this growing international community of more than 500 ecologically minded pioneers who are involved. Interested philantropists or ethical investors are encouraged to make contact.
"We've done something that I think is next to unique. In my research, I've not seen anything quite like what this app aims to do. Experts on app development are getting really excited about EcoGPX™.”— Dr John Zibell, Creative Director - EcoGPX™
Funded by an Innovate UK Creative Catalyst Award
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Embark on a transformative journey with EcoGPX™! 🌍 We invite communities from across the UK and around the globe to join us in weaving a tapestry of art, culture, and ecological wisdom. Whether you're nestled in a bustling city, a charming town, or a picturesque rural area, EcoGPX™ brings a cascade of opportunities to enliven local arts, heritage, and business landscapes. By fostering an intimate, artistically enriched connection with your unique environment, our smart app aims to bolster local artists, creators, and communities while nurturing a flourishing sense of eco-awareness. Curious to cultivate this vibrant ecosystem in your locale? Reach out to us at hello@interculturalroots.org, and let’s sow the seeds for a flourishing partnership! 🌿🎨
Intercultural Roots launches EcoGPX™ app in Ilkley, blending arts, environment, and community for global impact, R&D, philanthropic and investment potential.
ILKLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, January 31, 2024. Today, Intercultural Roots proudly announces the launch of the prototype Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for EcoGPX™, a revolutionary smart app blending the creative arts, environmental science, mental health, and community engagement. This initial version, launched at a significant event at Ilkley Manor House, and attended by over 22 local arts, environment, health and heritage contributors as well as international collaborators, is a proof of concept, inviting the wider community to test and provide feedback.
EcoGPX™: More Than an App, A Community Testbed - The EcoGPX™ MVP, curated and built in just over 6 months, is a tangible demonstration of how technology can enhance our relationship with the environment, health and local heritage. It's a call to action, bringing together people's experiences and insights to shape the future of the app helping raise awareness and address local challenges and issues concerning communities. From the heartwarming words of a local artist at the launch, "EcoGPX™ is not just an app, it's a new way of seeing our world," to an Ilkley community leader who said, "This is what our community needed to come together," the enthusiasm is palpable.
Fostering Growth and Investment - Building on the success of receiving the Innovate UK Creative Catalyst 2023 Award of £50,000, Intercultural Roots is actively pursuing additional research and development funding from Innovate UK and UKRI, who recognise the high growth potential of their latest initiative and a turnover that increased 173% in the last year. Furthermore, the nonprofit, that made a 180 degree pivot to incorporate technology during the pandemic, is exploring the establishment of an ethical for-profit subsidiary, opening doors for worldwide venture capital investment. This innovative approach offers a unique opportunity for investors to be part of a project and organisation with both social impact and financial potential, supporting this growing international community of more than 500 ecologically minded pioneers who are involved. Interested philantropists or ethical investors are encouraged to make contact.
Join the EcoGPX™ Journey - We invite everyone to explore, provide feedback, and be part of this prototype's evolution. EcoGPX™ is poised to become a catalyst for change, not just in Ilkley or the UK, but globally. To learn more about EcoGPX™, visit Intercultural Roots' EcoGPX™ Project Page.
About Intercultural Roots for Public Health - is a UK registered charitable incorporated company (CIO), committed to fostering ecological public health that includes social and environmental benefit, through embodied practice and research, and community engagement. Discover more in their latest annual report.
Philantropic, Investment and Partnership Enquiries Dr. Alex Boyd Cert Ed, PhD, FRSA - Founding Executive Director Email: alex@interculturalroots.org Website: https://www.interculturalroots.org/who-we-are
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is creating a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations. We provide targeted sectors with expertise, facilities and funding to test, demonstrate and evolve their ideas, driving UK productivity and economic growth. Join our network and communities of innovators to realise the potential of your ideas and accelerate business growth. Innovate UK: inspiring business innovation.@innovateuk @UKRI_News
Immerse yourself in a captivating convergence of art, nature, and community with EcoGPX™! Pioneered by the charitable collective, Intercultural Roots, this groundbreaking smartphone app invites the vibrant spirits of Ilkley and surrounding communities to contribute to a blossoming online gallery of creativity and ecological mindfulness, set to unveil its prototype in January 2024.
EcoGPX™ aspires beyond the realms of mere entertainment or eco-tourism; it’s a canvas where local artists, ecologists, musicians, historians, and storytellers infuse places of interest in Ilkley with a dynamic tapestry of engaging media. Encouraging a harmonious flow of visitation and interactive engagement, the app offers a unique avenue for community members to echo their inspired responses and narratives, amplifying the essence of Ilkley’s enchanting heritage.
Join us between the 24th and 28th of November 2023, as we weave threads of knowledge, creativity, and ecological wisdom. We are especially keen to embrace contributions from diverse minoritised ethnic groups, opening doors to both paid and voluntary involvements.
EcoGPX™ extends an inspiring platform for local groups like the Ilkley Clean River Group and Friends of Ilkley Moor, promoting impactful educational pathways on contemporary challenges and proactive community participation. Through the app, explore enriching avenues to engage in sustainable practices, foster a nurturing environment, and celebrate the flourishing tapestry of Ilkley’s remarkable heritage.
Eager to contribute to this transformative journey? Apply by the 14th of November, and blossom with us in redefining our relationship with nature and community. Apply here: https://forms.gle/JKJXjWvCuGYus9Hx5 or explore more at www.ecogpx.com. 🌿🎨🌍
“Global Excellence of the Year, 2022” Award winners from the 22nd World Congress, Akamai University
Intercultural Roots is a partnership of two charities each registered with the Charity Commission in the UK to operate worldwide. Intercultural Roots for Public Health (Registered Charity No. 1179885). Intercultural Roots for Traditional Embodied Arts (Registered Charity No. 1146653).
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is creating a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations.
We provide targeted sectors with expertise, facilities and funding to test, demonstrate and evolve their ideas, driving UK productivity and economic growth. Join our network and communities of innovators to realise the potential of your ideas and accelerate business growth. Innovate UK: inspiring business innovation.
Wanted 24 - 28 November: Artists, makers, practitioners, community leaders, naturalists, historians, storytellers, ecologists etc.
EcoGPX™ is a new app being developed by the Intercultural Roots 'arts for health & social change' charity that will allow people to freely access an online gallery of engaging media filmed, recorded and photographed at particular places of interest in Ilkley. It will encourage people to visit those locations to be guided by and interact with unique media and scores that artists, ecologists, musicians, historians and story-tellers will present. Anyone who wishes to record and leave their own inspired response using their smartphone will also be able to do so.
The Ilkley prototype of the app, funded by Innovate UK and planned to be ready in January 2024, isn't just about entertainment or eco-tourism. It's a way to bridge art, nature, heritage and community. Local community groups such as the Ilkley Clean River Group or Friends of Ilkley Moor for example, will be able to use it to educate people about the challenges Ilkley faces and how local people can get involved in improving the environment. This could include information about helping to reduce the amount of raw sewage going into the river, how to get involved in litter picking initiatives or in educating dog walkers about keeping their dogs on a leash up on the moors to protect nesting birds. It'll certainly encourage more people to get outdoors in healthy ways to creatively engage with the amazing heritage that Ilkley offers, or to join our local community groups.
Following on from our initial filming and documenting in September, there's a further opportunity 24 - 28 November '23 for practitioners (including minoritised ethnic groups and / or disabled) who are local or connected to Ilkley or West Yorkshire to get involved in creating and filming content and creating collaborative scores for the online gallery.
If you are interested in paid or voluntary involvement the deadline is the 14th November.
