Laboratoria

Laboratoria operates as a social enterprise focused on bridging the significant talent and gender gaps in Latin America's technology sector. Founded in 2014 by Mariana Costa Checa, Herman Marin, and Rodulfo Prieto, the organization began with a pilot program for 15 women in Lima, Peru. The concept emerged from the founders' own experience running a web agency where they struggled to find qualified, diverse talent. Co-founder Mariana Costa Checa, a Lima native with degrees from the London School of Economics and Columbia University, observed the low representation of women in Peru's tech industry upon her return from the U.S. and was inspired to create an educational pathway.

The core of Laboratoria's operation is an intensive, remote six-month bootcamp designed for women from underserved backgrounds who may not have had access to traditional university education. This program trains them in technical skills for roles like front-end development and UX design, and equally emphasizes life skills, self-directed learning, and teamwork to prepare them for the workplace. The curriculum is structured around projects that simulate a real work environment, fostering not just technical proficiency but also self-confidence and stress management. Since its inception, the organization has expanded from Peru to operate in countries including Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador, becoming a fully remote entity to reach women across Latin America.

Laboratoria's business model is twofold. The primary revenue stream is generated through talent placement. The organization connects its graduates with a network of over 1,100 hiring companies, ranging from large corporations to tech startups. Graduates who secure jobs contribute a percentage of their salary for the first two years of employment, creating a sustainable, cyclical funding mechanism. The model has proven effective, with a job placement rate of over 77% and graduates earning, on average, more than three times their previous income. Additionally, Laboratoria receives funding from donors and partners, including Google, Telefónica, and the Inter-American Development Bank. The enterprise has successfully trained over 4,000 women and continues to expand its impact.

Keywords: social enterprise, edtech, women in tech, Latin America, workforce development, coding bootcamp, UX design, talent placement, diversity and inclusion, skills gap