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Strengthening social impact through research, design, co-creation, and evidence-informed solutions.
At CoLab, we bring diverse people together to co-create sustainable solutions. Through holistic collaboration and systemic innovation, we empower communities to become resilient, thrive strongly for a happier future.
Who we are
Shaping Sustainable Futures Together
Colab is a research and design lab working at the intersection of innovation, evidence, and systems thinking. We partner with development practitioners and organizations to create scalable, context-driven solutions that truly make a difference. From open-source digital public goods to participatory design interventions, we focus on building practical, high-impact approaches that shape a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Challenges
Why This Work Matters
Development practitioners today face complex challenges that limit their ability to create meaningful impact
Limited Access to Local Evidence
Research is often unavailable or inaccessible, leaving practitioners without the contextual insights they need.
Disconnected Ecosystems
Knowledge remains fragmented, and connecting with the right experts or solutions is difficult.
Lack of Future-Ready Solutions
Innovation and foresight in program design are often missing,
limiting long-term success.
Barriers to Scaling
Promising interventions struggle to expand across diverse contexts and communities.
Limited Access to Local Evidence
Research is often unavailable or inaccessible, leaving practitioners without the contextual insights they need.
Disconnected Ecosystems
Knowledge remains fragmented, and connecting with the right experts or solutions is difficult.
Lack of Future-Ready Solutions
Innovation and foresight in program design are often missing,
limiting long-term success.
Barriers to Scaling
Promising interventions struggle to expand across diverse contexts and communities.
Why Choose Us
Building Trust Through Innovation, Evidence, and Deep Ecosystem Engagement.
At CoLab, we build trust through innovation and evidence-based solutions. By engaging deeply with local ecosystems, we create sustainable, impactful initiatives. Our open-source, digital public goods foster transparency and shared ownership, earning us the trust of mission-driven partners worldwide.
What We Do
A Comprehensive Framework for Program Development and Scaling
Understanding context
What you need to answer
- What is happening in our context, that matters to us?
- What is happening around the world, that we can learn from?
How we help you answer
- Research studies
- Landscaping or diagnostic studies
Piloting & Testing Ideas
What you need to answer
- What are specific needs of people we work with and for?
- What ideas are relevant and doable?
How we help you answer
- Co-implement pilot studies
- Needs Assessments
Designing Strong Programs
What you need to answer
- How might we design programs that enable sustainable change at scale?
-
How might we continuously track effective program implementation
and achievement of impact?
How we help you answer
- Co-create theory of change
- Co-create key program strategies (or theory of action)
-
Co-create monitoring & evaluation frameworks
and tools -
Conduct third party assessments
or evaluations
Scaling & Ecosystem Engagement
What you need to answer
-
How might we develop reusable assets like toolkits and process
guidelines that help both internal teams, and external partners? - How might we reimagine our programs for scale?
How we help you answer
- Implement Design for Scale journey
- Access our Digital Public Goods platform
-
Co-create reusable assets
(toolkits, guidelines, modules)
Develop thought-leadership
What you need to answer
- How might we bring more public and policy focus on certain areas?
How we help you answer
- Research studies
counter
Testimonials
Shared Stories of Success and Change
Resources & Insights
Stay Informed: Upcoming Events and Initiatives
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Whether you’re a changemaker, researcher, funder, or ecosystem builder — let’s shape the future together.
