The Global Sandboxes Forum is organized by the Datasphere Initiative and brings together a global community of practice to explore the potential of sandboxes as tools for collaboration in the digital age. By fostering knowledge exchange and capacity-building, the forum helps public and private actors address local and global challenges more effectively.

Through shared experiences and evidence-based guidance, it aims to empower stakeholders to design and implement sandboxes that responsibly unlock the value of data — driving innovation for people and the planet.

Sandboxes need a science and a community. We are bringing this together.

What is a sandbox?

Publications

Course

Cross-Border Sandboxes for Data Course

Embark on an interactive learning journey with the dynamic modules of the “Guide to Cross-Border Sandboxes for Data” course.

Latest events

The Africa Sandboxes for AI Co-Creation Lab, held alongside the 8th Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Conference in Abuja (May 6–8, 2025), explored how regulatory sandboxes can foster responsible AI adoption and data-driven innovation across borders.

Aligned with NADPA’s theme, “Balancing Innovation in Africa,” the Lab brought together policymakers, regulators, businesses, and civil society to co-design inclusive, privacy-conscious sandbox frameworks. It highlighted the role of cross-border sandboxes in enabling trusted data flows and scaling innovation, drawing on newest publications from the Datasphere Initiative.

Past events