Digidem Lab

Digidem Lab is an independent democracy lab based in Sweden. It describes itself as supporting districts, municipalities and public institutions in carrying out effective and inclusive citizen dialogues. The organisation studies, tests and offers internationally proven digital tools and methods for citizen participation, and designs citizen-centred processes aimed particularly at reaching under-represented groups. Its work sits at the intersection of political and democratic innovation, participatory budgeting, citizens' assemblies and community organising. The lab's service portfolio includes digital citizen participation using the Decidim platform, which it implements and trains organisations to use; planning, coordination and delivery of citizens' assemblies; citizen participation and participatory budgeting processes; and tailored courses in community organising through what it calls Digidem Academy. It frames participation as a process in which it can intervene in specific parts while remaining aware of the whole, a model it says was developed within the EU project D-CENT. Digidem Lab states a set of values: participation, mandate, transparency, collaboration and continuous learning. It argues that people affected by decisions should help make them, that projects should have a clearly defined mandate for participants, and that its digital tools are open source to guarantee security and auditability. It says it builds on others' successful experience and aims to share its knowledge, code and expertise. Its assignments span international institutions, cities and local associations. Documented engagements include work with Skjutsgruppen on a carpooling calculator, digitalising participatory democracy for People Powered, citizens' assemblies, budgets and participation for the City of Gothenburg, community organising for local leadership, and eco-social neighbourhood work with Lund Municipality. It has also been involved in a consortium for EU citizens' assemblies, recruitment to a European Citizen Panel, a Nordic deliberation partnership, and citizens' dialogue and participation work in Stockholm. Digidem Lab is registered as a co-operative society in Sweden, according to Wikidata. Its contact page lists Ali Tabrizi as verksamhetsledare (managing director). The organisation also references Democracy Upgraded, formerly the Digidem Lab non-profit association, indicating an evolution in its legal and organisational form.

Digidem Lab presents itself as an independent democracy lab that supports districts, municipalities and public institutions in carrying out effective and inclusive citizen dialogues. It studies, tests and offers internationally proven digital tools and methods for citizen participation, and creates citizen-centred processes designed particularly to reach under-represented groups. The organisation says its working model was developed within the EU project D-CENT, an initiative on decentralised citizen engagement. Its stated values are participation, mandate, transparency, collaboration and continuous learning. It argues for developing democracy to include more aspects of society and for methods that create greater participation; for people affected by decisions to help make them, with a clearly defined mandate for participants; for greater transparency in participation processes, with open-source digital tools to guarantee security and auditability; for building on others' successful experience and sharing knowledge, code and expertise; and for continuously developing its methods and tools to adapt to a changing reality. The lab's service lines include digital citizen participation with Decidim, a flexible and user-friendly platform for gathering participation in one place; citizens' assemblies, which it supports from planning through delivery; citizen participation and participatory budgeting, where it supports development, planning and delivery to ensure inclusive participation; and community organising, offering tailored courses focused on local contexts. It also runs Digidem Academy for training. Documented assignments illustrate its range. With Skjutsgruppen (2025–2026) it created a carpooling calculator. For People Powered (2025–ongoing) it enables digital processes in which organisations worldwide help shape decisions and priorities. For the City of Gothenburg (2019–, with citizens' assemblies, budgets and participation from 2022 onwards) it works on participation processes. It has supported community organising for local leadership and worked with Lund Municipality (2024–2026) on eco-social neighbourhoods. Other listed engagements include a research project on democracy behind the scenes, a consortium for EU citizens' assemblies, recruitment to a European Citizen Panel, the Nordic Deliberation partnership for deliberative democracy, citizens' dialogue and participation in Stockholm, a citizens' assembly on climate for Stockholm University, and work with the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket). According to Wikidata, Digidem Lab is a co-operative society in Sweden. The organisation also references Democracy Upgraded, formerly the Digidem Lab non-profit association, suggesting a transition in legal form. Its contact page lists Ali Tabrizi as verksamhetsledare (managing director).

• Working model developed within the EU project D-CENT

• City of Gothenburg engagement begins (2019–)

• Gothenburg citizens' assemblies, budgets and participation from 2022 onwards

• Lund Municipality eco-social neighbourhoods project (2024–2026)

• Skjutsgruppen carpooling calculator (2025–2026)

• People Powered digitalisation of participatory democracy (2025–ongoing)

• Applications open for the YH course in Community Organising for autumn 2026

An independent, values-driven democracy lab offering internationally proven digital tools and methods for inclusive citizen participation, with open-source tools and a focus on under-represented groups.

• Decidim implementation and training

  Digidem Lab develops and trains organisations in implementing Decidim, a flexible and user-friendly platform for gathering all citizen participation in one place.

• Citizens' assemblies

  Support throughout the process, from planning to delivery.

• Citizen participation and participatory budgeting

  Support for development, planning and delivery of participation processes to ensure inclusive participation.

• Community organising courses

  Tailored courses focused on local contexts, giving participants methods and tools to strengthen a community.

• Digidem Academy

  Training arm offering courses in democratic participation methods and organising.

1. 1Digidem Lab – Framtidens deltagande demokratidigidemlab.org
2. 2Vi är Digidem Lab – Digidem Labdigidemlab.org
3. 3Vi erbjuder – Digidem Labdigidemlab.org
4. 4Digidem Lab – Wikidatawikidata.org