60. More Equity: Latina Luminaries — Mariana Costa

Welcome to the latest episode of More Equity's Latina Luminaries series, hosted by Harlem Capital's Melody Hahm. In this episode, we sit down with Mariana Costa, Co-Founder of Laboratoria, Latin America's revolutionary boot camp program empowering women in tech.

Mariana shares her perspective on the disappointing trajectory of venture capital funding for Latina businesses since its peak in 2018, with only 2% going to Latin American founders and a mere four tenths of a percent going to Latina women. Join Melody and Mariana as they discuss Mariana's passion for empowering others, stemming from her upbringing in Peru, a country and region faced with multiple challenges such as inequality, discrimination, and political turmoil.

Mariana's social enterprise boasts 3200 graduates, with over 80% securing roles as developers. She emphasizes the importance of investing in the growing and powerful Latina community to pave the way for future generations.