Discovery Infrastructure: Data Source Analysis

An assessment of existing ecosystem maps, directories, and categorization schemas as candidate sources that Discovery Infrastructure drivers could read, organized by how valuable and accessible each is.

Ecosystem Maps, Data Sources, and Categorization Schemas

This page assesses existing ecosystem maps, directories, and categorization schemas as candidate data sources for Discovery Infrastructure, the proposal for a federated way to index, search, and map knowledge across many independently run sources. The drivers that proposal describes would read sources like these. Listing a source here does not mean its producers are partners, have been consulted, or endorse anything on this page.

The following analysis organizes the 60+ items in the directory into categories and evaluates each data source for its usefulness, access method, and relevance to Discovery Infrastructure. Items that are purely directories of other maps, or that are primarily illustrative rather than data-rich, are noted but deprioritized. Note that the directory contains additional information and links to the respective websites for each.

Tier 1 — High-Value Data Sources

These sources contain substantial structured or semi-structured data directly relevant to one or more of the situations described in Why Decentralized Architecture. They should be prioritized for early integration.

SourceProducerEntity TypesAccess Method
Second Renaissance Ecosystem MapLife ItselfPeople, Orgs, Projects, MediaAirtable API or CSV export (underlying platform); Cohere embed JSON
Meta-Crisis Meta-ResourceSlowwPeople, Orgs, Projects, MediaStatic HTML scrape (Obsidian-published vault, consistent structure)
Healthy Democracy Ecosystem MapNational Civic LeagueOrgs, Political entities, Land-basedWeb scrape + partnership outreach; NCL publishes structured reports
P2P Foundation WikiMichel BauwensPeople, Orgs, Projects, Tech, ConceptualMediaWiki API (api.php endpoint, openly licensed)
HyloTerran CollectivePeople, Orgs, Projects, Land-basedGraphQL API (open source, documented)
Weavers Social Trust MapWeaversPeople, Projects, Land-based, PoliticalKumu JSON export (public embed URL)
Big Map to Save the FutureJon SchullPeople, Orgs, Projects, Land-basedWeb scrape + possible direct data partnership
Conscious Change CollectiveThe Garrison Institute and Circles for Conscious ChangeOrgs, WorldviewsKumu JSON export (public embed URL)
CatalistCatalistPeople, Orgs, Projects, FrameworksPlatform API (partner inquiry needed)
Civic Tech GuideCivic HallPeople, Projects, Tech, Political entitiesStructured HTML scrape

Tier 2 — Specialized or Domain-Specific Sources

These sources are valuable for specific domains or use cases but are not broad enough or accessible enough to be first-priority integrations.

SourceProducerDomainAccess Method
RestorRestorLand-based projects, bioregionsPublic API (documented)
One Earth Bioregion MapOne EarthLand-based, bioregionsMapbox data layers (public)
Planetary PortalBerggruen InstituteOrganizations (global governance)Web scrape
NooNAOBrad de GrafPeople, Orgs, Projects, BioregionsPartnership (WWW working group connection)
Thaumazo Community MyceliumDaniel LindenbergerPeople, Orgs, Projects, BioregionsPartnership outreach
Web3 Meta-Crisis WikiBenjamin LifeTechnologiesStatic HTML scrape (GitHub Pages)
Decentralized Tech Ecosystem MapChristina BowenTechnologiesKumu JSON export
ReFi EcosystemReFi DAOPeople, Orgs, ProjectsWeb scrape / possible API
Gaianet EcosystemGaianetPeople, Orgs, Projects, Tech, MediaWeb scrape
SuperConnectorMITPeople, ProjectsAPI (automation-capable per directory)
Global Ecovillage MapKosha JoubertPeople, Orgs, Land-basedWeb scrape (GEN map platform)
Standingwave BioregionalNooNAO / StandingwaveLand-based, bioregionsMapbox embed + partnership
ICmatchArdell BroadbentConnecting IC cofounders for land-based projectsPartnership outreach and FB marketing to IC groups

Categorization Schemas

These items do not contribute entity data but provide taxonomic frameworks that can be applied to classify existing entities. A driver could apply them while interpreting a source, to classify the entities it finds.

SchemaProducerWhat It ClassifiesApplication
The Social Change MapDeepa IyerOrganizations, people (by movement role)Apply to all org/person entities — assign roles: builder, disruptor, healer, weaver, etc.
Mapping an Ecology of Integrative ApproachesNørgaard, Hedlund, Meglin (IAM)Organizations, projects (by integrative approach)Apply to liminal web and metacrisis-oriented entities — provides nuanced categorization aligned with IAM ecosystem
Wisdom AgeRooteWorldviewsTag entities by worldview affiliation or orientation
Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map schemaNational Civic LeagueCivic organizationsClassify civic orgs into NCL’s healthy democracy taxonomy
Planetary Portal schemaBerggruen InstituteGlobal governance organizationsClassify orgs operating at global/institutional scale
Context (IAM)Institute of Applied MetatheoryConceptual frameworks and interconnectionsApply IAM’s framework taxonomy to conceptual entities; potential for AI-assisted classification
ConnectioningJ. FridayOrganizations / network actorsCategorization schema with automation support — evaluate for use in relationship typing
Conscious Change CollectiveThe Garrison Institute and Circles for Conscious ChangeSocial issues, types of communities served, inner work modalities, faiths, organization roleOffer connections between organizations doing conscious change work and organizations doing complementary work in other domains such as regen agriculture, infrastructure development, community organizing, etc.

References

Citation-style references for the maps, directories, and schemas assessed above. URLs are given where openly accessible.