Building a Social Startup: My Journey with Tecnogueto

Introduction

Building a startup is not an easy process; a social startup is even more challenging. That's the case with Tecnogueto, aimed at bringing marginalized individuals, Blacks, women, LGBT, or older people into the tech market.

A social enterprise is an organization whose main objective is to solve a social or environmental problem while seeking financial sustainability. Unlike NGOs or philanthropic institutions, a social enterprise operates like a regular company, generating revenues and possibly profits; but the main difference lies in the mission: the focus is on creating positive social or environmental impact.

How I met Tecnogueto

According to Stack Overflow's annual report in 2019, the year we founded, only 3% of tech professionals were Black. In Brazil, only 5.2% were women or non-binary. 2.6% of people identified as LGBT. Approximately 25% were over 35 years old.

Alarming numbers, but more than numbers, I experienced this daily in my career as a Software Engineer. It was extremely rare to find Black people, women, or LGBT individuals on the team.

The saddest part is knowing that today, in 2023, we no longer have this data because Stack Overflow decided to remove the demographic questions from their annual survey. This was a crucial source for the tech community. This leads me to the question: what are the reasons behind the decision to remove such important data?

When I received a registration link for students in Tecnogueto's first class, I loved the project right away and got in touch, offering to help with whatever was needed; I soon began teaching several students.

Leadership and Volunteer Management

I did not act just as a teacher. I soon integrated myself and saw other needs, taking on more responsibilities. Then an opportunity came up: to work part-time for a Tecnogueto partner willing to pay our full salary for part-time work, leaving us focused on the startup for the rest.

With that, I quit my job and moved far away from home to make this dream come true. I began to act in all possible roles: coordinator, teacher, developer, co-founder. It was at this time that we secured many partnerships, including incubation programs from major brands, where I participated along with the founder and now great friend of mine Rodrigo Ribeiro, or Digão as he is better known to everyone.

Impact and Achievements

Over time, many volunteers joined, and many left. The constant change of location was a challenge for students and teachers, but over time we were able to provide transportation and even food allowances. Today we have students who are working abroad, others who are on their way to promotions to become seniors. The most beautiful thing was to see that in the first classes, most did not believe in themselves, and now they have flown much further than I could have imagined.

In our first year, we formed 4 programming classes, in Rio and São Paulo. In 2021, after the crowdfunding campaign, we promoted online training, which allowed us to reach 16 states and train 60 developers. Among our students: 55% are women, 70% are Black, and 100% are from the periphery.

Challenges and Learnings

Although we have achieved many successes, we were not exempt from challenges. Dealing with the turnover of volunteers, the constant changes in location, and the search for funding were significant obstacles. However, each challenge became a valuable lesson, making the organization stronger and more resilient.

Conclusion

In this journey with Tecnogueto, I not only grew as a professional but also as a person. Transforming the tech industry and people's lives has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. However, the fight for a more inclusive and diverse tech sector is far from over.

If you are interested in my trajectory and believe that my experience and skills can add value to your project, company, or social initiative, do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Let's together create a positive impact in the world and the tech industry.