Welcome to Citra Lab.
Sri Lanka’s first Social Innovation Lab.
What is Citra Lab
Citra is Sri Lanka’s first Social Innovation Lab established as a joint project between the Ministry of Science, Technology & Research, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Sri Lanka. We are a rapid prototyping facility which will use foresight and innovation tools to consider multiple alternative future scenarios to make the idea or solution we are working on agile and future-proof. Furthermore, we will facilitate prototyping cycles of proposed 28-days, allowing for flexibility, but not exceeding 45 days per cycle.
Horizon scanning
Citizen Engagement
Prototype Development
Testing and Re-testing
Incorporating feedback
Handover
More about what we do
The Citra Social Innovation Lab is an initiative that came out of Sri Lanka’s first National Summit on Foresight and Innovation hosted by UNDP in 2016. Using foresight and innovation tools, this Lab will assess and prototype development policies of the country through citizen centric engagements, before national implementation.
The word ‘Citra’ is derived from ancient Sanskrit, meaning ‘Strange. Wonderful. Curious’ which is reflective of the nature of the work which this Lab will soon do.
Strange as it may be to some, the work undertaken by the Lab will result in wonderful new strides for Sri Lanka from a policy making standpoint.
Fast Facts
Fast Facts
What
Rapid prototyping facility which will create agile and holistic solutions through a citizen-centered approach to Sri Lanka’s development challenges
Why
Similar to many countries in the region, policies in Sri Lanka are not usually developed through a structured process, and are seldom tested prior to nation-wide implementation
Who
Citra is a team made up of 7 ‘innovestors’ from various backgrounds, including Sociology, Data Science, Behavioural Psychology, and others
Where
We’re located at the heart of Colombo in Sri Lanka
How is it run
The Lab will use foresight and innovation tools to consider multiple alternative futures to make holistic solutions by testing prototypes we develop
Operational modality
Citra is a joint initiative co-developed and co-funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology & Research, and UNDP
Scope
The Citra Social Innovation Lab will take on issues which will have a positive impact on the society we work in
Partnerships
We work with multisectoral partners across numerous Ministries, private sector platforms, civil society organizations and more
Our partners
