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Vision Lab @ South LA Logo without the L and A
The letters L and A

Build your network

Write your vision

Activate your business idea

Map out your business plan

Gamify your business

Squash the Digital Divide

Make your business contactless

Vision Lab @ South LA Logo

Build your network

Write your vision

Activate your business idea

Map out your business plan

Gamify your business

Squash the Digital Divide

Make your business contactless

"We envision a future

where the digital divide

doesn't exist."

Have you

seen this in your neighborhood or experienced it yourself?

The Vision Lab is a new initiative run by the City of L.A. to address the inequities of the digital divide.  

We run a 10-week business idea accelerator and host free educational events.

The Vision Lab is a new initiative run by the City of L.A. to address the inequities of the digital divide.  

We run a 10-week business idea accelerator and host free educational events.

Are you

A Budding Entrepreneur

A Change Maker

A Community Builder

Are you

A Budding Entrepreneur

A Change Maker

A Community Builder

in South Los Angeles?

in South Los Angeles?

We need your unique

Voice Vision Ideas Wisdom

To Make a Real Impact

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Why Apply?

Your Impact is Substantial

Your business idea can change and shift your community.

Products

Design or manufacture a product

Services

Apply technology to solve a challenge

Training

Empower people around a skill

Gig Economy

Enable people to participate

Phone with an image of a gaming remote and someone playing a game.
Phone with an image of a gaming remote and someone playing a game.

E-commerce

Help people buy and sell online

Upcycle

Repurpose existing items

Gamification

Encourage participation

Metaverse

Join the future

We're Eager to Hear From You

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We’re Accepting Applications For Another 

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

Apply by Monday, March 27, 2023.

Can’t make it this time? We will be offering additional dates and locations in the future. To be notified of details, send us a note.

How's It Work?

?

The enrollment period for our third cohort (Fall 2023) is now open. We will also be offering additional dates and locations. To be notified of details, send us a note.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • 18 years or over
  • Live in or have a business that impacts South L.A.
  • Your idea MUST address the Digital Divide

The Vision Lab is focused on addressing the digital divide. We are looking for solutions that do one or more of the following:

  • Increase access to affordable tech devices
  • Help build technology-related skills
  • Provide training for tech careers
  • Improve access to online services
  • Increase access to e-commerce opportunities
  • Enable participation in the digital economy.
  • Provide reliable, high speed internet 

No. We can connect you with programs that will allow you to borrow devices. Learn more at https://lapl.org/tech2go.

No. We accept participants at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey. We will provide training and resources to help you move forward.

We will meet Wednesday evenings from 5-9 pm and occasional weekends for 2-3 hours. The program dates are still being determined. We anticipate it will begin in early Fall 2023.

Who's With Us?

We are partnering with industry leaders

The Vision Lab is led by the City of Los Angeles’ commitment to closing the digital divide, in coordination with the Economic and Workforce Development Department and the Bureau of Street Lighting.

Why does the

Digital Divide

matter so much?

The digital divide – the gap between those who have opportunities to access and benefit from the internet and those that do not – has been a growing issue in the Los Angeles region with deep disparities between communities foregrounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Connectivity has become a necessity, rather than a luxury, in daily life and has become foundational for access to economic, workforce, and educational opportunities, as well as health, social and civic engagement outcomes.

The digital divide has exacerbated the disparities in impacted communities’ access to opportunities in the tech workforce, as well as to the resources for new businesses to thrive in a digital ecosystem.

Both the public and private sectors have prioritized digitizing and putting online their respective services or operations (for example, educational, healthcare and retail operations now rely considerably on digital services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic), which in turn requires residents and business owners to access services online or in a touchless capacity, and have an understanding of how to productively interact in a digital ecosystem.

Where?

We are starting in South Los Angeles.

In-person meetings will be held in Leimert Park.

Black and white map of Leimert Park and surrounding area
4401 Crenshaw Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90043

"Now is the time to

build your

impactful business,

gain momentum and

be the change

in your community."

Have a
Question?

Leave your details and we will contact you!

OUR NEXT BUSINESS IDEA ACCELERATOR IS STARTING SOON

OUR NEXT BUSINESS IDEA ACCELERATOR IS STARTING SOON