Starting Point
Many cities face the challenge of making digital transformation more citizen-oriented, efficient, and sustainable. Often, digital solutions are developed in isolation – without other municipalities benefiting from the results. This leads to duplication, long development times, and low user acceptance.
Stadtlabor2Go addresses exactly this: Through inter-municipal collaboration, knowledge can be shared, synergies unlocked, and participation strengthened. Initiatives like CityLAB Berlin’s Kiezlabor – with over 100 accessible public events per year – show how low-threshold participation can become a reality in everyday urban life.
Project Goal
Stadtlabor2Go aims to create accessible innovation spaces in Mönchengladbach and Wiesbaden that actively involve citizens in digital urban development. Together, new methods, formats, and structures are developed to make user-centered public services a practical standard in administration.
Target Group
The project addresses citizens, public sector employees, and stakeholders from academia, civil society, and business. In Wiesbaden, this is realized through the new Zukunftswerk at Luisenforum; in Mönchengladbach, through the CitizenLab at the central library – both combining physical and digital formats for participation and exchange.
Approach
Stadtlabor2Go builds on the successful CityLAB Berlin model – featuring a workshop-like character, low-barrier access, and a strong user focus. Mönchengladbach and Wiesbaden jointly develop formats, processes, and tools to bring innovation faster and more effectively into public administration. Knowledge exchange through the innovation lab network, LabCamps, and best practices – such as urban space prototyping and service design for administration – are directly integrated into the project. Scientific partners like TH Köln provide additional support, especially to ensure the needs of vulnerable groups are considered in the design process.
Project Timeline
→ 2024: Exchange formats and needs assessment
→ Early 2025: Opening of Zukunftswerk Wiesbaden, including citizen science activities and an AI-based chatbot
→ Mid-2025: Opening of CitizenLab Mönchengladbach in the central library
→ Ongoing: Evaluations, participation offers, and user testing
Whats next?
Stadtlabor2Go aims to become a transferable model for public-good-oriented digitalization. By connecting with strategic initiatives like Gemeinsam Digital: Berlin – for example, at the Smart City Regional Conference in Mönchengladbach or the CityLAB Summer Conference – and projects promoting digital sovereignty such as openDesk testing, Stadtlabor2Go shows how local innovation can contribute to regional and national strategies. In the long term, the goal is to build a growing network of municipal innovation labs that learn from each other and develop shared standards for citizen-centered digital transformation.
How to get involved
Stadtlabor2Go thrives on participation! Whether you’re a citizen with ideas, a public administration team interested in collaboration, or an organization seeking partnerships – everyone is welcome. Events and participation formats are regularly announced.
Team
Technologiestiftung Berlin (CityLAB), City of Mönchengladbach (Smart City Team), City of Wiesbaden (Digital Urban Development), Hochschule Fresenius, TH Köln (scientific support)
Contact
Yannick Müller, Strategic Partnerships, Technologiestiftung Berlin
Additional Channels
→ Info on Zukunftswerk (German)
→ Info on CitizenLab
→ Article in eGovernment (German)
→ Project updates via our CityLAB newsletter
