Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño, PhD

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Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño builds AI at planetary scale. He is co-founder and Chief Scientist of LGND and co-founder and Executive Director of Clay — together raising $15M to make Earth searchable and understandable by anyone. Before that he founded the Microsoft Planetary Computer, a $50M+ initiative supporting hundreds of environmental projects; led data science from the World Bank’s Innovation Labs, managing a 20-project portfolio totaling over $500M; and was Chief Scientist at Mapbox through its 10× scaling.

He is an astrophysicist who left research to make science matter. Every step since has been the same question with bigger tools: how do we make the world legible enough to actually improve it?

He is the author of Impact Science: The Science of Getting to Radical Social and Environmental Breakthroughs — a guide for scientists who want to maximize real-world impact. He serves a small number of boards and advises select climate and deep tech funds on earth observation and geo-AI. Recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Originally from Asturias, Spain, Bruno now lives in Copenhagen with his family.

Boards & Advisory

  • Clay (non-profit) — Founder & Executive Director: built the organization and its governance, working with its board of directors
  • Climate & deep tech funds — technical due diligence and retained advisory on earth observation and geo-AI investments
  • Sovereign AI strategy — national AI and competitiveness policy; past clients include the UAE and a Big Three consultancy
  • Mapbox — investor; Science Advisor (2015–2020)
  • Earthshot Prize & Global Teacher Prize — expert reviewer

Press Bio (short form)

Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño, PhD is Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at LGND and co-founder of Clay, building AI tools that let the planet speak for itself. Founder of the Microsoft Planetary Computer. Author of Impact Science. World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Based in Copenhagen.

Recognition

  • Young Global Leader — World Economic Forum (2013)
  • WEF Agenda Contributor — Davos 2026 articles on Planetary Intelligence
  • Global Teacher Prize Judging Academy — member
  • Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellow — U.S. National Academies (2010)
  • Fellow — Royal Spanish Society of Physics (2009)
  • PhD Magna Cum Laude — Max Planck Institute / University of Göttingen (2008)
  • NASA APOD — May 22, 2007 and April 5, 2009

Press Kit

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Non vi, sed saepe cadendo. (“Not by force, but by falling often.”)