About our lab

An informal, non-profit learning space on participatory systems mapping and co-design. We have academic background, but in this space we engage in action research and with practice. Hence, we are positioned at the nexus between theory and practice.

This Lab is powered by Montpellier Business School & Creativo Design:

Logo for company Creativo Design with black text that reads "Creativo" with brackets around the word.
Logo with blue text and design, reading 'IMBS since 1897' and 'Chair Communication & Organizing for Sustainability Transformation'.
Aerial view of lush green terraced rice fields with narrow pathways and small houses scattered among the fields.

Our Origins and Structures

As a network of former colleagues once working at Wageningen University (2015-2020) in the Netherlands and at MBS School of Business in the south of France, we founded the Lab in 2024 as a space to learn from each other’s research, training and managerial practice involving systems mapping and systems co-design. Since then, we ‘opened’ our network to anyone engaging on similar work and willing to share and learn on the same topic.

Our Values

As avid and curious systems thinkers, we put social and experiential learning at the core of our work. We strive to make our learning process emancipatory: rising together with our networks, as we support organizations and communities to co-design just and coherent social-ecological systems. 

Our Emergent ‘Structure’

We co-organize and host events for people working in institutions, enterprises and research orgnizations who are willing to learn from one another’s practice. These events spur from the interactions between our lab co-organizers, past colleagues, co-workers or clients in our community, and participants of our events. You can watch our recent events here, or contact us to propose a new event. From our collective learning, we co-create the next research, investment and project opportunities. 

What We do

In the domain of systems mapping & co-design, we:

Meet Our Team

Feel free to explore our profiles and connect with us:

A man with short brown hair and a beard, wearing a black shirt, speaking into a microphone at an indoor event.
A man in a suit and glasses smiling while holding a microphone and a remote control, standing in front of green plants.

  • Co-Founder

    Rahmin is an Entrepreneur, Social Psychologist, Advisor, Teacher, and Researcher focused on the application of design research and creativity on innovation, business, systems change, and policy that is socially and ecologically sensitive in a global context. 

    More info here

A man in a suit and tie standing in front of a white wall, possibly giving a speech or presentation.


  • Co-Founder

    Timothy is an interdisciplinary researcher at WorldFish specializing in impact assessment, systems thinking, and participatory systems modelling. He generates impact evidence and co-designs transformative solutions for resilient, inclusive agrifood systems.

A man with shoulder-length dark hair, a beard, and wearing a blue checkered shirt is giving a presentation. He has a microphone clipped to his shirt and is holding a remote control in his right hand. The background shows a large screen or digital display with colorful images of a marketplace or outdoor scene.


  • Co-Founder

    Carlo is a project manager and researcher at Wageningen Social & Economic Research. He leads international agricultural projects and facilitates systemic action research and professional training courses on systems thinking across public, research, and private organizations. 

A woman with light brown hair and a gray blazer smiling at the camera.

  • Associate

    Marija is an organization scholar working on translation, orchestration & multi-stakeholder organizing for sustainability transitions. Her research focuses on strategic management practices and processes within multi-stakeholder and multi-scalar organizations, emphasizing sustainability and resilience in complex systems.

A woman smiling outdoors with a stone wall and greenery in the background.

  • Associate

    Elsa is an interdisciplinary scientist and consultant specialising in governance, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability transitions. She applies systems mapping, systems co-design, network analysis, and behavioural approaches to identify transition pathways and support systemic change in complex socio-ecological systems.

A man in a denim jacket speaking or presenting on stage, with a dark background and some green plants visible.


  • Co-Founder

    Rob is assistant professor at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Research Lead on Circular- and Regenerative Ecosystems at its Centre for Economic Transformation. Rob works closely with practice partners to co-develop entrepreneurship- and innovation ecosystems for local economies that are redistributive and regenerative by design. 

A man with dark curly hair, glasses, and a mustache is speaking into a microphone during a meeting or conference.


  • Associate

    Filippo is an early-career researcher in agricultural and food economics at the University of Bologna. Drawing on his agricultural background and hands-on field experience, he uses behavioural insights and system dynamics modelling to design practical strategies for resilient and sustainable farming transitions.

Close-up of a young woman with dark, wavy hair and a bright, smiling face, wearing a striped shirt and a small earring.


  • Associate

    Garima is a researcher and strategy consultant exploring how systems thinking applies to entrepreneurship. She is interested in how business ecosystems help build resilient markets. Alongside her research, she helps startups and small businesses navigate their growth and market expansion.

A man with glasses and a beard smiling for a selfie in front of a colorful abstract painting.


  • Associate

    Christian is a psychologist and researcher specializing in human-computer interaction (HCI), with a focus on how immersive narrative experiences can foster experimentation, perspective-taking, and systems thinking. His work bridges academia, education, the arts, and practice, exploring how interactive narratives and extended realities enable personal growth and transformative learning.

A smiling woman in a black turtleneck sweater standing indoors near a large window with a view of trees, water, and a blue sky with clouds.


  • Associate

    Breanne has 10+ years of professional experience across learning sciences, educational technology, innovation, research, digital transformation, broadcast/digital media, and European Commission-funded Horizon Europe research and innovation projects. Her work sits at the intersection of learning science, systems thinking, AI literacy, human-computer interaction, and digital transformation.

A woman with shoulder-length wavy dark hair, wearing glasses, earrings, a black top, and a blue checked blazer, standing against a yellow background.

  • Associate

    Alice is Assistant Professor at EADA Business School (Barcelona). She has a background in anthropology and management, and her interdisciplinary approach is reflected in her research on social innovation, sustainability, and systemic change.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing glasses, a black blazer, black shirt, and blue jeans, standing with crossed arms against a dark gray background.


  • Associate

    Alexa is senior researcher and co-lead of the Berlin office at Wuppertal Institute. In her PhD at Leuphana University Lüneburg she explores entrepreneurship for systems change with the goal of sustainability and circular economy.

In Partnership With:

  1. Academy of Management (ONE and SIM Divisions) Our Lab contributed to organize the AoM ‘Research Methods for Sustainability’ Seminar Series 2026 | More here

  2. African Food Fellowship Our Lab developed and implemented a systemic action research project with 15 agri-food leaders across Kenya in 2025 | More here

  3. Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Our lab advised and received funding from the NL-CGIAR Program through the ‘Entrepreneurial Learning in Inclusive Agribusiness’ initiative | More here

  4. Climate KIC Our Lab developed a research framework for UNIDO’s ‘Global Resilient Industry Initiative’ in collaboration with Climate KIC | More here

  5. Ecole Polytechnique de Paris Our Lab organized a workshop on systems thinking, mapping, and change for the Technology for Change Forum 2024 in collaboration with Accenture | More here

  6. ESADE Business School Our Lab teaches Complexity & Systems Thinking in ESADE’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management | More here

  7. European Commission Horizon Europe Our Lab received funding for developing and implementing a cross-scale, systems-based Theory of Change process in the ENFASYS Project in 2022-2026 | More here

  8. European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS) Our Lab organizes research professional and paper development workshops on Systems Theory & Methods in the field of organization studies | More here

  9. European Innovation School for Sustainability (EIIS) Our Lab teaches courses on agri-food systems transformation and building circular ecosystems for managers and professionals | More here

  10. IKEA Foundation Our Lab contributed to the African Food Fellowship Program with a systemic action research project in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research in 2025 | More here

  11. INSEAD Our Lab contributed to develop and teach the INSEAD ‘Systems Leadership through Nature’ Program in 2026 | More here

  12. International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) Our Lab organized the PhD Summer School on “Systems Approaches to Sustainability Transformations” in 2026 | More here

  13. International center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (IAMM) Our Lab collaborated to the organization of the International Farming Systems Association 2026 conference PhD Summer School | More here

  14. Dutch Scientific Council (NWO) Our Lab advises and receives funding as part of the NL-CGIAR Senior Expert Program on systems approaches to scaling, entrepreneurship, and private sector engagement in agri-food | More here

  15. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Our Lab developed a scientific framework on cross-scale resilience and transformation for the ‘Global Resilient Industry Initiative’ in 2026 | More here

  16. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Our Lab developed a systems-based methodology for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) resilience and sustainable transitions | More here

  17. Wageningen University & Research Our Lab teaches and advises on systems thinking, mapping and change in the global agri-food sector in Master of Science, MBA and Doctoral Programs | More here

  18. WorldFish Our Lab advised to develop a systems-based approach to understanding, steering and guiding change in aquatic foods | More here

Abstract blue geometric mountain design with overlapping triangular shapes.
Logo with stylized icon resembling a pea pod in red, yellow, and green colors, alongside the text 'African Food Fellowship' in red, orange, and green.
Logo for L'École Polytechnique in Paris, featuring a stylized blue 'X', a crest with an eagle, and the text 'IP PARIS' at the bottom.
Egos logo with a dark blue background and white circular design surrounding the lowercase word 'egos' with a pink 'o'.
The logo of Esade, a business school, featuring the word 'esade' in lowercase dark blue letters.
Logo of the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability with stylized letters 'E', 'I', and 'S' and three upward arrows, and the full name written to the right.
IKEA Foundation logo with the IKEA blue and yellow color scheme and text 'IKEA Foundation' beneath the logo.
Logo with a blue circle containing a white tree with multiple branches and stars around it, followed by the text 'CIHEAM MONTPELLIER'.
United Nations logo with a world map and olive branches in blue
Climate KIC logo with circular design and text.
Logo of the European Commission featuring the EU flag with yellow stars and the text 'European Commission'.
The logo of INSEAD, a green circle with the word INSEAD inside, and the text 'The Business School for the World' beside it.
Stylized logo featuring concentric spiral shapes with the letters NWO at the bottom.
Logo for Wageningen University & Research with a stylized green and blue emblem.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa logo with a globe centered on Africa and a laurel wreath.
A stylized logo that combines a wheat stalk with a leaf in teal on a dark green background.
Logo of the International Farming Systems Association Europe Group, featuring a green hand holding a globe with Europe visible.
Logo of World Fish with a stylized fish graphic in blue and green and the text 'World Fish' below.