On this platform, you can discover what sustainable development challenges the Accelerator Labs have been working on, which partners got involved and what insights emerged from their on-the-ground experiments. Through these plans, the Labs can identify the way forward by seeing thematic patterns and can foster cross-Lab collaboration.
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Unlocking Informal Economies in Crisis
In crisis-affected contexts, where formal economic systems are often weakened or disrupted, the Accelerator Labs have focused R&D efforts on strengthening resilient livelihoods through entrepreneurship, informal economies, and adaptive tourism. These sectors provide critical income opportunities, especially for marginalized and displaced populations. R&D activities in these areas have explored grassroots innovation, microenterprise support, and locally driven tourism models that preserve cultural identity while generating economic value. Labs have prototyped low-cost business models, tested digital marketplaces for informal traders, and supported youth-led initiatives in regions with tourism potential despite instability—demonstrating how livelihood innovation can serve both recovery and long-term resilience.