Harnessing the maker movement as an important tool for the inclusion of racialized/marginalized women into the innovation and creativity paradigm

Abstract

This article explores how makerspaces in Cape Town contribute to the innovation and creativity of racialized and marginalized women, focusing on the impact of these spaces on their entrepreneurial activities and the role of Intellectual Property (IP). Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with women from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds in three makerspaces: CDI, I Scream & Red, and CiTi. The findings show that makerspaces greatly support marginalized women in innovation, with 85% gaining new skills and 70% scaling their projects within six months. However, only 10% used IP systems like copyrights or trademarks, highlighting issues with the accessibility and relevance of IP laws for women in these contexts. The study concludes that current IP frameworks inadequately support women makers and often overlook their contributions. It advocates for gender-responsive IP laws, incorporating gender-specific indicators for monitoring and evaluation. Such reforms aim to better support the creative and entrepreneurial efforts of racialized and marginalized women in South Africa. This research offers an original empirical analysis of how gender, innovation, and IP intersect within makerspaces, providing insights for policy reforms to foster more inclusive innovation ecosystems.