YLabs

Name

YLabs

Legal name

YLabs

Website

https://ylabsglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Health and Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Partnerships (HLAJAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL)

Keywords

• Youth-driven design
• Adolescent health programs
• Human-centered design
• Digital health platforms
• Global development research

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: YLabs operates primarily as a grant-funded organization, receiving funding from institutional donors including USAID, foundations (Mastercard Foundation, Packard Foundation, Organon, CIFF-Africa, Case for Her), and government agencies to design and implement youth-focused health and economic programs.
2. Project Implementation Contracts: YLabs receives contracts to implement specific projects for governments and NGOs, such as the CyberRwanda implementation with Rwanda's Ministry of Health, Society for Family Health, and Rwanda Biomedical Centre.
3. Research Partnerships: Collaborative research arrangements with academic institutions like UC Berkeley for rigorous program evaluation and assessment.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

YLabs is a non-profit design and research organization that co-creates youth-driven digital health, climate, and economic opportunity solutions. Its offerings include direct-to-consumer digital platforms (e.g., CyberRwanda), an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot (AskDoki), financial-incentive adherence programs (YBank), SRH programs (Sarari, La Ventana, Girl Bozz, Safire), climate-health initiatives (Cityzens for Clean Air, Climate SRH Framework), and economic inclusion programs (Boomerang, Kijana Nahodha). All programs are designed and implemented with youth participation using a proprietary human-centered co-design methodology.

Product overview

YLabs is a global design and research organization offering youth-driven digital health products and programs. Their portfolio includes direct-to-consumer digital platforms (CyberRwanda, Tegura Ejo Heza), AI-powered chatbots (AskDoki), financial incentive programs (YBank), and economic inclusion initiatives (Boomerang, Kijana Nahodha). They also deliver SRH programs (Sarari, La Ventana, Girl Bozz, Safire), climate-health initiatives (Cityzens for Clean Air, Climate SRH Framework), and healthcare training programs (Beyond Bias, Warrior Health). All offerings follow youth-driven human-centered design methodology and focus on health, economic opportunity, and climate resilience for young people globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CyberRwanda Direct-to-consumer digital platform using gamified choose-your-own-adventure storytelling, an FAQ library, online ordering, and a clinic locator to deliver integrated age-appropriate adolescent health information, employment skills, and linkage to youth-friendly health services in Rwanda.
• AskDoki Chatbot AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot providing sexual and reproductive health education to Kenyan youth, developed in partnership with AMREF. Enables accessible, shame-free conversations about contraception and related health topics.
• YBank HIV treatment adherence program combining financial incentives and peer support with banking access and financial literacy training for adolescents living with HIV in Rwanda.
• Tegura Ejo Heza Digital self-care platform supporting mental health literacy and job readiness for youth in Rwanda.
• Boomerang Economic inclusion program connecting young entrepreneurs in Kigali, Rwanda through peer-to-peer mentorship and monthly Story Nights events, funded by Mastercard Foundation.
• Sarari Family planning program in Niger combining religious leader engagement, community seminars, and financial planning tools to increase community support for birth spacing.
• La Ventana Pleasure-based comprehensive sex education program in El Salvador, working with young people and communities to develop evidence for alternative approaches to sexuality education.
• Beyond Bias Multi-country program reducing healthcare provider bias hindering contraceptive information and services to adolescents in Pakistan, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania.
• Kijana Nahodha USAID-funded social impact accelerator increasing empowerment, productivity, and community engagement of youth in Tanzania, including sub-grants of $20,000 USD per partner organization.
• Asking for a Friend Digital innovations transforming self-care reproductive health options for US teens.
• Cityzens for Clean Air Clean air and physical activity campaign advocating for healthy, climate-resilient public spaces in South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana.
• Children, Cities, & Climate Action Lab Initiative accelerating healthy decarbonization in Global South cities with young people, anchored by a commitment announced through the Clinton Global Initiative.
• Warrior Health Program encouraging uptake of HIV self-testing among never-and infrequent-testers through social support and spoken word artists.
• Safire Program reducing unsafe abortion among adolescent girls aged 10–19 in Nigeria and Kenya.
• Girl Bozz Program in Ghana reducing unsafe abortion among adolescent girls through youth peer groups for reproductive health.
• Cocoon Service design program creating safe spaces and services for menstrual health management among displaced populations in Uganda's Bidi Bidi refugee settlement.
• Men Stand Up Program understanding young men's needs, experiences, and vulnerabilities to inform sexual and reproductive health programming in India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mali.
• Splash Menstrual Health Program fostering enabling social environment for menstrual practices for girls by engaging boys, parents, and older peers in Ethiopia and India.
• Future Sex Ed Global initiative creating youth-led evidence and innovation for pleasure-based sex education supporting healthy, safe, and fulfilling relationships across USA, El Salvador, Nigeria, and India.
• PrEP Mexico Social behavior change campaign around HIV prevention in Mexico.
• Taageero Cash Program tackling barriers to cash and voucher assistance programs for unaccompanied adolescents in Ethiopia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 1,110,219 youth globally through 40 projects across 18 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OrganoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2023Organon, a global healthcare company, partnered with YLabs to create a strategic framework bringing a climate lens to sexual and reproductive health investments in low- and middle-income countries. The framework helps funders assess, anticipate, and respond to gendered impacts of climate change on SRH programs.
• UC Berkeley School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for rigorous evaluation of CyberRwanda digital platform. UC Berkeley researchers conduct 18-month assessment measuring impact on contraceptive use, HIV testing, and teenage pregnancy rates.
• Society for Family Health RwandacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementation partner for CyberRwanda in Rwanda, providing youth-friendly pharmacy network and supporting platform rollout through Rwanda's Ministry of Health.
• AMREF (African Population and Health Research Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create AskDoki WhatsApp chatbot providing digital health education content to Kenyan youth on contraception. Pilots conducted in Mombasa and Homa Bay.
• PSI NigercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal implementation partner for Sarari project in Niger, using human-centered design to increase community support for family planning through religious leaders and youth engagement.
• Clinton Global InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Children, Cities, & Climate Action Lab commitment announced at Clinton Global Initiative for accelerating healthy decarbonization in Global South cities.
• HCD ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYLabs chairs the HCDExchange Quality and Standards for HCD and ASRH Working Group, contributing to principles and tips for effective HCD application in adolescent sexual and reproductive health programming.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IDEO.org: Non-profit design firm applying human-centered design to social challenges including health, economic opportunity, and gender. Most direct methodological peer to YLabs given shared HCD-for-impact DNA and global footprint.
• Girl Effect: Builds youth-focused brands, digital platforms, and media (e.g., Ni Nyampinga in Rwanda, where YLabs also operates) to shift adolescent health and empowerment outcomes. Closest direct peer on youth digital engagement and SRH-adjacent content.
• HCDExchange: Community of practice advancing human-centered design in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. YLabs chairs its Quality & Standards Working Group, making it the closest thought-leadership peer in YLabs' core ASRH+HCD niche.
• Population Services International (PSI): Global health organization operating social franchise networks, telehealth, and SRH programs across 40+ countries. PSI is a direct implementation peer, including via partners like Society for Family Health that YLabs works with on CyberRwanda and Sarari.
• Population Council: International research organization producing rigorous evidence on adolescent SRH, HIV, and gender. Comparable to YLabs on the research/evaluation rigor dimension and overlapping on contraceptive access and ASRH evidence generation.
• Dimagi: Builds digital health platforms (CommCare) used by NGOs and governments across LMICs for community health, SRH, and adolescent programs. Closest tech-stack peer — both design and operate digital tools that integrate with ministry-of-health workflows in low-resource settings.

Broad incumbents

• FHI 360: Large international development organization with broad global health, education, and youth portfolios (including ASRH programs). Overlaps with YLabs on USAID-funded youth programs but operates at materially greater scale and breadth.
• Save the Children: Large global NGO with adolescent health, education, and economic opportunity programs across YLabs' geographies. Broad incumbent with overlapping funder base (USAID, foundations) but not specialized in youth-driven HCD.
• UNICEF: UN agency with global adolescent health, education, and digital inclusion programs including U-Report. Largest possible incumbent in YLabs' space — sets standards and absorbs much of the donor funding that flows to adolescent-focused programs.

Regional players

• Jacaranda Health: East Africa-based digital health organization improving maternal and newborn outcomes via SMS, AI, and provider tools. Comparable on regional footprint (Kenya) and digital health delivery model for underserved populations, though focused on MNCH rather than adolescents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ylabsglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/YLabsGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ylabsglobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/ylabsglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YLabs