## Notes from 14 March 2026 [[2026-03-13|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2026-03-15|Next note →]] - I discovered this "Sandpit" format, which is very interesting; it is essentially a three-day "research sandbox" where scientists brainstorm high-risk, interdisciplinary ideas away from rigid academic structures. Developed by the **[[Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft]]**, a German foundation, the program provides **€50,000** for researchers to tackle [the 2026 theme](https://www.wuebben-stiftung-wissenschaft.org/program/sandpit): **"Understanding, Shaping, and Changing Bureaucracy".** The format forces fresh perspectives by requiring that participants have no prior history of collaboration and uses an anonymous selection process to ensure the focus remains entirely on the originality of the idea rather than the researcher's prestige. - I also came across **[CiX Citizen Experience](https://cixbrasil.com/)**, which is likely the largest GovTech firm in Brazil today. Originally founded as _Shopping do Cidadão_ and recently acquired by an international group (the giant **VFS Global**), the company specializes in managing the "front office" of the state in outsourcing schemes in states like São Paulo with its Poupatempo program. To understand their model, the best parallels are the **[[Maisons France Services]]** or **[ChileAtiende](https://www.chileatiende.gob.cl/que-es-chileatiende)** - centralized hubs that consolidate dozens of bureaucratic tasks, such as issuing IDs and driver's licenses, into a single physical and digital location.