VWB #13: Startup Spotlight! Empowering Latinx Voices in Tech: How DEV.F is Changing the Game 🌎

Happy Tuesday!

In this week's VWB edition, we spotlight DEV.F, a startup dedicated to democratizing quality tech education for Spanish speakers across the Americas. Founded in 2014, DEV.F has empowered over 11,000 students in Latin America, receiving widespread recognition and funding for its impactful tech bootcamps. Now, with a recent graduation from the Techstars Economic Mobility Accelerator Powered by Samvid Ventures, DEV.F aims to extend its services to 1st and 2nd generation Latinx/Hispanics in the US, addressing the significant gap in affordable tech education. As DEV.F collaborates with higher education institutions and DEI-focused organizations, we anticipate their contribution to increase Latinx representation in the US tech sector and shape a more inclusive future of work.

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Startup spotlight: DEV.F

In our ongoing mission to showcase international startups working to solve existing gaps in public services and social needs,we’re thrilled to feature DEV.F this week. DEV.F is a prominent startup on a mission to make quality tech education affordable for Spanish speakers across the Americas, opening doors to high-paying jobs. 

Founded in 2014 by Manuel Morato, Elias Shuchleib, and Enrique Diaz, DEV.F is a shining example of an edtech and future of work company powerhouse, using tech literacy to cultivate more developer talent and benefit society. Their reach has expanded to over 11,000 students from 140+ Latin American cities, and they are the recipients of a $1.3M USD grant/financing from the IDB Lab to expand their impactful bootcamps in Latin America. Now, recognizing the untapped potential in the US, DEV.F recently graduated from the Techstars Economic Mobility Accelerator Powered by Samvid Ventures to extend their services to 1st and 2nd generation Latinx / Hispanics living in the US.

Coding for Economic Mobility 📈

In a world immersed in technology, there's still a significant gap in quality, affordable tech education, especially for migrants and working adults. This gap is particularly salient amongst the Latin American population. According to a 2021 Pew Research Study, only 8% of the tech workforce are Hispanic or Latinxs. A reason for this gap is the language and cultural barriers of existing tech bootcamps. Largely dominated by English-speaking companies, these programs face linguistic, cultural, and monetary barriers in emerging economies. In sum, the current tech school model is often unviable in Latin America and developing regions, leaving the upskilling opportunities of millions largely unmet.

DEV.F has successfully developed a methodology that can allow for millions of Latin Americans to learn the tech and teamwork skills to succeed in the increasingly tech-centered economy. They offer year-long programs in coding, web development (fullstack Javascript), data science, AI/Machine learning, and UX/UI design. Their Spanish-based curriculum, priced as low as $99 USD per month, breaks down financial and linguistic barriers, creating a pathway for millions to thrive in the tech-centered economy. Moreover, their classes are modeled as hackathons, empowering their students to build a portfolio of projects and a support community to leap into high-paying jobs in tech. 

DEV.F's impact is impressive. 86% of their graduates land their first tech-related job within 3-6 months, setting in motion a path of on-the-job experience which can eventually lead them to being hired by tech giants like Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others. This success translates into significant income increases, with an average salary ranging from $900 to $1350 USD per month–a significant salary for regional standards. Notably, 10% of DEV.F graduates have even become founders, contributing to innovation and entrepreneurship in the Latin American region (a handful of them have founded companies which were accelerated by Y-Combinator).

Entering the US Market 🇺🇸

Having proven their business model in Latin America, DEV.F is now setting its sights on the US, home to 63 million Latinx individuals. While Latinx population in the US constitutes the 3rd fastest growing economy in the world, they are still largely excluded from the tech workforce. DEV.F aims to change this narrative, and contribute to increasing the percentage of Latinxs represented in the US tech sector.

After completing the first cohort of the Techstars Economic Mobility Accelerator in fall 2023, powered by Samvid Ventures, DEV.F is gearing up for partnerships with higher education institutions in the US, particularly in cities and states with large Latinx populations, in order to bridge the existing tech education gap, especially for Spanish-speaking students. In addition, their plans also include collaborations with DEI-focused companies, government entities, and non-profits that share DEV.F's commitment to upskilling the Latinx population and boosting their economic mobility.

Our Translation 🕵️

At VWB, we are steadfast supporters of leveraging technology to enhance economic mobility in communities. Indeed, in a world where technology is pervasive, there exists a notable gap in providing quality, affordable tech education, especially for marginalized groups. For this reason, we’re excited to see the work of companies such as DEV.F, who are unlocking the potential of edtech in creating a more inclusive future of work. In fact, Paula's personal experience as a bootcamp graduate adds another layer of enthusiasm for us at VWB. 

We are particularly excited about DEV.F's plans to extend their reach to underserved populations, specifically recent migrants and adult learners in the US, as this aligns with our vision of fostering technology-driven economic empowerment. We applaud DEV.F's success in Latin America and eagerly anticipate their contribution to increasing the percentage of Latinxs represented in the US tech workforce. As they collaborate with higher education institutions and organizations committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEV.F is undoubtedly making strides in shaping a more accessible and diverse tech landscape.

Thank you for reading! Let us know what kinds of startups you are interested to learn more about!

See you all next week,

-Paula + James