80+
target founding members
$0
barrier to entry for students
early adopters
Members actively use AI tools and ship products — they adopt early and stay loyal.
talent pipeline
Meet ambitious, AI-literate students before they hit the job market.
brand visibility
Logo on all materials, events, social media, and merch across every campus.
ground floor
Be part of the first AI-native builder network across college campuses.
early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. / early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. / early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. /
early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. / early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. / early access to top talent / brand visibility on campus / ai-native builders / starting at usc / real products. real people. /
any major
no cs degree required
Business, art, engineering, pre-med — if they want to build, they belong here. Diverse perspectives ship better products.
any year
freshmen to seniors
Early exposure means longer relationships. A freshman who finds your tool in sandbox carries it through graduation and into their career.
zero prereqs
selected on character
We filter for drive and curiosity, not GPA or GitHub history. The result is a community of unusually motivated builders.
real products ship
Every sprint ends with something live — apps, tools, prototypes. Not decks. Not case studies.
AI tools are the default
Cursor, Claude, v0. Members build with the same stack that professionals use. Intentional, not accidental.
weekly cadence
Build nights, workshops, office hours, demo days. Consistent engagement throughout the semester.
tight-knit community
Capped membership means high engagement. Every sponsor interaction actually lands.
Free
credits & licenses · limited spots
Your product in the hands of USC's best builders. Limited availability — subject to approval.
- API credits or licenses distributed to all members
- logo on website, materials, and event slides
- product introduced at member onboarding
- mentioned at workshops and events
- member usage data shared back with you each semester
apply for tool access
$500
per semester
Your logo across every surface we own — website, event programs, flyers, and all printed materials we put out.
- everything in tool partner
- logo on website
- logo on event programs and printed materials
brand partner
$1,500
per semester
Fund the cohort. Co-host events, send speakers, and access builders who ship real products.
- everything in brand
- co-host one event per semester (you pick the format)
- send a speaker or recruiter to the cohort
- featured sponsor slot at demo day
- access to member talent pool and resumes
- early access to demo day project submissions
- featured in member weekly digest
- branded callout posts after each co-hosted event
community partner
$5,000
per semester · 1 spot only
The full partnership. A custom event each semester, naming rights, exclusive recruiting, and a seat at the table.
- everything in community
- we host one fully custom event per semester (hackathon, workshop, etc.)
- naming rights on a sandbox program
- exclusive recruiting sessions with top members
- logo on all merch and printed materials
- priority demo day placement and intro slot
- advisory input on programming and cohort direction
- direct access to member contact directory
- end-of-semester engagement report
- first right of refusal for next semester
- quarterly strategy call with sandbox leadership
founding partner
01 / reach out
email us your interest
Drop us a line at info@sandboxsc.org. Tell us about your company and which tier feels right. We'll respond within 48 hours.
02 / align
quick 30-min call
We'll walk you through the semester calendar, what events you'll be featured in, and how to maximize your sponsorship impact.
03 / show up
meet the builders
Send a speaker to a workshop. Post a job to our talent board. Co-host a build night. Your brand in front of students who actually ship.