Gather evidence Intelligence The Intelligence Program gathers evidence on concrete challenges, identifies innovative data governance practices and translates complex technical data issues into actionable outcomes. Objectives Map Map the relevant actors, policy processes, innovative approaches, concepts, and trends on data governance. Develop Develop holistic analytical and measurement frameworks for the Datasphere. What we do Other […]| The Datasphere Initiative
Across Africa and other regions, regulators are under growing pressure to adapt to rapid technological change. One of the most visible tools on the table is the regulatory sandbox, a controlled environment where innovation can be tested under supervision. In principle, sandboxes promise both flexibility and oversight. In practice, they present regulators with difficult questions […] The post Ready to sandbox or not? A regulator’s dilemma appeared first on The Datasphere Initiative.| The Datasphere Initiative
How AI sandboxes have emerged in the United States as tools to support AI adoption, test regulatory approaches and drive innovation.| The Datasphere Initiative
Sandboxes are popping up all over the tech space. In just a few years, they’ve moved from niche experiments to central tools in major policy initiatives, from the EU AI act to the United State’s newly released AI Action Plan. At the Datasphere Initiative, we’ve spent years exploring how sandboxes are designed, run, and evaluated. […] The post How Sandboxes Drive Innovation and Smarter Regulation appeared first on The Datasphere Initiative.| The Datasphere Initiative
If you are a researcher, policymaker, or civil society leader, the Observatory offers different pathways to find the knowledge, actors, and opportunities that matter to you.| The Datasphere Initiative
By Sophie Tomlinson, Director of Programs, Datasphere Initiative When we first imagined the Sandbox Summer School, we weren’t sure exactly who would show up. We had a strong sense of the need. Around the world, interest in sandboxes was growing. Policymakers were experimenting. Civic technologists were asking questions. Think tanks and funders were paying attention. […] The post What building the first Sandbox Summer School taught me about the field we’re trying to build appeared first ...| The Datasphere Initiative
A new kind of learning space for a new kind of governance The first Sandbox Summer School took place in Lisbon, Portugal, from June 30 to July 4, 2025. Hosted with the support of Católica Global School of Law (CGSL), the Universidade Católica Portuguesa’s hub for transnational legal education, the program brought together regulators, civic […]| The Datasphere Initiative
The Datasphere Initiative is a global network of stakeholders building agile frameworks to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.| The Datasphere Initiative
24 July 2025 — Today, the Datasphere Initiative convened a select group of global leaders for an exclusive Global Sandboxes Forum Insights Session to unveil the Sandbox Assessment Framework (SAF),a first-of-its-kind tool designed to elevate the design, evaluation, and impact of sandboxes for data governance. This high-level virtual event brought together 62 leading voices from […] The post Global Momentum Builds Around Data Governance: Experts Converge for High-Level Sandbox Insights Sess...| The Datasphere Initiative
Explore our interactive map of global data-governance actors. Sign up for early access and connect organizations, funders and themes worldwide.| The Datasphere Initiative
The Datasphere Initiative Africa Forum on Sandboxes for Data is building a pan-African community to enable innovative cross-border data governance solutions. The multistakeholder process invites local, regional, and global experts to explore the ways in which regulatory and operational sandboxes could facilitate responsible data flows and exchange. Sandboxes can help bridge the gap between […]| The Datasphere Initiative
The Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) is a regional initiative that brings together various stakeholders to discuss and address internet-related issues in Africa. This year it took place in Abuja, Nigeria from September 19-21, 2023.| The Datasphere Initiative
Datasphere Observatory Datasphere Observatory Coverage Building on the Datasphere Governance Atlas released in 2022, the Observatory provides a virtual mapping of organizations and funders working on data governance. The platform includes a total of 778 organizations, of which 420 have been categorized and profiled in depth. The mapping aims to help support opportunities for analysis […]| The Datasphere Initiative
The Datasphere Initiative is proud to have the Católica Global School of Law (CGSL), which serves as Universidade Catolica Portuguesa (UCP)’s hub for transnational legal education.as the hosting partner for the inaugural Sandbox Summer School in Lisbon, Portugal, from June 30 to July 4th, 2025. This collaboration enables the summer school to be led by leading experts, scholars, […] The post Católica Global School of Law, the hosting partner of Datasphere Initiative’s Sandbox Su...| The Datasphere Initiative
See who shapes the world’s data governance field. Download the 2025 Datasphere Governance Atlas and start exploring today.| The Datasphere Initiative
In the context of the #Youth4OurDataFuture project, the Datasphere Initiative spoke to a diverse group of young leaders about the role of youth in shaping how data and digital technologies are governed.| The Datasphere Initiative
The Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) is a regional initiative that brings together different stakeholders to address internet-related issues in Africa. This year it took place in Abuja, Nigeria from September 19-21, 2023. The Datasphere Initiative, in collaboration with the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL), organized a roundtable titled “Unlocking Data for African Prosperity: Strategies to […]| The Datasphere Initiative