We just added a new addition to our Open Resources hub: MatchMaker Solutions Packs! Free to access for all, the guidebook helping organisations and networks moving from “we have a challenge” to “here’s what we can test and try”.

On Tuesday, 5 May 2026, the Response Innovation Lab (RIL) hosted a special edition of its Thoughtcast series in Amman, focusing on analysing challenges within the agricultural sector as an entry point for developing practical, context-driven solutions. The session brought together stakeholders from across the agricultural ecosystem for a more targeted and focused discussion.

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Our annual review for 2025 is finally here. The year witnessed significant disruptions across the humanitarian sector, yet our global network continued to explore—through relentless effort and commitment—how to do more with less.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the Response Innovation Lab (RIL) hosted a Thoughtcast session in Amman, Jordan, bringing together Lazord Fellows for a reflective discussion on how innovation is understood and practiced in crisis contexts through youth perspectives. The session created a space for young professionals working across humanitarian response, refugee support, youth empowerment, healthcare, and education to exchange insights drawn from their professional experiences and engagement with crisis-affected communities.

Jordan’s humanitarian landscape is under growing pressure, with rising needs, shrinking funding, and a continued reliance on short-term interventions. In this context, finding ways to deliver impact more efficiently, locally, and sustainably has become increasingly urgent.

RILx25 brought together 130 participants from 35 countries across various sectors and geographies. The event was organised in collaboration with Superpool and IFDO, with the generous support of Danish Refugee Council, Elrha, Grand Challenges Canada, the Oxfam Novib HST-LHL programme, and Save the Children International. Check out the takeaways from RILx25 and get inspired on how to prepare for the next “crossroads”.

Bilow Capital is an innovation project supported by the Somali Response Innovation Lab through the FIRM Challenge 2024. In this piece, Co-founder and General Partner Hana Kaise Abdi—also a speaker at RILx25 on the “Local Innovation Ecosystems” panel—shares her insights on what it takes for a local innovation ecosystem to truly thrive.

A small milestone and recognition we achieved in Jordan!

Climate-smart agriculture isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a lifeline for farmers on the frontlines of climate change. In this piece from a South Sudan perspective, we explore what truly makes a solution “climate-smart,” from boosting productivity and resilience to cutting emissions and protecting natural resources. We look at which food-system actors can drive this shift, what farmers in resource-poor, climate-affected areas are actually asking for, and whether current innovations match their needs.

Response Innovation Lab will partner with the International Forum for Development Organizations for their event “Development Partners… Winning Partners” in Beirut this year, taking place from December 11 to 13.  

We kicked off the first national dialogue session on the future of research and innovation in humanitarian action in Al-Azraq. The session was organized by the Response Innovation Lab in partnership with Al-Azraq Alive, and we were honored to have the Mayor of Al-Azraq join us, this gathering came as part of the Jordan Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) activities.

We hosted the 2025 edition of our annual event RILx in Istanbul from October 15-17, this year under the theme “Humanitarian Innovation at the Crossroads: New Solutions for Ecosystems in Crisis,” with a dual focus on localization and climate adaptation. Three days of open conversations, cross-sector learning, and genuine connections in Istanbul brought together over 130 participants from around the world, spanning international and local NGOs, social enterprises, institutional donors, foundations, academia, entrepreneurship support organisations, public institutes, and impact networks. Check out the snapshots from RILx25!

Great news from Khalid Hashi, an innovator we’ve been proud to support over the years!
The Obama Foundation has just announced that Khalid will join its eighth cohort of Obama Scholars — a group of 11 emerging leaders from around the world who will participate in the program at Columbia University in New York City.

We have successfully delivered the first round of the training series under the Oxfam Novib program “Humanitarian System Transformation through Local Humanitarian Leadership”! Together, we unpacked the structural challenges around capacity and risk sharing, and explored how innovation can be a practical tool to rethink the way we work — from the ground up.

What can you learn? A breakdown of ecosystem components and their relevance to innovation in humanitarian settings; Case studies from Syria and Uganda offering real-world examples of ecosystem mapping and engagement; Tools and frameworks from the RIL to help practitioners identify and strengthen key relationships, flows, and enabling conditions in their contexts….and more!

We will see you in Istanbul from October 15 to 17! This year, we will explore together “Humanitarian Systems Transformation” and “Climate Adaptation in Fragile Settings”.

As StartupBlink’s Ecosystem Partner, Somali Response Innovation Lab is happy to share that Somalia reclaims its spot in the Global Top 100 Startup Ecosystem, ranked by StartupBlink in 2025. Somalia now ranks 13th place in Africa and 4th in Eastern Africa!

Response Innovation Lab hosted a session on “The Missing Link: Connecting Community-Led Innovation Initiatives with National and Global Social Innovation Ecosystems in Humanitarian Settings“ in Geneva, on March 26.

The highlights of Response Innovation Lab’s 2024, across the globe.

Join us online or in person for a 90-minute session to explore the current social innovation ecosystem and pathways between local communities in areas affected by crisis and the national humanitarian and innovation hubs.

As a partnership with Elrha and with the support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Humanitarian Innovation Forum brought together a diverse group of actors to discuss the challenges facing humanitarian innovations and and to envision how the ecosystem could better support the communities.

RIL, in partnership with Gray Dot Catalyst, planned and facilitated the “Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge Innovation Basecamp” in Nairobi, Kenya together with 40+ innovators.

Insights from our MENA Manager, Ruba Hijazi, on Social Entrepreneurship and the collaborations between NGOs and social enterprises.

The second event of our Thoughtcast series took place on October 27 in Jordan! During the gathering, the participants discussed the duplication of efforts and explored the challenges within the impact ecosystem.

How do we generate and share evidence? Everything explained in one video!

RILx24 has successfully concluded! Hosted by World Vision Nepal and Nepal Innovation Lab, we organized the 2024 edition of the annual RILx event. This year, we gathered in Kathmandu, Nepal from September 17-19, and welcomed over 200 guests from 60 agencies coming from 25 different countries!

Together with Majlisna - Civic Jordan, we successfully hosted our first Thoughtcast session in Jordan to discuss what NGOs need from entrepreneurs and what entrepreneurs can offer. We welcomed participants from international and local NGOs, social business, academia, and tech and innovation sectors for fruitful exchanges!

Together with Majlisna - Civic Jordan, our first Thoughtcast session, "Bridging the Gap: What NGOs Need from Entrepreneurs and What Entrepreneurs Can Offer”, is happening this Saturday the 31st of August!