What Makes Innovation Indigenous?
We often hear about Indigenous involvement in clean energy, tech startups, and land-based research. But what makes something Indigenous innovation instead of just innovation by Indigenous people?
The answer is not just about who’s involved—but how the work is done, and why.
Indigenous innovation is shaped by relationships. It values land, language, kinship, ceremony, and long-term care. These values guide how new tools, systems, or businesses are created. They also shape how results are shared—and with whom.
1. Innovation Is Rooted in Place
Indigenous innovation begins with land—not with a lab. It starts by asking, What does this place need? What is already working here? Instead of scaling fast and wide, Indigenous innovators build slowly and with purpose, often with the goal of healing relationships between people and the environment.
This shows up in everything from community energy projects to water sensors based on traditional knowledge.
2. Community Benefit Comes First
In many Western tech models, success is measured by growth, profit, or exit. In Indigenous-led projects, success often means cultural survival, better food systems, or stronger language transmission. The community—not just the founders or funders—benefits directly from the innovation.
Ownership and decision-making are shared. Many projects involve Elders, youth, or Knowledge Keepers. Some are governed by community protocols rather than corporate boards.
3. Time Works Differently
Indigenous innovation isn’t rushed. Timelines often follow seasons, ceremonies, or healing processes, not quarterly returns. This can make it hard to fit into grant cycles or investor timelines—but that doesn’t make it less valuable.
Instead, it means that the innovation is designed to last, adapt, and serve multiple generations.
4. Knowledge is Relational
In Indigenous contexts, knowledge is not just something you collect or own—it’s something you’re responsible for. Innovation includes art, story, food, and land care. It’s not limited to science labs or digital platforms.
This kind of thinking can change how we design AI, environmental tools, or even climate policy. It encourages us to ask: Who is this for? Who is missing? What responsibilities come with this knowledge?
Conclusion: More Than Inclusion
Indigenous innovation is not just a version of Western tech with different faces at the table. It’s a different way of seeing the purpose of innovation itself.
When Indigenous communities lead, they bring forward systems of knowledge, law, and governance that go beyond extractive growth. These systems are already working—in clean energy, health, education, and digital technology. They don’t need to be retrofitted. They need to be respected, funded, and protected.
If we want innovation that lasts, we need to start by asking better questions—and listening to people who’ve been solving complex problems for thousands of years.