EBU Members France Télévisions, Swedish Radio and the BBC are visiting Belgian broadcaster VRT on 8th and 9th February for the kickoff of The Sandbox Hub, part of the European MediaRoad project, led by the EBU.

The Sandbox Hub aims to build a European network of innovation incubators. Inspired by the VRT Sandbox model, these broadcasters will either establish their own incubator or exchange experiences and expertise with the network.  

The Sandbox Hub – A European Network for Media Start-ups

The Sandbox Hub, led by VRT Sandbox, aims to create a European network of media innovation incubators through which groundbreaking ideas can be tested and scaled. These incubators, or Sandboxes, are hosted by established media organizations, and welcome all applications from entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs with media-related concepts involving technology, journalism, social media and content and can work in collaboration with leading media research institutes and independent producers. Each Sandbox will operate independently, but will be connected across Europe over a platform on which they can share successful cases for broader implementation. 

The Sandbox Hub is based on VRT’s award-winning ‘Sandbox’ and other existing initiatives such as ‘BBC Taster’, which provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to experiment with new ideas, as well as test and scale promising concepts in operational environments. 

VRT Sandbox International project leader Sarah Geeroms said:  “As the Flemish public broadcaster, our goal is to remain agile and continuously strengthen our connection with the audience by offering a better service. With the project, we will be able to build a European network and foster a strong and innovative European media industry.”

EBU T&I Head of Media Fundamentals and Production Technology Dr. Hans Hoffmann: "Award-winning initiatives for innovation by EBU Members need to be amplified across Europe. We hope that France Televisions, the BBC and Swedish Radio are the first of many broadcasting and media organizations to join our network in order to create scale and impact around innovation across Europe."

Road to a sustainable media ecosystem for entrepreneurs

The Sandbox Hub was established early on in September as one of the three pillars of the EU-funded MediaRoad project. The project, led by the EBU, involves some of Europe’s most prominent broadcasters, leading media research institutes, and independent producers. 

During the two year project lifespan, the consortium will research new opportunities to shape the future of the European media industry and seek out new European broadcasters to join their network. More information is available at www.mediaroad.eu.