Every year, Acumen’s Fellowship in Colombia selects 26 inspiring leaders who are committed to a lifelong journey of solving problems of poverty and building a world based on dignity.

From enhancing livelihoods through education in rural areas, to working with small coffee farmers, our 2023 cohort embodies moral imagination - the humility to see the world as it is, and the audacity to imagine the world as it could be.

Over the course of a year, the Fellows came together to learn with and from each other in a series of workshops and immersive seminars. Following their graduation from the Fellowship, they have joined Acumen’s growing group of over 1600 social innovators who make up our alumni community, the Foundry, who accompany each other from across the globe to build a world based on dignity.

Join us in welcoming the newest cohort of Acumen Fellows into the Foundry.

Alejandro is an industrial engineer from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia with a master's degree in anthropology from the Universidad de los Andes. He was part of the National Association of Entrepreneurs of Colombia (ANDI Colombia) where he worked on projects of entrepreneurship and open innovation. For the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism he was an advisor on innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as a negotiator of the Innovation Table for Colombia in the Pacific Alliance.

He was also Acceleration Manager at Corporación Ventures and an Ambassador for Colombia at Seedstars. Currently, he is partner and CEO of Pantera Makers, a business accelerator that scales, preserves, and connects the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Colombia and throughout the region; they’ve impacted over 4,000 entrepreneurs in the 32 departments of Colombia. 

He has also consulted and mentored over 150 startups; and has been a speaker to more than 10,000 entrepreneurs in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic.

Ana María holds a master's degree in Science, Technology and Innovation Management from Universidad de Antioquia. She is currently the director of the MAKAIA Bootcamp, an employment model for the technology sector that identifies talent, trains, and connects them with job opportunities. This initiative promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the technology industry and generates economic development opportunities for people living in vulnerable situations.

In the last eight years, she has focused on leading social initiatives based on social innovation, working with various stakeholders. Ana is a creative and passionate person who dreams of generating sustainable solutions so more people can develop their full potential.

Angie is an internationalist with a master's degree in international cooperation and nine years of experience  coordinating and financing projects focused on inequality gaps, innovation, 4.0 technologies, and energy transition. In 2018, she founded UNLab 4.0, which has benefited more than 60,000 people in Colombia, mostly youth and young adults.

In 2023 she created Kupera, an initiative focused on generating cooperative ecosystems for energy transition in Colombia and since then has benefited different communities through workshops and the development of prototypes that provide access to sustainable energy at low cost.

Angie’s dream is to build a social enterprise that promotes energy transition and brings sustainable energy to 1.7 million homes in Colombia that do not have access to electricity.

Camila is a literature, languages, and sociocultural studies professional, with a master's degree in bioethics. Since its founding over 3 years ago, Camila has been working at PROtalento. The goal of PROtalento is to provide professional training, fair financing, and job placement for the 8 out of 10 people who do not have a decent job. Through different roles, and currently as Chief Business Development Officer, she has impacted more than 3,000 people who have had restricted access to opportunities, are unemployed, work in informal sectors, or have unsatisfactory work. Through her work, she has achieved employability rates of 90%, and attrition rates below 10%, with a presence in Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, and soon El Salvador.

Camilo studied electronic engineering at the University Javeriana, Cali, has a master's degree in public policy from the University of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom as a COLFUTURO scholar, and is a graduate of the LeadershipXBogotá program at the Universidad de los Andes. For nearly a decade, he has worked on issues of leadership and citizen participation, which has fueled his vocation and desire to put his knowledge to service different parts of the country. Currently, he works at Fundación Corona as coordinator of Public Leadership, where he has worked on strengthening the capabilities  of more than 700 leaders of grassroots organizations, within the public and private sectors. Camilo has also volunteered with AIESEC and Global Shapers.

Carlos is an Industrial Engineer (Universidad Javeriana), Master in Innovation (Tecnológico de Monterrey). He has 28 years of experience, 15 of which have been advising entrepreneurs through his work in SENA, FINAGRO, the National Planning Department, and Fondo Acción, to develop innovative businesses that generate impact. Carlos is an expert in climate finance and business transformation for sustainable models.

He currently leads the Impact Investment Fund at Fondo Acción, supporting environmental and social impact ventures in regenerative agriculture, conservation, renewable energy, bioeconomy, and circular economy, investing more than $1.1 million in them. These ventures reduce CO2 emissions, avoid contamination of water bodies, conserve ecosystems, and improve the income of women, farmers, and indigenous peoples, among other communities.

Daniel studied business administration at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) and did a Masters in Creative Advertising at Queensland University of Technology (Australia). He is passionate about innovation and disruptive communication and has four years of experience as an account manager at advertising agencies including the Sancho BBDO group. He has six years of experience as the founder and CEO of Amazóniko, a collaborative recycling platform that connects households, recyclers, industry, and brands to give a second life to usable waste while distributing value across the value chain - offering households an integrated waste management system while also improving the living and working conditions of waste pickers.

Daniela is the Founder and CEO of the nonprofit, Wom-en, an organization that transforms leadership to advocate for a more sustainable and equitable world, through the training, connection, and visibility of leaders who are driving change. For more than five years she has sought the opportunity to build better communities, businesses, and educational processes. She is part of various national and international platforms and networks particularly focused on youth, public leadership, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. 

Currently, she is an ambassador for One Young World, a community of global leaders working for a just and sustainable future for all people. She is also  a member of Changemaker for Change, Liderario, United People Global, and the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. In 2021 she was at Colciencias researching environmental sustainability and climate change. 

David is an industrial engineer with a focus on business administration and a master’s in social responsibility and sustainability with a focus on poverty alleviation and peace building. For more than 12 years, he has focused his professional life on working in the third sector (NGOs and civil society) and its connection with public and private entities to respond to sustainable processes and practices for development.

Currently, he works as leader of Public-Private Partnerships in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Colombia, contributing to  channeling funds and opportunities to priority territories in Colombia with a differential approach (peasant, indigenous, and Afro communities, among others).

David is the legal representative and general director of the Nido del Fénix Foundation, which aims to contribute to the strengthening of skills in children and young people through community processes and the creation and protection of meaningful environments for integral development and entrepreneurship. This initiative seeks to guide vulnerable populations towards the reconstruction of the social fabric, aiming for a more inclusive, democratic, supportive, and peaceful society.

In the field, David leads various schools and youth  groups and serves as a liaison with public and private institutions, as well as volunteers. He is the father of a beautiful daughter named Valeria who, as well as his social vocation, is a fundamental pillar and his purpose in life.

Diana, also known as Diana ReUso, is a leader and social entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in social, community, and environmental projects. Ten years ago, she founded El Taller Del ReUSO (Re-use Atelier), whose mission is to democratize sustainability, and has made an impact on the rural population of peripheral Colombia, especially women. The government of Cundinamarca recognized her as "Cundinamarquesa que inspira" (Cundinamarquesa who inspires). Diana leads circular economy initiatives throughout Colombia, specializing in upcycling for projects such as "Moda Circular '' of Asodamas.

Freddy is an educator who has been working for more than twenty years with the base of the pyramid sectors and educational communities on processes and interventions to improve the quality of education and the working conditions of teachers in multiple places in Colombia and Latin America.

Currently, he leads the process of teacher training and implementation of the Mentu program of the Shaia Foundation. Through Mentu, he has reached more than 70 schools and their teachers in various regions of Colombia, and he has managed to improve the pedagogical processes for more than 15,000 children. 

Freddy believes in the transformative power that lies in human relationships, especially those that are  created in educational and community settings. For this reason, he maintains hope in closing learning gaps and building more empathetic, democratic, and supportive communities.

Glenda is an anthropologist and has a master's degree in human rights, international cooperation and humanitarian aid. She has been working in social and economic development in Colombia for more than 15 years, especially working in positions with agencies of the United Nations.

One of her greatest motivations is to help reduce the inequalities that exist in the world and this has been one of her drives to work in development and social projects in Colombia.

Gregorio dreams of a world where more people work on issues that affect many, not just those that affect themselves. He leads to touch people's lives.

He is the Executive Director of Vibra en Alta Foundation, a second-tier foundation in the education sector that empowers individuals to resonate with their true selves. For the past five years, he has taught the Difficult Decisions class at EIA University (Medellín), the same university where he graduated as an administrative engineer seven years ago. His strength lies in using both logical and humanistic tools to solve problems. Six years ago, he co-founded La Tertulia, a space for young people to sit down every Monday to converse and debate.

José is a lawyer, specialist in public law and Master in management and practice of sustainable development. He has experience in areas such as administrative and constitutional law, public policy development, social project management, and NGO management. He is the co-founder and coordinator of Fundación Podemos Cauca, Municipal Director of REDEJOCA, and Executive President of REDGIÓN S.A.S. He has worked as advisor to institutions such as the Constitutional Court of Colombia, the mayors of Cali, Jamundí, and Santander de Quilichao, the Chamber of Commerce of Cauca, and different community organizations. 

He has been a lecturer in at the national level and currently serves as a mentor at CESA’s School of Political Leadership of the Southwest and the programs Laboratory of Social Innovation - LISA and Resilient and Disruptive Youth of USAID, where he advises young leaders from all over Colombia in good governance, rural development, entrepreneurship, and socio-political empowerment.

Lala has more than 20 years of experience working in the social sector. She is on the board of directors of organizations interested in partnerships and sustainable intervention models. She is part of multidisciplinary advisory teams across NGOs, academia, and public and private sector organizations, among others.

As founder of Fundación Comparte Por Una Vida-Colombia, she is committed to implementing solutions that contribute to closing inequality gaps in vulnerable populations. She’s worked for more than 7 years coordinating, and leading teams and programs to restore the rights of children growing up in the Colombian protection system.

Her commitment and advocacy have led her to participate in different forums and seminars on philanthropy, and children and migration. She has extensive experience leading and volunteering in activities with students and civil society. She has a degree in education from Venezuela with a specialization in social management.

Laura is a professional in modern languages with more than 10 years of experience in the development of social programs aimed at closing social and economic gaps, especially for entrepreneurs, women, and youth. Laura excels at developing new partnerships and engaging with diverse audiences. Her main expertise lies in the design of high impact programs that contribute to the development of skills and competencies of entrepreneurs.

Throughout her career, Laura has been involved in programs related to academic, professional, and economic development. Through these programs, she has been able to contribute to the economic empowerment of women and young entrepreneurs from vulnerable communities, impacting more than 250 people in Colombia.

Carolina is the founder and director of La Cortesana. She is a fashion designer who graduated from the University of Belgrano, Argentina. She has more than 10 years of experience in the fashion, textile, and apparel sector, and is the creator of the first textile coworking in the world. She is a pioneer in the use of technology and innovation for the industry through her app, La Cortesana, which trains and connects garment workshops with entrepreneurs, brands and companies.

Carolina believes sewing machines are tools of freedom for women and can be used to build social and economic opportunities that help build a better society.

Maury is an artist from Quibdó (Colombia), business administrator graduated from the Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó, and recognized for his leadership as one of the best artists of his department. He visualizes entrepreneurship and art as a tool for social transformation. He is the founder of the Multi Arts initiative (M. ARTES), a project that aims to improve the quality of life of many families, by offering services related to the art of painting, providing the opportunity to generate employability to young people and mothers, and promoting a love and sense of belonging.

Miguel is a journalist, a graduate from the University of Antioquia, and currently studying for a Master’s in public health at the National University. For over 5 years, he has focused his work on HIV, from starting his own activism to co-founding the corporation Más Que Tres Letras in 2019. Previously, he worked as a journalist for the LGBTIQ+ community at alternative media platforms such as Tras La Cola De La Rata and Egocity Magazine.

His personal experience and knowledge in communication, journalism, and digital marketing have allowed his work and digital content on HIV to  reach a public audience. Between his personal and professional social networks, he’s reached more than 100,000 followers in Colombia and Latin America, and has worked with organizations such as J+Lac and Y+Global.

Nicolas is the co-founder, technical and operations director of Kakaoteros, a company whose cocoa products tell stories of peace and reconciliation through the support of cocoa producers - those who used to grow coca, and today are growing cocoa. Chocolates produced by Kakaoteros tell the story, for example, of western Boyacá, where Nicolás is  from, and where his generation has become the result of saying NO to war and illicit crops.

In his role, he has developed joint projects with organizations such as Compaz Foundation, international cooperation programs such as USAID's Resilient Youth and Territories of Opportunity, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation (KAS) of Germany in its Docuseries Postconflict Corp, participating as protagonists in the chapter Esmeraldas Coca and Cacao. 

Nicolas is an agro-industrial engineer from the National University of Colombia and a candidate for a master's degree in rural development from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. 

Nicole holds a master's degree in education from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. She worked as a language teacher in Chicago’s public schools advocating for bilingual and bicultural education. In Colombia she has worked as a teacher-researcher at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. Her research has examined student motivation, autonomy, and empowerment. Currently, she is the Director of Education and Programs at Coschool and leads the creation of resources for Edumotion, ensuring that they are aligned with the company's pedagogical model. She is also an educational consultant, teacher trainer, and founder of Bilingual Brains, a translation, editing, and educational consulting company.

Ronald is a psychologist with advanced studies in social enterprise management and local development, with over 16 years of experience in the social development and sustainability sectors. He is passionate about connecting humanitarian and nonprofit work with strategic management and sustainability. With experience in international cooperation organizations, NGOs, agro-industrial, and mining-energy sectors, he has worked in all regions of Colombia with a special emphasis on the Caribbean coast. He is a firm believer in building a more just and equitable world where empathy and effective work come together for a better future for all.

Sara Victoria is an indigenous Wayuu leader from the Uriana clan. She completed her higher education at the University of Guajira, with a certificate in business innovation management and citizen participation, and has participated in various business seminars. She competed in the XI International Congress Ribie-col, held in Popayán in 2010, taking second place in the student category with her paper: "From oral tradition to digital exchange." She also participated in the municipal educational forum, awarded first place with her paper "Indigenous fashion of yesterday and today." Recently, she participated in the Leadership for Reconciliation program, in the leadership community, Origen. Currently, she is the legal representative of Fundación Libertad for the Wayuu children and leads a project for the construction of the first mother and child center in La Guajira in order to mitigate the cases and deaths of children due to malnutrition.

Susana is a lawyer with a master's degree in law and globalization from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, who has been working in the areas of human rights and sustainability for more than 10 years.

Susana has supported and facilitated consultations with indigenous communities in the north of Colombia and has developed due diligence in human rights in different areas of Colombia.

Currently, she works with a Dutch NGO that promotes fair trade through changes in the sourcing practices of large companies. She is in charge of the coffee chain in Colombia where the NGO has projects in 4 coffee producing departments. Her work focuses on closing the income gaps of these small coffee farmers.

Walter is a psychologist from the Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, a career he studied with a scholarship from the Award for Excellence and Caribbean Talent. He is also studying for a master's degree in project management at the same institution. Currently, he is the Project Director of FUNCICAR, an NGO where he has gained more than 9 years of experience in projects related to strengthening democratic culture, citizen participation, institutional building, and the fight against corruption. His responsibilities include the formulation, initiation, planning, execution, control and evaluation, and closure of all of FUNCICAR projects. He is also the current spokesperson appointed by the Electoral Observation Mission for Cartagena and is a member of the Bolivar Political Debates Commission. His personal goals are to contribute to the transformation of the political culture of Cartagena, to overcome corruption, clientelism, and apathy for the public sector.

Follow along on Twitter and Facebook over the coming weeks as we highlight the incredible work of this  inspiring cohort.

Interested in joining the 2024 Acumen Fellowship in Colombia? Sign up here!