FutureEverything’s unique action-research workshops that promote collaboration, exploration, and innovation
How our participatory Labs enable academics to share their knowledge with industry
FutureEverything’s unique action-research workshops that promote collaboration, exploration, and innovation
Innovation Labs are dynamic, action-research workshops designed to spark collaboration, creativity, and knowledge exchange. These sessions bring together participants from across businesses, academia, arts, culture, and heritage and diverse disciplines to co-create responses to current and emerging challenges in specific sectors. Innovation Labs have explored fields such as AI, data ethics, sustainability, healthcare, fintech, placemaking, as well developing large scale funding proposals and action plans for strategy delivery.
Innovation Labs use participatory design methods to define real-world problems, generate ideas rapidly, and identify the most viable collaborative solutions. Challenges are explored through a structured yet open process that supports deep engagement and cross-sector learning. Participants collectively select issues to address and move through creative, iterative stages—from ideation to prototyping—to develop concepts that may evolve into tangible projects or initiatives.
“Innovation Labs enable smart collaborations across sectors and build on the pioneering and progressive approach from FutureEverythingthat has long driven innovation and change.”
At the heart of the Innovation Labs is FutureEverything’s creative facilitation approach, which fosters inclusive, conversational spaces. These environments encourage participants to ask bold questions, share knowledge, and shift perspectives. Labs are tailored to suit specific organisational needs or agendas and can double as team-building activities or away-day experiences, supporting organisational development as well as innovation outcomes.
Innovation Labs are a cornerstone of FutureEverything’s mission to bridge disciplines and drive systemic change through creative collaboration. They offer a flexible, tested model for unlocking new thinking and enabling long-term partnerships that extend beyond the sessions themselves.
If you’re a university or higher education provider and you would like FutureEverything to facilitate an Innovation Lab at your institution, you can find some information below about what is involved. If you would like further information, please contact info@futureeverything.org
Organisation and time frames
To run an Innovation Lab, FutureEverything require at least 6 weeks’ notice.
It is expected the university will take responsibility for:
– Inviting academics and businesses to the workshop
– Communicating with academics and businesses in the run up to the Lab
– Allocating academics and businesses to teams, based on their areas of interest
– Booking the event space and ordering any required catering
FutureEverything take responsibility for:
– Session planning the Lab activities
– Providing all workshop materials
– Leading and facilitating the Lab
“FutureEverything was brilliant at getting people working together fast and facilitated the discussions brilliantly… the Lab was a practical and inspirational meeting to link up academics and industrial partners to collaborate in a result-orientated process… they were clear, engaging and thought-provoking… Amazing!”
