During Women's History Month 2024, Women of Color magazine featured Mariana Costa Checa, one of Peru's leading innovators, as one of their trailblazing "Global Sisters in Innovation."
In December 2023, she made the "Student Spotlight" webpage at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.
She is the co-founder and CEO of Laboratoria. This social enterprise aims to equip young women from economically underserved backgrounds in Latin America with the skills they need to build successful careers in the tech sector.
Laboratoria operates centers in Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Brazil, where it trains thousands of young women as software developers and assists them in securing tech jobs, thus transforming their lives and the industry.
Before becoming a social entrepreneur, Mariana worked at the Organization of American States in international development programs throughout Latin America, focusing on expanding access to services in underserved communities.
Inspired by her desire to build a better country for women, Mariana founded Laboratoria after noticing the need for more women in web development in Peru.
The organization, founded in 2014, trains economically disadvantaged women in web development skills.
Laboratoria has successfully trained over 2,400 women, with 85 percent placed in tech roles.
Additionally, graduates who secure jobs as developers contribute a percentage of their salaries during their first two years.
Funding for the organization comes from donations from Google, Telefónica, and the National Council of Science, Technology, and Technological Innovation of Peru.
Mariana's visionary approach in Latin America aims to provide women with the necessary skills for tech careers and confront more profound socioeconomic barriers hindering gender equality in STEM fields.
Laboratoria's success in training and placing many women in tech roles serves as a beacon of hope.
Beyond technical training, Laboratoria's approach also promotes leadership among women in technology. Mariana's work with Laboratoria is a model for addressing gender inequality in technology and innovation.
In 2015, Mariana was named one of Peru's innovators under 36 by the Spanish edition of the MIT Technology Review. She also received the Global Awards for Women Technologists: Change Agent Abie Award in 2018.
Mariana was recognized as an outstanding woman who created or expanded opportunities for girls and women in technology in a developing country. For International Women's Day 2019, Mattel selected Mariana as one of 20 women to have a Barbie doll based on them.
