Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Observatory:Main
💡 In simple words: An observatory is a place that watches and studies what is happening. This one watches similar projects and contests so WikiDeal can learn and stay useful.
⚠️ Not yet approved. This page describes a proposal that is still under community review. It is documented here so it can be discussed, improved and endorsed.
Observatory: Competition & Cooperation
Observatory at a Glance
| Types monitored | 6 categories |
| Review cycle | Quarterly |
| Governance | Living Lab team |
| Input to | Open Calls, strategy |
| Output | Observatory reports |
The Competition & Cooperation Observatory is WikiDeal's systematic monitoring system for the broader ecosystem of platforms that share some of its characteristics. The goal is not to eliminate competition — WikiDeal embraces co-opetition — but to understand where to cooperate, where to differentiate, and where to learn.
WikiDeal's founding principle is that the best response to a competitor is often to reach out and propose cooperation. Many platforms in this space are working toward the same goals with different tools; combining efforts is more efficient than parallel development.
1. Platforms Using Wikimedia Governance
These platforms have adopted elements of Wikimedia-style governance: community editing, volunteer moderation, open licensing, or transparent decision-making. They are WikiDeal's closest philosophical cousins.
| Platform | Domain | Wikimedia Element | Cooperation Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikirate | Corporate accountability | Community-edited data | High — shared data layer |
| OpenStreetMap | Mapping | Community editing, CC BY-SA | High — geodata for portals |
| Kiwix | Offline knowledge | Wikimedia content distribution | Medium — offline resilience |
| Wikidata | Structured knowledge | Core Infrastructure | Very High — WikiDeal integrates Wikidata |
2. Digital Commons Platforms
These platforms operate marketplaces or services on commons principles: at-cost Commissions, community governance, or cooperative ownership. They are WikiDeal's closest operational cousins.
| Platform | Domain | Commons Mechanism | Cooperation Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbnb | Short-term rentals | 50% Commission to local community | High — housing portal synergy |
| Open Food Network | Local food distribution | Libre licensed, community-governed | High — Miles Credits for food exchange |
| CoopCycle | Bike delivery | Worker cooperative federation | High — User Group model alignment |
| Loconomics | Freelance services | Worker-owned cooperative | Medium — contract model overlap |
| Up&Go | Home cleaning | Worker cooperative platform | Medium — governance learnings |
3. Platforms Using Bonding Curves (Crypto / DAO)
These platforms use bonding curves or similar token-economic mechanisms. WikiDeal's use of a bonding curve is unusual outside the crypto space; monitoring these platforms provides design learnings.
| Platform / Protocol | Domain | Bonding Curve Use | Lesson for WikiDeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augur (REP) | Prediction markets | Market-making curve | Mechanism design for uncertainty |
| Gitcoin | Libre licensed funding | Quadratic funding | Community fund allocation models |
| Giveth | Charitable giving | Token-based impact tracking | Gift mechanism design |
| Curve Finance | Stablecoin exchange | Stable bonding curves | CHF-anchored curve mathematics |
4. Complementary Currency Platforms
These platforms operate complementary, local, or community currencies. Miles Credits is WikiDeal's complementary currency; these platforms are reference points for design and governance.
| Platform | Currency | Geography | Cooperation Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarafu Network | Sarafu (Kenya) | Kenya | High — community currency design |
| FairCoin / FairCoop | FairCoin | Global | Medium — cooperative economics |
| LETS (Local Exchange Trading) | Various | Global | High — time banking for Miles Credits |
| SEL (Système d'Échange Local) | Various | France / Suisse | Very High — Swiss local context |
| Chiemgauer | Chiemgauer | Bavaria | Medium — regional currency model |
| Communauto Credits | Internal credits | Quebec | Low — closed ecosystem |
5. Platform Cooperatives (Trebor Scholz Movement)
The platform cooperative movement, catalyzed by Trebor Scholz and the New School's Platform Cooperativism Consortium, seeks to convert digital platforms into worker/user-owned cooperatives. WikiDeal shares many goals while using a distinct Swiss foundation + bonding curve approach.
| Organization / Platform | Focus | Relationship to WikiDeal |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Cooperativism Consortium | Research + advocacy | Intellectual peer — cite & collaborate |
| Stocksy United | Stock photography | Cooperative design learnings |
| Resonate | Music streaming | Stream-to-own model — Miles Credits parallel |
| Driver's Cooperative (NYC) | Ride-hailing | Direct competitor to Uber — taxi-coop portal |
| Mondragon (digital) | Manufacturing + services | Scale reference for cooperative federation |
6. Potential Partners (Cooperate Rather Than Compete)
These are organizations with whom WikiDeal should actively seek partnership rather than treating as competitors. They bring complementary strengths.
| Organization | Strength | Proposed Cooperation |
|---|---|---|
| Wikimedia Foundation | Global governance, CC BY-SA Infrastructure | Governance model inspiration; potential data partnership |
| Ynternet.org Foundation | Swiss foundation law, internet governance experience | Legal umbrella — already integrated |
| ENoLL (European Network of Living Labs) | Living Lab methodology | WikiDeal's Living Lab is an ENoLL member |
| RIPESS Europe | Solidarity economy network | User Group recruitment and solidarity economy alignment |
| SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) | Regulatory clarity | Legal framework navigation for WIL |
Observatory Methodology
The observatory is maintained by the WikiDeal Living Lab team. Each quarter, the team reviews each category, updates the status of listed platforms, adds new entrants, and removes platforms that have ceased operation. The observatory feeds directly into Open Call design — a new complementary currency platform entering the Swiss market, for example, might trigger an Open Call for Miles Credits interoperability proposals.
See also: 25 Innovations Open Call Living Labs Community Migrations Observatory