Uruguay has launched Entornos Controlados de Prueba (regulatory sandboxes), an interinstitutional initiative designed to create temporary, supervised environments where innovative technologies, products, services, and models can be tested under defined regulatory conditions. The instrument is intended to help new technologies develop, be tested, and scale by coordinating public, private, and academic capabilities, with particular emphasis on projects involving data and artificial intelligence.
Initiative Overview
• Program name: Entornos Controlados de Prueba (sandboxes regulatorios)
• Lead organizations: Uruguay Innova (U+I), Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM), Agency for Electronic Government and Information and Knowledge Society (Agesic), National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII), and the Regulatory and Personal Data Control Unit (URCDP)
• Eligible applicants: Public or private entities, individuals, representatives of academia, and civil society
• Project focus: Innovative projects requiring temporary controlled testing environments, particularly initiatives involving data use and artificial intelligence
• Additional scope: Applicants may also propose data spaces that provide infrastructure for accessing data and developing data-based business models
• Application model: Permanent/rolling applications with no fixed application deadline
How the Regulatory Sandbox Works
The controlled testing environments are temporary experimentation spaces established for specific contexts and target groups. They operate under the supervision and control of competent public authorities, which may grant the regulatory exceptions or special authorizations required for approved experiments.
The initiative is intended to allow innovative products, services, or models to be tested under regulated conditions before broader implementation. Its core principles include experimentation, temporary operation, supervision and control, and, where appropriate, regulatory exceptions or special authorizations.
Application Requirements
Applicants must provide information that allows the proposed experiment to be assessed from legal, technical, innovation, and risk perspectives. Required elements include:
• Analysis of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to and affected by the proposal
• Definition of the project's scope and the proposed duration of the controlled environment
• Technical specifications
• Technical and innovation description
• A detailed testing plan, including methodology, performance indicators, and control limits
• Information on the project's maturity level
Applications are evaluated through the Comité Técnico de Evaluación de Entornos Controlados (CTEEC). ANII manages the application channel, and applicants must register through ANII's single sign-on system to complete the submission process.
Launch and Strategic Context
The initiative was formally presented on 25 May 2026 as part of Uruguay's broader efforts to strengthen innovation and promote collaboration between government, industry, academia, and other ecosystem actors.
The opening included participation from:
• Pablo Siris: National Director of Telecommunications and Audiovisual Communication Services, MIEM
• Cristina Zubillaga: Executive Director, Agesic
• Álvaro Brunini: President, National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII)
• Bruno Gili: Executive Director, Uruguay Innova
Cristina Zubillaga and Pablo Siris discussed the motivations behind the initiative and its role in promoting technological innovation and strengthening an innovation culture across Uruguay's public and private sectors. Agesic also highlighted the potential of controlled environments to help companies, startups, and SMEs develop artificial intelligence solutions while supporting transparency, responsible innovation, and regulatory learning.
Technical Presentation
Gonzalo Sosa, Secretary General and Legal Adviser of Agesic, Coordinator of the Regulatory and Personal Data Control Unit (URCDP), and a member of the Technical Evaluation Committee for Controlled Environments, presented the technical characteristics of the instrument and explained the requirements for submitting projects.
The evaluation framework is designed to consider legal, technical, and risk-management aspects while supporting transparent processes, regulatory learning, and continuous improvement of the instrument.
Industry Panel Discussion
The launch included an industry panel moderated by Álvaro Brunini, President of ANII, with participation from:
• Marcelo Lanfranconi: Executive Director, Cámara Uruguaya de Fintech
• Juan Andrés Abin Carriquiry: Associate Scientific Director, ATGen
• Diego Silva: Director of Technology and Innovation, Drone.UY
The discussion addressed international experience with regulatory sandboxes, their potential impact in Uruguay, and the regulatory or operational barriers that controlled experimentation could help address across different industries.
International Perspectives
Representatives of the Datasphere Initiative also contributed international experience on the design and management of regulatory sandboxes.
• Lorrayne Porciúncula: Executive Director, Datasphere Initiative
• Mariana Rozo-Paz: Head of Policy, Research and Project Management, Datasphere Initiative
They shared lessons from international sandbox initiatives and recommendations for establishing and managing controlled experimentation environments.
Application Information
The program operates through a permanent application model, meaning proposals can be submitted on a rolling basis rather than through a fixed-deadline call. Eligible applicants can submit proposals for controlled testing environments and data spaces through ANII's official application system.
Entornos Controlados de Prueba provides a structured framework for testing innovative solutions under regulatory supervision before wider implementation. By bringing together public authorities, private organizations, academia, civil society, and international expertise, the initiative aims to reduce barriers to experimentation, encourage regulatory learning, and support the responsible development and scaling of innovative technologies in Uruguay.