los angeles · usc · spring 2026

share what
you've built.

sandbox is usc's first ai-native builder community. our members are early adopters, rapid shippers, and your next generation of collaborators.

i want to speak → learn more ↓

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why sandbox

a room full of people who actually do things.

Our members aren't attending for the resume line. They're here because they're building something — or they want to. They ask real questions, follow up after, and remember what you said.

what you get

◎

a high-signal audience

80+ students who opted in, showed up, and are actively building. no empty seats filled by requirement.

◎

no corporate overhead

we don't do approved speaker decks or PR-reviewed talking points. say what you actually learned.

◎

an easy yes

we handle logistics, promotion, and setup. you show up, talk, answer questions, leave. one email to say yes.

◎

early access to talent

meet the builders before they graduate. our members are recruiting-ready and move fast.

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how it works

pick your format.

◉

fireside chat

45–60 min · conversational

One of us interviews you in front of the group. We prep questions in advance, keep it loose, leave room for the audience. Best for founders, operators, and anyone with a strong point of view.

◌

workshop

60–90 min · hands-on

Teach something. Build something live. Run a critique. Works especially well for technical speakers — members leave having made something or learned a concrete skill.

◯

office hours / ama

30–45 min · open Q&A

Low-prep, high value. Drop in, field questions, share what's on your mind. Great for advisors, alumni, or anyone short on time but long on perspective.

what we're excited about

some areas our members care about deeply.

building with AI

prompting, agents, evals, deployment — what actually works and what doesn't

zero to one

how you found the idea, got first users, and survived early stage chaos

distribution

growth, content, virality — how things actually spread

fundraising reality

what investors actually look for, what the process is really like

failure & iteration

things that didn't work — and what you'd do differently

design & craft

taste, aesthetics, product thinking — what separates good from great

career non-linearity

how your path wasn't straight, and what that actually taught you

open topic

what do you wish someone had told you at 20? we'll make room for it.

who we're looking for

people who've actually done it.

We're not looking for credentials. We're looking for people who've shipped things, made real decisions, and have something honest to say. A track record helps — but a good story matters more.

founders who've built companies (at any stage, success or failure)
engineers and designers who've shipped products people use
operators who've scaled teams, products, or distribution channels
investors who can speak honestly about what they look for
researchers doing work that connects to the real world
anyone with a strong, non-obvious perspective worth hearing

how to say yes

three steps. less than an hour of your time.

reach out

Send us one email or fill out the form below. Tell us who you are, what you'd want to talk about, and roughly when you're available. That's it.

we coordinate

We handle everything — scheduling, the room, promotion, and a pre-call to align on format. No slide deck required. No green room needed. Zero prep overhead on your end.

you show up

Come to campus (or join virtually), talk for an hour, answer questions. Leave knowing you said something that will stick. We'll follow up after with what landed.

share whatyou've built.