CitizenLab

CitizenLab is a Brussels-based civic tech company that works with 100+ local governments across nine countries around the world that aims to digitalize governance and make decision-making more effective, transparent, collaborative, and data-driven.[1]

For other uses, see Citizen Lab.
CitizenLab
Civic Technology Companies
FoundedSeptember, 2015
FounderWietse Van Ransbeek, Aline Muylaert, Koen Gremmelprez
Headquarters
Brussels
,
Belgium
ProductsCivic engagement platform
Number of employees
11-50
Websitehttps://www.citizenlab.co/

History

CitizenLab was founded in September of 2015 by three young entrepreneurs, Wietse Van Ransbeeck (25), Aline Muylaert (25), and Koen Gremmelprez (31).

Over its four years of existence, CitizenLab has provided platforms in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, Canada and Chile. The company is currently looking to internationalize and expand further into the United Kingdom market and, eventually, the United States market.[1]

Platform

The goal of the CitizenLab platform is to facilitate civic engagement through a two-way, digital platform. The platform is a cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) that empowers citizens to take part in the decision-making process along with allowing governments to collect data and opinions in an easier and more organized manner.

The front end of the CitizenLab platform has participation features such as participatory budgeting, survey and polling, idea collection and voting, and citizen initiatives. The back end of the platform allows local governments to gather and manage citizen data efficiently, facilitating educated decision-making based on the wants and needs of the citizens.

In the spring of 2019, CitizenLab raised 2 million euros in order to aid the company's expansion into international markets along with broadening their impact.[2] Investors include: Inventures and finance.brussels funds, the ING bank and the IT group Cipal-Schaubroeck.[3] In May 2019, CitizenLab took part in a Nesta experiment where six cities were sponsored to use the CitizenLab platform in order to explore the if technology can, indeed, increase government efficiency and transparency.[4]

Awards
  • VivaTech Paris, "Digital Inclusion" (2019)[5]
  • Wietse Van Ransbeeck & Aline Muylaert, listed as ‘50 Flemings of the Future' (2018)[6]
  • Aline Muylaert and Wietse Van Ransbeeck placed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law and Policy (2018)[7]
  • Young Belgian Startup of the Year (2017)[8]
  • One of the 10 Radical Changemakers, Radio 1, De Standaard and De Sociale Innovatiefabriek (2017)[9]
  • One of the 5 Smart City Applications, Gartner (2017)[10]
  • Aline Muylaert (Head of Sales), One of the 10 final nominees for the StartHer Award (2018)[11]
  • Selected as one of the 5 Best Smart City startups worldwide, 4YFN at the Smart City Expo World Congress, Barcelona (2016)[12]
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References
  1. "This Belgian startup brings civic engagement into the digital age: 4 things you need to know". May 20, 2019.
  2. "Brussels startup CitizenLab raises 2 million euros to scale its e-democracy platform across Europe". www.agoria.be. May 16, 2019.
  3. "Digitaal burgerplatform CitizenLab tankt vers kapitaal". De Tijd. May 16, 2019.
  4. "New grants to improve AI use in cities". Cities Today - Connecting the world's urban leaders. May 10, 2019.
  5. "La Métropole du Grand Paris à Vivatech". Affiches Parisiennes.
  6. "50 Vlamingen voor de toekomst". De Tijd. September 10, 2018.
  7. "CitizenLab". Forbes.
  8. Tibau, Frederik. "Small Teaser and UniFly are startup and scale-up of the year!". startups.be.
  9. Renson, Ine. "STEM! Wie is volgens u de Radicale Vernieuwer van 2017?". De Standaard.
  10. "Cool Vendors in Smart City Applications and Solutions, 2017". Gartner.
  11. "Apply now to the StartHer Awards!".
  12. "Brussels ondernemersduo van CitizenLab prijkt op Forbes' lijst van jonge beloftevolle vernieuwers". Site-Trends-NL. January 23, 2018.
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