We Are Legacy - Sweden/International
“Lesley, Ma and Robert cofounded We Are Legacy, combining expertise across technology, culture, and purpose-driven innovation. Robert works across social impact and development, leading global blockchain initiatives with fashion and design brands, governments, and communities. His focus is on inclusive economic growth, the creative economy, and building more equitable, traceable value chains. Ma is a senior business leader, board director, entrepreneur, and investor, with deep expertise in intellectual property and transformative technologies, leading the international media group Bulls while actively shaping and supporting the companies she invests in. Lesley, a Swedish-Canadian entrepreneur and tech innovator, builds ventures that unite beauty, purpose, and social impact. Guided by the belief that innovation should heal rather than harm, she bridges the digital and the human, shaping technologies that strengthen connection, creativity, and care for people and planet.
Both Lesley and Robert are alumni of the XTANT Leadership Program, where their collaboration first took shape. Through its spirit of exchange and critical thinking, they developed a shared approach and commitment that laid the foundation for We Are Legacy.
They all founded We Are Legacy, a digital platform that gives every handmade object a Digital Product Identity, a verified and structured record of its origin, materials, and maker. Each product carries a unique digital signature that connects directly to the people, processes, and cultural contexts behind it, transforming how craft is understood from anonymous production to visible authorship and accountability.
In a sector where artisans are often invisible and undervalued, We Are Legacy establishes a new foundation for trust, recognition, and economic visibility. Story is no longer an added layer; it becomes intrinsic to the product itself, grounded in truth and verification. By embedding identity into the object, the platform enables handmade work to stand with clarity and credibility within global markets, without losing the nuance and depth that defines it.
As part of its initial pilot, ten craft studios have embarked on a shared digitalization journey grounded in education, mutual respect, and a deeper understanding of the value of transparency. These studios span diverse cultural contexts and mediums, including Morii (India), Paiwand Studios (India), Looms of Ladakh (India), Rasleela (India), and Jaipur Rugs (India);
Frances VH (South Africa); Laos Textiles (Laos); Que Onda Vos (Guatemala); The Rug Code (Armenia); and Sonali Dharmawardena (Sri Lanka). Together, they represent a collective exploration of how digital identity can support and strengthen handmade ecosystems without compromising their integrity.
At XTANT, We Are Legacy will present the intersection of physical objects and digital experience through a curated installation of textiles and objects with their digital ids. visitors are invited to engage directly with each piece through the digital tags, revealing the full journey behind the work, from fiber to final form. The pilot asks a critical question: if we truly knew the stories of makers, would we value these pieces differently? At the same time, it explores the perspective of the maker, questioning the ethics of visibility, ownership, and what it means to be seen within global systems, while also examining the role of technology and how it can act as a force for good. It is an invitation to see craft differently, not only as an object, but as a living system shaped by people, place, and process.”
- From We Are Legacy
