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Overview
Connecting international researchers + designers with partner initiatives for action and impact
Across the world, emerging researchers, designers, and practitioners are seeking ways to engage with social, environmental, and infrastructure challenges. Yet, opportunities to gain structured, field-based experience, mentorship, and institutional affiliation remain limited, particularly in contexts outside their home countries.
At the same time, many emerging initiatives doing critical work to address social, environmental, and infrastructure challenges are often constrained with: limited budget, even worse with shrinking downer funding, overstretched staffing, leaving little room for reflection, lack access of technical experts who could help refine programs and strategies; and without targeted support, it can be difficult to amplify impact or translate promising practices into scalable solutions.
In response, the Research + Design Residency (R+D Residency) is a curated program for graduate students, practitioners, and faculty exploring social enterprise pathways to address pressing challenges in under-served communities and research sites across Kenya.
The residency is part of the Fellowships & Mentorship service area at KUNGU LABS, where we reinvest resources to cultivate communities of practice and create opportunities for emerging researchers and designers to learn, connect, and contribute toward addressing real-world social and environmental challenges.
The residency has two goals:
Goal 1: Residents: to provide space and a clearer pathway for institutional affiliation, field access, and collaboration for visiting students, academics, and practitioners interested in social innovation and social enterprise.
Goal 2: Partner Initiatives: to support initiatives solve their core challenges while giving graduate students, practitioners, and faculty exploring social enterprise pathways an opportunity to contribute their skills and ideas to real-world projects in Kenya.
How it Works
Each residency cycle runs for four months and hosts up to four participants. Residents may pursue independent projects aligned with one of our six thematic areas or contribute to ongoing local initiatives led by partners.
The Residency offers two participation pathways in choosing their projects:
Independent Track – Residents explore an emerging idea, conduct action research, and co-design around their own idea aligned with the six thematic areas
Integration Track – Residents contribute to selected partner initiatives (from a call for partner initiatives), bringing their expertise into ongoing research, field activities, or co-design processes. A portfolio with initiative profiles is shared upon expression of interest by residents
Benefits for Partner Initiatives
Each year, up to 4 initiatives will be selected. Partner organizations will receive:
Professional Expertise – Support from university professors, international practitioners, emerging international researchers and designers at the Master’s and PhD level, bringing professional research and design skills at no cost.
Research Support – Help with data collection, analysis, and actionable recommendations tailored to your initiative.
Design Support – Assistance in developing solutions, prototypes, or improving processes together with your team.
Capacity Strengthening – Access to new ideas, approaches, and skills from researchers and designers.
Knowledge & Networks – Connection to a network of practitioners, researchers, and other initiatives.
Benefits for Residents
Each year, up to 4 residents will be selected. Residents will receive:
Mentorship & Advisory: Weekly guidance from local advisors and guest experts in research, social innovation, and design.
Field & Community Engagement: Immersive research and co-design opportunities with partner initiatives, supported by a local research assistant and field liaison.
Lab & Event Support: Dedicated workspace, administrative support, and platform to present findings through public events.
Professional Development & Networking: Exposure to applied research, social innovation practices, and connection to a global network of practitioners and researchers.
Structured Residency Pathways: Choice of Independent Track (your own project) or Integration Track (work with partner initiatives).
Access to Resources & Knowledge: Engagement with six thematic areas and opportunities to co-design, pilot, and scale interventions.
Financial Support Structure: Cost-sharing model for students (~60% resident-funded, ~40% KUNGU LABS support).
Apply to participate as a resident or partner initiative!
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Call for 2026 Residents
The 2026 R+D Residency is seeking four graduate students, early-career practitioners, and faculty interested in action research, co-design, and the piloting and scaling of social enterprise models for development.
Call for 2026 Partner Initiatives
The 2026 R+D Residency is seeking four for partner with initiatives that are tackling pressing social, environmental, or infrastructure challenges in Kenya.
Questions? Reach out:
residency@kungulabs.com
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