With the launch of iLab Latin America in Buenos Aires this week, InSTEDD is taking a major step in expanding an approach to sustainable local capacity building, which has been evolving over the last four years. InSTEDD’s Innovation Laboratories or iLabs are focused on implementing models for sustainable development of local capacity and innovation in the design and development of technology tools to enhance collaboration and solve health, safety and development problems affecting the community.

Since the founding of iLab Southeast Asia in Cambodia in 2007, the local staff has grown and developed impressive expertise. With the guidance and mentorship of our international team of software engineers and public health professionals, the local iLab staff in Southeast Asia has learned and practiced the advanced skills needed to serve as a center for social entrepreneurship both nationally and regionally.  

In Latin America we expect to hit the ground running in partnership with a group of local software engineers at Manas who have already been working with InSTEDD on projects all around the world. Every region has different needs and our goal in Latin America is to create a center of learning and technological innovation that is tailored to the unique needs of the region.

iLab Latin America will help partners solve problems in health, safety and sustainable development based on an understanding of local priorities and requirements that is developed through active collaboration between software developers, domain experts and key stakeholder groups.

It’s an exciting time for all of us at InSTEDD as we expand and test our model for capacity building in Latin America. We look forward to sharing the lessons and achievements of iLab Latin America in the months to come.

To learn more about the iLab Latin America, please click here to go to the Spanish language website.