Datasphere Initiative Foundation
Address: Route de Chene 30, 1211 Geneve 6, Switzerland
Website: https://www.thedatasphere.org/
Stakeholder group: NGOs and associations
The Datasphere Initiative is a think and do tank that catalyses meaningful dialogues and co-creates actionable and innovative approaches to respond to specific data challenges and opportunities across borders. Our mission is to equip organisations to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.
By connecting and amplifying voices from various sectors, we aim to responsibly unlock the value of data for all with various key programmes and projects that foster multistakeholder collaboration. Our latest work focuses primarily on digital access, data governance, and capacity development at various levels: global, regional, and youth.
Digital policy issues
Data governance
One of the key programmes of the Datasphere Initiative is the Global Sandboxes Forum. The Global Sandboxes Forum (GSF) is a collaborative platform that brings together public authorities, private sector entities, and civil society to explore and implement sandbox approaches for addressing digital age challenges. It focuses on sharing experiences, building capacity, and developing evidence-based guidance to empower stakeholders in creating agile, responsible data governance solutions at the local, national, and regional levels. Through its activities, the GSF aims to unlock the value of data for societal and environmental benefit. The latest publication, Sandboxes for AI: Tools for a new frontier, explores the role of sandboxes in the development and governance of artificial intelligence (AI).
Looking into specific regions, the initiative has launched the Africa Sandboxes Forum, a pan-African community aimed at enabling innovative cross-border data governance solutions. This multistakeholder process invites local, regional, and global experts to explore how regulatory and operational sandboxes can facilitate responsible data flows and exchanges, addressing challenges in sectors such as health, finance, sustainability, and AI across the continent. The latest publication, Africa Sandboxes Outlook: Thinking outside the box for responsible innovation in the age of AI, explores the growing use of sandboxes as tools for fostering innovation and enabling responsible regulatory experimentation. The launch of the report will be followed by a series of co-creation labs in various regions, with the first one taking place in Kigali, which will be the first of the Co-Creation Lab Series on Africa Sandboxes for AI.
Amplifying voices
The Youth4Data Lab Toolkit, published by the Datasphere Initiative, is designed to empower youth to actively engage in shaping a responsible digital future. It emphasises adaptable, innovation-focused governance through mechanisms such as regulatory sandboxes, policy labs, and hackathons. By providing practical tools and methodologies, the toolkit aims to foster youth-driven innovation in data governance, ensuring that young voices contribute meaningfully to the development of inclusive and effective digital policies.
Capacity development
Additionally, the Sandbox Summer School is an educational programme designed to equip participants with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in regulatory and operational sandboxes. This programme aims to build expertise in data governance, fostering innovation and cross-border collaboration among policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders.
Through these programmes, as well as seminars, roundtables, and consultations, the Datasphere Initiative strives to foster the creation of agile frameworks that responsibly unlock the value of data, ensuring that data governance evolves in tandem with technological advancements.
Social media channels
Instagram @datasphere
LinkedIn @datasphere-initiative
Medium @thedatasphere
TikTok @youth4data
X @thedatasphere
YouTube @The Datasphere