Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych

What Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych does

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych (LIS) is an autonomous budgetary unit of Gdynia City Hall (samodzielna jednostka budżetowa Gminy Miasta Gdyni), established on February 16, 2016 and rooted in a social innovation module created within the Pomorski Park Naukowo-Technologiczny in 2012. The organization functions as a municipal social innovation laboratory operating five core programs: Gdynia OdNowa (urban regeneration across six designated districts — Babie Doły, Oksywie, Witomino-Radiostacja, Meksyk, Pekin, and Zamenhofa-Opata Hackiego), Budżet Obywatelski (participatory budgeting), Wymiennikownia (Youth Centre for Social Innovation and Design, ages 13–35), Przystań Gdynia (a network of four Dom Sąsiedzki neighborhood centers), and UrbanLab Gdynia (now a permanent department for civic dialogue and human-centered innovation). Supporting infrastructure includes the Social Innovation Incubator, the Pracownia social and professional activation system (which served 784 at-risk residents), the Gdyńska Platforma Dialogu (a DECIDIM-based open-source participation platform), and small-scale instruments like the Fundusz Sąsiedzki (neighborhood fund) and Pomysł na Miasto (city ideas program).

The organization's methodology combines participatory urban design, co-creation frameworks (UrbanLab), community development processes, and integration with municipal infrastructure, including the development of barrier-free municipal housing at ul. Dickmana 30 and a second barrier-free building under development. LIS operates with a current team of 54 staff (216 cumulative since founding) drawn from a hybrid segmentation approach targeting citizens generally, vulnerable populations (seniors, persons with disabilities, socially excluded), youth, and residents of regeneration areas.

LIS has no commercial revenue model. All services are provided free of charge to citizens and funded through two streams: Gdynia municipal budget allocations and EU/International grants (Interreg BSR, ERDF, ESF under Fundusze Europejskie dla Pomorza 2021–2027, including InnovateTogether, Liveability, and REACHOUT projects). The go-to-market motion is community-led, delivered through direct municipal service channels, partner institutional networks (NGOs, cultural institutions, municipal entities), and the participatory budgeting process. International recognition includes WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities membership (first Polish city, 2015), UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities membership (first Polish city, 2019), the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (2021), and multiple Innovations in Politics finalist designations (2018–2020).

Name

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych

Legal name

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych

Website

https://lis.gdynia.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych is a municipal budgetary unit of Gdynia City Hall that designs and delivers social innovation programs — including urban regeneration, participatory budgeting, neighborhood centers, youth innovation space, and civic dialogue — to the residents of Gdynia, Poland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Social Innovation Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Other General Government Support (92119), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC), Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

Keywords

• Social innovation programs
• Urban revitalization services
• Participatory budgeting
• Neighborhood community centers
• Youth civic engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Gdynia

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Municipal Budget Funding: LIS is a budgetary unit of the City of Gdynia, funded primarily through the municipal budget. All programs and services are provided free of charge to citizens.
2. EU and International Grant Funding: LIS receives co-financing from European funds (e.g., Interreg BSR, European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund under Fundusze Europejskie dla Pomorza 2021–2027) for specific project implementation. Projects include InnovateTogether (Interreg BSR), Liveability (Baltic Sea region), REACHOUT, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych is an autonomous budgetary unit of Gdynia City Hall that develops and delivers social innovation programs for the city's residents. Its core offerings include urban revitalization across six designated areas (Gdynia OdNowa), participatory budgeting (Budżet Obywatelski), a youth center for social innovation (Wymiennikownia), a network of four neighborhood centers (Przystań), and a civic dialogue forum (UrbanLab). Supporting programs include a Social Innovation Incubator, a professional activation system (Pracownia), and the Gdyńska Platforma Dialogu digital participation platform; all services are delivered free of charge to citizens.

Product overview

Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych operates as a municipal innovation laboratory offering an integrated portfolio of social programs. The core offerings include five major city-wide programs: Gdynia OdNowa (revitalization), Budżet Obywatelski (participatory budgeting), Wymiennikownia (youth innovation center), Przystań Gdynia (neighborhood center network), and UrbanLab Gdynia (urban dialogue forum). Supporting infrastructure includes the Social Innovation Incubator, Pracownia (professional activation system), Gdyńska Platforma Dialogu (DECIDIM-based participation platform), and small-scale initiatives like Fundusz Sąsiedzki (neighbor fund) and Pomysł na Miasto (city ideas program). The organization functions as a municipal budgetary unit rather than a commercial technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gdynia OdNowa: Urban revitalization program for six areas of Gdynia: Babie Doły, Oksywie, Witomino-Radiostacja, Meksyk, Pekin, and Zamenhofa-Opata Hackiego.
• Budżet Obywatelski Gdynia
• Przystań Gdynia
• Wymiennikownia
• UrbanLab Gdynia

Products and services

• Gdynia OdNowa (Urban Revitalization Program) Municipal Revitalization Program coordinating the renewal of six degraded areas in Gdynia through integrated social, cultural, investment, and community projects for the residents of these regeneration districts.
• Budżet Obywatelski Gdynia (Participatory Budget) Participatory budgeting process enabling Gdynia citizens to decide how to allocate a designated portion of the city budget to projects of their choice.
• Wymiennikownia - Młodzieżowe Centrum Innowacji Społecznych i Designu Youth Center for Social Innovation and Design providing a 300-square-meter space created by youth for youth, supporting grassroots initiatives, interest exchanges, and passion projects for people aged 13-35.
• Przystań Gdynia - Sieć centrów sąsiedzkich Network of four neighborhood centers fostering local community bonds, increasing attachment to surroundings, and providing accessible municipal services close to residents.
• UrbanLab Gdynia Open forum for urban dialogue and discussion, providing space for developing solutions that improve quality of life in cities, now institutionalized as a permanent LIS department focusing on human-centered innovation, social inclusion, and urban space development.
• System Aktywizacji Społeczno-Zawodowej Pracownia Social and professional activation system supporting Gdynia residents at risk of professional exclusion and poverty through various support forms including free professional training.
• Inkubator Innowacji Społecznych Social Innovation Incubator testing and implementing social innovations for excluded communities, including programs such as Arbuz Mobilny (Mobile Watermelon) and Caffe Aktywni (Active Café).
• Gdyńska Platforma Dialogu Open-source internet platform built on DECIDIM enabling citizen participation in city decision-making through co-decision-making on city development projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 784 residents at risk of professional exclusion and poverty benefited from the Gdynia Social and Professional Activation System 'Pracownia'
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• InnovateTogether Consortium (Interreg Region Morza Bałtyckiego)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2025LIS participates as a partner in InnovateTogether — a platform project under Interreg BSR 2021–2027 focused on strengthening transnational learning and policy dialogue for social innovation. The project aggregates experiences from 13 social innovation projects across the Baltic Sea region. Gdynia's experiences from Liveability, We Make Transition, and Innowacje na ludzką miarę will be shared. Key outputs include an AI-powered 'Social Innovation Navigator' tool and a Transnational Partnership for Social Innovation Learning.
• Liveability: Designing Public Services for Resilient NeighbourhoodsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIS leads the Gdynia component of the international Liveability project together with partners from the Baltic Sea region. The project develops methods for inclusive urban design and public services. Outputs include the publication 'Różnorodność jako zasób. Poradnik kompetencji międzykulturowych' (Diversity as a Resource: Intercultural Competence Handbook). The project attracted international delegations to Gdynia as a model of participatory urban design.
• REACHOUT — Resilience in Europe Through Activating City HubsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project coordinated by LIS for Gdynia, in partnership with the Sendzimir Foundation. Developed tools for climate adaptation mapping and urban resilience against extreme weather events. Led workshops for municipal officials at UrbanLab Gdynia.
• World Health Organization (WHO) — Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGdynia (coordinated by LIS) joined the WHO Global Network in 2015 as the first municipality in Poland. The network supports cities in preparing for demographic aging and urbanization. Gdynia's application was based on its Senior Policy Program 2015–2020 and the experience of municipal institutions in senior activation and consultative processes.
• UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities and CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGdynia joined as the first Polish city in July 2019. The network supports cities in building formal and non-formal learning environments for all residents. LIS participates in workshops, webinars, and best practice exchanges organized by UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning. Gdynia shared its 'learning city at home' pandemic experience globally.
• Fundacja RCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Pomorskie Forum Animacji Społecznej i Kulturalnej (Pomeranian Forum for Social and Cultural Animation), now in its 6th edition. LIS is a partner in this annual regional event bringing together social animation practitioners from across the Pomeranian region.
• Konsulat Kultury w GdyniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Pomorskie Forum Animacji Społecznej i Kulturalnej (6th edition, September 2026). LIS is a partner in this annual regional event.
• UNICEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIS coordinated the 'Twarze Pomagania' (Faces of Helping) series documenting the humanitarian response to Ukrainian refugees in Gdynia. The project was implemented in cooperation with Gdynia's city government and UNICEF, showcasing individuals and institutions that supported refugees.
• Fundacja ZatokaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Busola Trends and the City of Gdynia in the FURKAN Gdynia project — the first comprehensive diagnosis of the city's food system. FURKAN competed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2026.
• Busola TrendsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Fundacja Zatoka and the City of Gdynia in the FURKAN Gdynia food system diagnosis project, competing for the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2026.
• Fundacja Homo Faber (Baobab, Lublin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIS social animation team visited Baobab — an intercultural local activity center in Lublin — as part of the Liveability project to exchange good practices in community spaces and social animation.
• Fundacja FeminotekaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted StandUP workshops at Wymiennikownia on personal safety and bystander intervention, training youth on preventing harassment in public spaces.
• Gdańska Fundacja Innowacji SpołecznychminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived funding (62,000 PLN in 2023; 88,000 PLN in 2022) through open competition to activate communities for self-management of common spaces at the municipal building at ul. Dickmana 30.
• Fundacja Dom MarzeńminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected as social partner for the 'Gdynia OdNowa – development of social services on Gdynia's regeneration area' project. Dom Marzeń provides services for persons with disabilities, their caregivers, and seniors as part of the regeneration program.
• Fundacja Stocznia — Krajowe Centrum Kompetencji w zakresie Innowacji SpołecznychmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner in the InnovateTogether project. As Poland's national competence center for social innovation, Stocznia provides institutional support for the platform project's goals of capitalizing and disseminating social innovation results across the Baltic Sea region.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fundacja Stocznia: Poland's national competence center for social innovation (Krajowe Centrum Kompetencji w zakresie Innowacji Społecznych). Listed as a partner in LIS's InnovateTogether project. Operates social innovation methodology, training, and incubation at the national level — directly comparable in mission and methodology to LIS, but operating nationally rather than within a single city.
• Impact Hub Warsaw: Warsaw-based social innovation hub and coworking community for impact-driven entrepreneurs and social innovators. Directly comparable to LIS in serving as an infrastructure platform for social innovation, but operating as a private/NGO entity rather than a municipal budgetary unit, and serving a national rather than single-city audience.

Others

• Nesta: UK innovation foundation working on social innovation, civic participation, and public services reform. Comparable in focus area (social innovation methodology, citizen engagement) and recognized as a thought-leader in the same space as LIS. Operates at national/UK level rather than single-municipal level.
• Eurocities: European network of 200+ major European cities working on EU-level urban policy and knowledge exchange. LIS's work on participatory budgeting, urban regeneration, and civic innovation aligns with Eurocities' working groups. Provides network infrastructure enabling LIS's programs to reach other European municipalities.
• Ashoka: Global network supporting leading social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows) and social innovation ecosystems. Comparable in focus on social innovation methodology and changemaker development; operates the Ashoka Poland affiliate. Thematically aligned with LIS's social innovation incubator and youth programs.
• Open Government Partnership: International multi-stakeholder initiative promoting transparent, participatory, accountable governance across 75+ countries. LIS's Budżet Obywatelski, Gdyńska Platforma Dialogu (DECIDIM-based), and UrbanLab all align with OGP principles. Provides enabling frameworks for civic participation that LIS's programs implement at the municipal level.
• Urbact: European Union-funded network supporting sustainable integrated urban development across 500+ European cities. Directly comparable to LIS's UrbanLab mission of cross-city learning on participatory urban design; LIS could potentially participate as a network partner. Provides enabling infrastructure rather than direct competition.
• The Young Foundation: UK-based think tank and social innovation incubator developing practical innovations in public services and community resilience. Comparable in mission (social innovation methodology, public sector innovation) and in operating hybrid research-plus-implementation programs. Operates nationally rather than within a single city.

Broad incumbents

• Bloomberg Philanthropies (Cities Initiative): Global foundation funding city-level innovation through the Mayors Challenge, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, and What Works Cities. Operates at much larger scale than LIS across hundreds of cities globally; LIS's innovations have been recognized through its Innovations in Politics finals. Comparable in mission (city-level innovation capacity building) but vastly larger in scope and resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCl5xVUsR_iqIw3h624H15Wg
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaboratoriumIS
• Instagraminstagram.com/lisgdynia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratorium-innowacji-spo%C5%82ecznych

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Laboratorium Innowacji Społecznych