UPF   x   SANDBOX   x   NORRSKEN

Public-Interest AI Accelerator

A hands-on, career-relevant, program to develop AI literacy, strategic insight, and real-world confidence to build and use AI in the public interest.

Express interest for the next cohort!

Overview

Dates: April 9 - June 4. Every Thursday from 4-7 pm.
Format: In-person small group sessions (refreshments provided) + independent project work + a final project showcase & networking event at Norrsken Barcelona
Location: Norrsken House Barcelona + UPF-Barcelona School of Management
Language: English
A collaboration between UPF - Barcelona School of Management and Sandbox Labs

Why a Public-Interest AI Accelerator?

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how decisions are made across sectors — from policy and law to business, education, media, and research.

This accelerator is designed for learners who want practical AI literacy and to understand how to make AI work in the Public Interest: not to become engineers, but to understand, question, and engage with AI systems confidently and responsibly in their field.

You will gain the knowledge, frameworks, and confidence to participate meaningfully in public-interest AI-related projects, conversations, and career pathways.

A Look into our First Edition – Spring 2026

What Learners Did

Participants engaged in:

  • Weekly interactive sessions led by a combination of local and global experts working at the intersection of AI, policy, and society in a social-impact startup environment at Norrksen Barcelona
  • Hands-on discussions and applied case examples grounded in real-world contexts
  • Curated self-paced learning to deepen understanding between sessions
  • Peer collaboration within a small, interdisciplinary cohort
  • Built their own Public-Interest project idea and pitched it to public- and private-sector leaders

The program emphasized foundational AI knowledge, critical thinking, ethical awareness, and practical decision-making.

What Learners Gained

By the end of the accelerator, learners:

  • Understood key AI concepts and how to apply AI in the public interest
  • Were able to assess opportunities, risks, and trade-offs of AI use
  • Built confidence engaging with AI in academic, professional, and policy contexts
  • Connected with global AI experts from Europe and North America
  • Received a UPF-BSM certificate of completion and a 3-ECTS microcredential upon completion of all course requirements

Session schedule

Introduction: AI & Public-Interest AI

Session Speakers

  • Patricia Mangeol, Director of Research and Digital Learning, Sandbox Labs/Open University of Catalonia
  • Albert Cañigueral Bagó, AI/LT Coordination and Development Manager, Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Session 01
Date: April 9, 2026
Location: Norrsken

AI Today: Supply Chains & Geopolitics

Session Speakers

  • Felix Sieker, Project Manager "ReframeTech", Bertelsmann Stiftung
  • Alek Tarkowski, Founder, Open Future Foundation
Session 02
Date: April 16, 2026
Location: Norrsken

AI Context for Action: Techno-Politics, Risks, and Opportunities for Democratic Societies

Session Speakers

  • Simona Levi, Founder, Xnet (Institute for Democratic Digitalisation)/University of Barcelona
  • Javi Creus, Founder, IdeasForChange
Session 03
Date: April 23, 2026
Location: Norrsken

Ethical AI: Governing AI in the Public Interest

Session Speakers

  • B Cavello, Director, Emerging Technology, Aspen Institute Digital
  • Tatiana Fernández, Co-Founder, SharedAgendas
Session 04
Date: April 30, 2026
Location: Norrsken

AI & Law: Rights & Limitations of Rights

Session Speakers

  • Maja Bogataj Jančič, Founder, Open Data and Intellectual Property Institute
  • Migle Laukyte, Associate professor in Artificial Intelligence and Law, UPF
Session 05
Date: May 7, 2026
Location: Norrsken

Building & Implementing Public AI: Technology & Policy

Session Speakers

  • Joshua Tan, Lead of the Public AI Network/Founder of Metagov
  • Ana Freire, Senior Lecturer in Data Science and AI, Vice-dean for Social Impact and Academic Innovation, UPF-BSM
Session 06
Date: May 14, 2026
Location: Norrsken

AI for Government & Social Impact

Session Speakers

  • Katharine Mary D'Amico, Professor of the Practice at UPF-BSM & CEO at The Swala Institute for Applied Neuroscience in Business and Leadership
  • Rodrigo Cetina, Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean for Education and Academic Affairs at UPF-BSM
Session 07
Date: May 21, 2026
Location: UPF-Barcelona School of Management

Public-Interest AI in Catalonia: Leading-Edge Innovation on the Ground

Tour + Talk at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Session 08
Date: May 28, 2026
Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Final Project Showcase & Networking Event

Expert & Practitioner Panel TBA

Session 09
Date: June 4, 2026
Location: Norrsken

SPEAKERS

Learn from and connect with global experts

Facilitators and guest speakers include experts from:

  • A global network of academic, policy and business experts from Europe and North America
  • International organizations and foundations working in social policy and technology
  • UPF’s academic faculty from various fields
  • Catalonia’s leading policy and technology organizations

Meet some of our speakers

next cohort

Stay connect and join the next cohort

The first edition of this program is now complete!
We are planning future editions and would love to hear from you. Tell us about your interest, your preferred format, and what you would want to learn — it takes about 2 minutes.
Express interest in the next cohort

Who we are

We’re a collective of international professionals from different disciplines with a shared goal of harnessing AI for the public good and a belief that training future leaders is crucial to achieve this goal.

This initiative is supported by Sandbox Inc., a Toronto-based digital learning, media and technology agency working with public and nonprofit organizations around the world. Sandbox is proud to be part of Norrsken House Barcelona’s global community for tech and impact.

We’re building this initiative in Barcelona, a European hub for socially-driven, technology-driven initiatives, and are committed to contributing to the local, national and international ecosystem of organizations seeking to make technology work for people.

Interested and want to learn more? Reach out and we will be in touch.

Email us
A hands-on, career-relevant, program to develop AI literacy, strategic insight, and real-world confidence to build and use AI in the public interest.
Spring 2026

Public-Interest
AI Accelerator Program