Staatslabor (State lab)

A non-profit social laboratory provides experts, resources, and a platform to bring innovation and resilience to the public sector.

NON-PROFIT PUBLIC SECTOR LAB

Staatslabor (State Lab) is the first non-profit laboratory for public sector innovation and reform in Switzerland. While the Swiss public sector provides reliable public services, these are not adapting rapidly enough to the changing needs of the population. This is the first organisation in the country to bring together an understanding of leading innovation methodologies with the specificities of government organisations. It encourages the application of innovative methods to develop effective solutions for the societal challenges that the public sector is confronted with.

EQUIPPING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITH RESOURCES

The Lab is devoted to building capacity, as well as fostering a contemporary, resilient, and sustainable public sector. To this end, it provides a platform, resources, experts, and spaces for public administration leaders. The Lab's work has covered the areas of service design and delivery, digital transformation, project management, inclusive and user-centric project design, organisational change, and many more.


THE LAB FOSTERS COOPERATION

Since 2016, Staatslabor has supported dozens of public administration units on all three government levels (federal, regional, and municipal) to innovate, transform, design, and improve their processes and citizens' services. It has partnered with foundations, universities, experts, and public sector institutions to propagate ideas and good practices. Its monthly, free flagship event, the Staatskantine (State Canteen), has become a gathering place and catalyst for change where expertise and experience are shared among an open community of civil servants. Staatslabor champions the role of civil society participation in public service design. In this capacity it was recently mandated to set up and operate a Covid-19 Civil Society Point of Contact as part of the Swiss Federal Government’s central crisis unit during the pandemic. 

What motivates me is the prospect of a public administration that works better for everyone.

Alenka Bonnard - Co-Director
Project owner
Alenka Bonnard
Co-Director
Project owner
Danny Bürkli
Co-Director