In 2014, we launched our pilot program for 14 students in a small, borrowed classroom in Lima. Eight years later, in 2022, we launched our first remote Bootcamp without Borders, welcoming women from the south of Chile to the north of Mexico. For many, this was their first chance to meet, learn from, and grow alongside women from different countries and cultures. For all, it was their first step into the world of technology. These students join a world that has already become the path to a bright professional career for thousands of fellow Laboratoria alumnae, and will soon represent the same opportunity for them.
You will read the highlights of our year in our impact report , but I cannot let one critical data point go unnoticed: 3.8x was the average salary increase post-bootcamp for students in 2022 who were receiving an income prior to joining our program. It does not cease to amaze me that this type of economic, and hence generational transformation, is possible in six months. Despite its many challenges, this is what makes the technology sector unique, and it is the honor of a lifetime to lead an organization that seizes this opportunity to open new paths for talented women who deserve better chances.
As we prepare to reach our 10 year anniversary, we have ambitious plans for the future. We want to take the transformational opportunity that Laboratoria represents to thousands of more women across every country in Latin America. Acknowledging the current challenges the tech sector faces, in order to scale, we will open new learning tracks, reach new untapped markets in the Region, and continue innovating with how and what our students learn to ensure they can add value in an ever changing market. In addition, a key priority for us is to grow in a sustainable way. For this, we are working on a financial strategy to continue advancing our earned revenue and launch a Fund for the Future. Our hope is that with a more diversified funding structure we’ll be able to guarantee Laboratoria’s long-term impact.
As always, an immense thank you to the amazing donors and supporters that make our impact possible. These results are as much yours as ours - thank you for betting on us.
