Does Your City Have What it Takes? : Sandbox Network launches expansion campaign
Sandbox, a global community for ambitious and entrepreneurial young people, is accepting applications for five new cities to join as local chapters – called hubs – this year.
Founded in 2009 by entrepreneurs from Switzerland and Germany — including current CEO Nico Luchsinger — Sandbox presently has more than 800 members in 25 hubs spanning four continents.
“Sandbox is a living, breathing community,” Luchsinger said. “Our goal is to help our members become better leaders and have a bigger impact by the time they turn 30. Our members benefit greatly from the connections they make within the network, and at the same time fuel its growth through their own individual contributions and entrepreneurial activities.”
Members consist of entrepreneurial innovators in a variety of fields, including technology, music, design, and politics. And they’ve done everything from launching successful ventures to giving TED Talks to appearing in Forbes “30 Under 30” to publishing cookbooks.
Now the New York City-based network is looking for cities around the world eager to become part of a global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
To qualify, teams of 2-3 “ambassadors,” who will also have to apply and be approved as general members of Sandbox, should submit applications representing their host city. Ideally, these ambassadors will have a variety of backgrounds and networking capabilities within a range of communities.
A city’s ability to generate events and members is another crucial prerequisite. While most members may spend significant amounts of time in front of computer screens, Sandbox prides itself on its ability to bring ‘Sandboxers’ together, as the video below demonstrates.
An understanding of the city’s “entrepreneurial ecosystem” also helps. It’s important that ambassadors envision how Sandbox can coexist with a particular city’s pre-existing networks and infrastructure.
There are no strict formatting requirements, but applicants are encouraged to “be as creative as possible.”
“We see a lot of great applications from prospective members each day,” said Brendan Coffey, Sandbox’s global community manager. “But when we see something really creative and unique, it becomes something we want to share with the entire Sandbox community. And that definitely helps your chances.”
The network has already received strong interest from Sao Paulo, Karachi, Istanbul and a few other cities. Applications close on June 30, so there is still time if you’re interested in throwing your city’s hat into the ring.
“Creating a Sandbox hub in your city is a powerful way to not just bring together local entrepreneurial minds, but connect them to a global family of like-minded people that will help them achieve and go beyond their visions,” Luchsinger said. “We’re especially interested in launching hubs in cities outside the U.S. and Europe.”
Full details on how to apply can be found on Sandbox’s website.
Mark Rapaport is Sandbox’s communications manager.
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