We are accelerating innovation in social impact.

CIV:LAB is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working in New York, Detroit and London on urban innovation and economic development.

Our Origins

Est. 2019 in New York City

Our first program launched in 2019 in partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is called the Grid

The Grid harmonizes the urban innovation ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs, city departments, academia, business, and community leaders within cities and around the world to identify urban problems, solve them, and scale those solutions

The Grid's membership has more than doubled in size since it launched from 70 founding members to more than 130 members and a 16-member Steering Committee

CIV:LAB’s Theory of Change

Cities are the locus of humanity’s challenges and, by extension, the laboratory for their solutions

Greater collaboration between city actors leads to greater positive impact in tackling urban problems

Through collaboration of city actors and utilization of their knowledge and resources, prioritization can be placed on the real, city-specific issues facing each city, not just urban challenges generally