Started with one substitute teaching shift.

Our mission

Continue to educate and inspire students in the DC area by growing our reach and partnership to more organizations and schools in our area. We do this by embedding ourselves directly in schools and community organizations rather than asking students to come to us.

Founder

Aaron Saundersis the founder and CEO of Clearly Innovative and Luma Lab, and the founder/CEO of the In3 Inclusive Innovation Incubator that followed in 2017. Saunders started both organizations on the premise that “inclusion creates opportunity for innovation” — and that the way to operationalize that premise is to build programs and physical space directly inside under-resourced communities.

Parent organization

Luma Lab operates as a program of Clearly Innovative, Inc., a minority-owned technology firm with a focus on inclusive innovation, software engineering, and community technology education. The same team that runs Luma Lab's student programs runs the In3 incubator on the edge of Howard University.

Timeline

1. 2014–2015

   Aaron Saunders begins substitute teaching at Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science. The Clearly Innovative team starts mentoring and tech instruction alongside the school's curriculum.

2. 2016

   Luma Lab expands to new schools — Kraemer Middle School, KIPP Will Academy, Washington School for Girls — and adds partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club, College Success Foundation, and AnBryce Foundation. Saturday workshops launch at Georgetown Day School with support from the TDF Foundation.

3. November 2016

   Washington, DC named Cisco's first US Lighthouse City; Luma Lab is named the Technology & Innovation Hub partner for Cisco DevNet and Networking Academy programming.

4. April 20, 2017

   In3 — DC's first Inclusive Innovation Incubator — officially opens at 2301 Georgia Avenue NW. 8,000 square feet, 60 workstations, 11 private offices, 5 classrooms. Built with a $1 million grant from the Mayor's office to Howard University, in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.