2026 GM

Author: neural-loop

content/blog/announcing-2026-general-meeting-elections/index.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 ---
 title: "Announcing the 2026 General Meeting & Call for Leadership"
 date: 2025-12-18
-description: "Join us on January 20th for our Annual General Meeting. We are calling for nominations for the next Chair and Secretary to lead ONM's evolution from a community hub to a research institution."
-image: "voting-box.jpg" 
+description: "Join us on January 20th for our Annual General Meeting. We are calling for nominations for the next Chair and Secretary to lead ONM's evolution toward a sustainable research institution."
+image: "voting-box.jpg"
 draft: false
 author:
   - "The Executive Committee"
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ In accordance with our [Organisational Charter]({{< ref "/about/governance/organ
 
 In 2025, we focused on building infrastructure. We established the website as a knowledge graph, launched the Mission Board, and created the policies that govern our open-source collaboration.
 
-In 2026, our goal is to evolve Open Neuromorphic from a community hub into a **Research Institution**. We aim to become a formal consortium that not only aggregates knowledge but actively shapes policy, standardizes infrastructure (like taxonomies and interoperability), and secures funding to support open-source maintainers.
+In 2026, our goal is to mature Open Neuromorphic from a community hub into a sustainable **Research Institution**. We aim to explore **entrepreneurial pathways to sustainability** that allow us to support open-source maintainers and secure the future of our ecosystem. This includes developing new dimensions of our community, such as active policy advocacy, hardware/software standardization (taxonomies), and expanding our content production.
 
 To achieve this, we are opening nominations for two key leadership roles.
 
@@ -41,12 +41,12 @@ To ensure stability during this transition, **Justin Riddiough will retain the s
 ### 1. The Chair
 *The Strategic Architect*
 
-We are looking for a Chair to guide ONM's transition into a formal consortium. This is a high-level strategic role, not an operational one. Day-to-day logistics (events, social media, discord moderation) are now handled by our capable [Volunteer Teams](/contributors/), allowing the Chair to focus on high-impact goals.
+We are looking for a Chair to guide ONM's strategic evolution. This is a high-level role focused on vision and sustainability, not operations. Day-to-day logistics (events, social media, discord moderation) are now handled by our capable [Volunteer Teams](/contributors/), allowing the Chair to focus on high-impact goals.
 
 **Ideal Qualifications:**
 *   **Academic & Scientific Credibility:** Ability to represent ONM to research labs, funding bodies (e.g., NSF, EU Grants), and industry partners.
 *   **Open Source Pedigree:** A deep understanding of the software ecosystem (snnTorch, Brian, Norse, etc.) and the needs of maintainers.
-*   **Strategic Vision:** An interest in defining standards, such as hardware/software taxonomies and policy frameworks.
+*   **Strategic Vision:** An interest in exploring funding opportunities and defining standards, such as hardware/software taxonomies.
 
 ### 2. The Secretary
 *Director of Community*