GrabAGrad Innovation Studio
GrabAGrad is a digital consulting company based in Cape Town. We help changemakers turn bold ideas into scalable solutions, with strategy, storytelling, and low-code tech built for impact.
Who are we?
GrabAGrad Innovation Studio is a solo-run, purpose-driven consultancy that partners with grassroots changemakers, small NGOs, and early-stage social enterprises to build strategic, scalable solutions through design, storytelling, and low-code tech.
Founded in 2020 as a graduate-led response to youth unemployment, GrabAGrad originally connected unemployed graduates to real-world client work to bridge the gap between education and employability. As the ecosystem evolved, so did our focus, from graduate upskilling to supporting movements, communities, and organisations at the forefront of social change.
Today, GrabAGrad is led by Aleya Ramparsad Banwari, an award-winning researcher, designer, and public health strategist who brings over five years of cross-sector experience. Drawing on design thinking, participatory research, and visual storytelling, Aleya helps clients move from idea to execution with empathy, clarity, and impact.
We exist for those who are often left out of traditional innovation spaces, and we’re here to change that, one beautifully crafted solution at a time.
Dynamic by Design
Once a graduate startup, now a purpose-led innovation studio, blending strategy, design, and low‑code tools to help communities build real‑world impact, fast.
Built for Impact, Rooted in Africa
Our work bridges design thinking and digital innovation, creating scalable solutions that meet real needs and celebrate African ingenuity.
Personalised Customer Experience
We work with clients to best-develop solutions that respond directly to your needs.
Our Roots in Graduate Training
GrabAGrad was founded as a response to the lack of meaningful, hands-on opportunities for graduates entering a rapidly changing world of work. Rather than wait for permission, we created our own learning lab, delivering real client projects while building practical skills in branding, automation, design, and digital strategy.
Although we’ve since transitioned into a solo innovation studio, that spirit of peer-led learning, applied practice, and upskilling through doing remains core to how we work. Every project is still approached as a chance to build something useful, and learn something meaningful in the process.
Our Services
Strategy Sprints
- Vision + mission mapping
- Systems thinking and user journey mapping
- Organisational design and ecosystem modelling
Digital Tools
- Low-code MVPs + websites
- Process automation
- Community portals, sign-up forms, and digital workflows
- User experience design and wireframing
Storytelling + Design
- Custom pitch decks, reports, infographics
- Visual identities and brand toolkits
- Strategic content design for funding, policy or campaigning
- Educational and training materials
Meet Our Founder
Aleya Ramparsad Banwari
founder and Director
Aleya is a queer South African researcher, public health activist, and award-winning storyteller with over 5 years of experience leading strategy, innovation, and community impact work across Africa.
They’ve worked with clients ranging from small NGOs to large municipalities, and their projects have been recognised by institutions like Oxford University, News24, and the Sunday World.
Aleya brings a unique blend of design thinking, facilitation, and low-code tech to every project – grounded in a commitment to Ubuntu and justice.
💸 Flexible pricing: From R2,500 for visual toolkits to R15,000 for full-service packages
🤝 Let’s Collaborate
Whether you’re launching a campaign, pitching to funders, or trying to get your prototype live, we’re here to help you move fast and build what matters.
📅 Book a Discovery Call
📧 Email: aleya@grabagrad.com
📍 Based in Cape Town, working globally 🌍