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Field Ready's Approach

For over a decade, we have transformed aid delivery by manufacturing essential supplies locally.
Our approach eliminates traditional supply chain inefficiencies, enabling faster, more
cost-effective emergency response and ultimately saving lives.
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By harnessing cutting-edge technology and fostering local talent, we empower communities to become self-reliant.
Our commitment to efficiency and innovation supports sustainable, locally-driven solutions.

Empowering Pacific communities with mobile innovation for rapid, local solutions.

Field Ready's Capabilities

Making & Makerspaces
Making &
Makerspaces
Training
Training
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Health
Health
Innovation

Innovation

Medical Supplies
Medical Supplies
Livelihoods
Livelihoods
Protection
Protection
Non-Food Items
NFIs
Search & Rescue
Search & Rescue
Risk Reduction
Risk Reduction
DIgital
Digital
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Field Ready in Action

For most people, walking to a neighbor’s house or crossing a small bridge to reach a local store is an ordinary part of daily life, something done without thought or hesitation. For Mrs. Mary Roden, a 58 year old paraplegic living in Fiji, that simple act once felt impossible. A narrow timber bridge near her home stood between her and the community around her. It was unstable, uneven, and unsafe. Every crossing required careful balance and assistance. What should have been a short trip became a moment of risk and anxiety. “When I moved here and saw the piece of timber they had, I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this is totally not right for someone in a wheelchair.’” Her words reflect more than frustration. They capture the reality faced by many people with disabilities who are forced to navigate environments that were never designed with accessibility in mind. The fragile bridge symbolized exclusion. It limited her independence and quietly reinforced dependence on others for movement that should have been simple. Across Fiji, this experience is repeated in many forms. Rough soil, heavy rain, and uneven terrain quickly damage wheelchair tires and assistive devices. Basic components such as crutch tips and casters wear down under local conditions, yet replacement parts are rarely available nearby. Families often wait months for imported supplies, paying high costs and enduring long delays. During that time, mobility stops. For many households, this is not just an inconvenience. It affects dignity, access to education, participation in community life, and the ability to work or contribute. Small equipment failures can translate into prolonged isolation. Mary is part of the newly registered Fiji Mobility Association, and her experience has highlighted how urgent localized solutions are. Instead of relying solely on imported equipment, the response in Fiji is shifting toward building capacity within the country. Through the support of partners and the use of 3D printing technology, essential mobility components such as crutch tips and wheelchair parts are now manufactured locally. This approach allows rapid repairs, reduces dependency on long supply chains, and enables parts to be redesigned and strengthened based on actual terrain conditions. Local manufacturing means repairs no longer require waiting for shipments. It means technicians can respond quickly when equipment breaks. It means mobility support becomes accessible closer to the communities that need it most. At the same time, infrastructure improvements addressed the most visible barrier in Mary’s daily life. The unstable timber bridge has been replaced with a strong and durable structure built for safety and long term use. It was designed with accessibility in mind, restoring a safe path for wheelchair users and creating secure passage for everyone in the neighborhood. When Mary saw the completed bridge, her reaction was powerful. What once represented risk and restriction now represented freedom and possibility. She described it as a dream realized. More than that, she saw how the bridge benefits the entire community. Elderly residents can cross with confidence. Children can walk or run safely across. Neighbors can visit without hesitation. The impact of this work goes beyond physical structures or fabricated parts. It demonstrates how targeted investment in local innovation strengthens systems rather than delivering temporary fixes. By establishing repair hubs and training local technicians, knowledge and skills remain within Fiji. Communities gain the ability to maintain, adapt, and improve their own mobility solutions over time. Support from partners such as the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives has made this approach possible. Their investment is not simply funding equipment. It is enabling infrastructure, building technical capacity, and restoring independence to people like Mary. In places like Fiji, independence is rebuilt through practical action and local ownership. For Mary, that independence now begins with a safe bridge and reliable mobility support. For the wider community, it signals a future where access is not limited by geography or supply chains but strengthened by innovation rooted in place.

Bridging the Gap: How Local Innovation Restores Independence in Fiji

For most people, walking to a neighbor’s house or crossing a small bridge to reach a local store is an ordinary part of daily life, something done without thought or hesitation. For Mrs. Mary Roden, a 58 year old paraplegic living in Fiji, that simple act once felt impossible. A narrow timber bridge near her home stood between her and the community around her. It was unstable, uneven, and unsafe. Every crossing required careful balance and assistance. What should have been a short trip became...

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We are deeply saddened by the passing of our co-founder, Dr. Nicolas Haan. His vision, passion and readiness to help are a loss for us all.   The founders of Field Ready first coalesced at Singularity University (SU), in Mt. View, California, in the summer of 2012.   Field Ready’s founder, Dr. Eric James, recalls partnering with Nick in the earliest of days: “We bonded over our passion for improving the hardest places and our frustration with things not working better. We were looking not for incremental change but for something transformational. And we continue to believe that finding new ways to do things can make a world of difference."   The transformational ideas behind Field Ready were born at SU but the roots extended to the preceding decades. For Nick, this started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya more than three decades ago. There he learned Kiswahili and developed deep contextual knowledge – based on cheerful service, positivity and a scientific approach – that would serve him throughout his career.   One of his most impactful efforts was the creation of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. This established the global standard of analysis for food insecurity. He also co-founded Kizo Africa to empower youth to embrace the digital era and chaired the Government of Zanzibar Digital Economy Advisory Council.    Originally from California, Nick maintained a connection there through friends, family and SU for more than the past decade. While serving as the Managing Director of the Global Solutions Program he taught and worked on activities to solve global challenges. He also served as Vice President of Impact where he managed SU’s partnerships with the World Food Programme and UNICEF.   Dara Dotz, Field Ready’s other co-founder, said that “Nick was an inspiration and a role model in how to lead with both vision and compassion. He gave me confidence in my mission at a time when it mattered most. I know I’m only one of many people whose life trajectory he quietly influenced for the better. His kindness, insight, and belief in what we could build will always stay with me.”     Nick’s intellectual grounding was first rate with a Ph.D. in Geography, two Master’s degrees in Development Economics and International Development and Geographic Information Science from Clark University. He attended the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics. A deeply refined person, he was also a talented musician.   All throughout, he also maintained a connection to East Africa and maintained a property on Zanzibar. Nick often hosted visitors including Field Ready’s Executive Director, Kat Sellers. To get a break from his social schedule, Nick loved watersports and carried out some epic journeys. Nick made history, along with his kayaking partner, as the first to paddle the entire length of both Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana. Nick was naturally a devoted husband to his wife, Mariam, and a beloved brother to his sisters Mary Catherine and Annie.   We will always miss his smiles and positive outlook that have impacted so many lives.

Nick Haan - In Memoriam

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our co-founder, Dr. Nicolas Haan. His vision, passion and readiness to help are a loss for us all.   The founders of Field Ready first coalesced at Singularity University (SU), in Mt. View, California, in the summer of 2012.   Field Ready’s founder, Dr. Eric James, recalls partnering with Nick in the earliest of days: “We bonded over our passion for improving the hardest places and our frustration with things not working better. We were looking not for...

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FabFest 2025 participants show off their innovative project When a Cebu student wheeled in his prototype — a mini packaging factory built from scraps and sensors — the crowd at FabFest 2025 leaned forward. His idea wasn’t just clever; it was a glimpse of how makers can turn everyday ingenuity into solutions with global relevance.  That’s what FabFest is about: turning bold ideas into real-world fixes.  Held at Cebu Institute of Technology–University (CIT-U) and co-organized by Department of Trade and Industry Region 7, CIT-U, and Field Ready, the festival brought together makers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), global experts, and government leaders under the theme “Bridging Gaps Through Innovation and Collaboration.”   Innovation With a Human Face   The Fabsiklaban 2025 competition spotlighted grassroots solutions to urgent challenges in health, energy, and education. Prototypes ranged from a modular furniture set designed for coastal resilience to a miniaturized factory-in-a-box that could transform small-scale livelihoods.  Meanwhile, in Kenya, FabLab Winam co-designed a rugged vehicle seat with Toyota engineers, tested on rough terrain to meet the realities of rural transport. It’s proof that FabLabs can go beyond tinkering — they’re solving problems that matter.  Technology as a Tool, Not the Star   CIT-U launched the first AI-integrated FabLab in the Philippines, embedding machine learning into prototyping and design workflows. But what excited participants wasn’t the buzzword of AI — it was what it meant: faster, smarter tools that MSMEs, students, and community makers can actually use.  Participants explored the bold ideas and hands-on possibilities showcased at FabFest 2025 Global Meets Local   Voices from Japan and Australia joined Filipino innovators to swap lessons from the field. The thread running through them all? Technology only creates impact when it’s anchored in people’s lives.  As Charles Barrete, Field Ready’s Global Technical Lead, put it:  What struck me at FabFest was the way conversations flowed — from grassroots ideas to global collaboration. That’s the real strength of this ecosystem: connecting the local and the global so innovation can thrive and be impactful.   Collaboration Is the Secret Sauce   From breakout workshops on aquatic drones to Fab City’s vision of circular economies, FabFest 2025 buzzed with cross-pollination. Students worked alongside government officials, MSMEs alongside global tech leaders. The festival proved that FabLabs aren’t isolated workbenches — they’re bridges between technology and community.  Looking Ahead   Next year, FabFest 2026 will be hosted by FabLab UP Cebu, marking ten years of FabLabs in Cebu Province. A decade in, FabLabs have grown from experiments into engines of creativity — and the next ten years will decide just how far local solutions can go in shaping a more resilient, connected world.  Field Ready will be right there, working with partners like the Department of Trade and Industry, universities, and FabLabs to strengthen local manufacturing capacity, mentor innovators, and move prototypes from idea to impact. With our experience in local production, rapid prototyping, and humanitarian innovation, we are ready to help accelerate and incubate hardware startups — turning bold ideas into solutions that matter.  Everyone celebrates another fantastic FabFest in the Philippines

FabFest 2025 | Building Local Innovation With FabLabs

FabFest 2025 showcased how local makers turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. From a student’s mini factory prototype to AI-powered FabLabs, the festival connected MSMEs, students, and global experts to tackle urgent challenges. Field Ready is proud to support this ecosystem, helping ideas grow into impactful, locally made innovations.

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Partners, Donors and Supporters

Field Ready is proud to collaborate with a diverse network of partners, donors, and supporters who help us drive innovation and impact.
Below are some of the organizations that have contributed to our mission—past and present. We are deeply grateful for their support!
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