Columbia Lab

Under the direction of Columbia University Professor Sheila Foster, LabGovUS is applying the Co-City approach and protocol in U.S. cities and in particular in vulnerable and marginalized communities.

LabGovUS is a living, experimental laboratory that brings together the five actors of the “quintuple helix” necessary to foster innovation in shared resource governance and the development of institutionalized processes that create positive and sustainable economic, social, environmental, and climate impact.

The interdisciplinary and internationally-focused laboratory brings together university researchers, social innovators civil society organizations, public authorities, and private enterprises and investors to co-design and apply cutting-edge place-based projects and policies in different U.S. communities. This often involves piloting projects that test new ways of collaborative governance and community engagement and that create environments that are ecologically sustainable, economically viable, and socially inclusive.

LabGovUS applied projects are described on the LabGovUS website.