RLabs Innovation Lab

In 2008 RLabs was birthed in a marginalised community known as Bridgetown, Cape Town. Our passion is solely to create systems and environments where the lives of many can be impacted, where individuals may find empowerment and transformation can occur through hope, technology, innovation, training and economic opportunities.

In Cape Town specifically where RLabs began, our work has impacted the lives of more than 100,000 community members who have directly accessed RLabs skills training and economic empowerment opportunities.

Since inception, RLabs has expanded to 23 other countries all across the world. Our work has specifically had an impact in African based countries making use of innovation and economic spaces and has made an impact on 9.2 Million individuals globally.  RLabs has won plenty awards and acknowledgements for the work that we have done. Some of the awards include: Ashoka Fellowship, Dangote Fellowship, LEAD SA Hero National winner of 2015, Quartz African Innovator 2017, United Nations, World Economic Forum and the World Bank.

Our Mission: Reconstruct communities through innovation, technology and education.

Training & Development

The Training and Development Sector of RLabs is where the heart and passion of most staff reside. Specialised training programs are made available at RLabs for community members at no cost. RLabs is an organisation that believes in others and their passions and through this passion has created specific courses for members of the public who have a special interest in starting up their own business or improve on skill that come along with running a business.

Incubator & Accelerator

RLabs through its incubation programme have supported more than 1,500 SMEs and entrepreneurs with mentorship, support and training programmes. RLabs and its partners have provided support services, technology capacity, capital and mentorship to the value of over $2Million. 

The RLabs Accelerator (InnovIA) offers a 12 week decentralized programme where the focus is to develop and accelerate innovative startups and businesses. Since inception of the programme 87 ventures were supported, over 1,000 direct jobs were created with a combined revenue and funds raised of more than $6.5Million.

Validation & Living Lab

In Validator we offer an incubation and support programme for new products or services leveraging the RLabs networks, market access and resources. This is also offered as a paid-for service to external clients. In Living Lab we offer learning journeys, knowledge exchanges and special events (hackathons, design & developer studios) that are either community-led or commissioned by a client