Angie Holguín

Colombian tech advocate empowering women in STEM globally

Angie Holguín (born 1987) is a Colombian software engineer and founder of Women's Global Hackathon, an initiative that has trained over 200,000 women in coding and tech innovation. Growing up in Medellín, Holguín faced significant gender barriers in pursuing STEM education. After working in tech roles in Silicon Valley, she identified the global gender gap in technology and launched her nonprofit in 2015.

The Women's Global Hackathon organizes annual coding challenges with corporate sponsors like Google and Microsoft. Participants develop solutions to societal challenges, with winners receiving funding and mentorship. Notable projects include apps for disaster response in Haiti and water quality monitoring systems in Kenya. Holguín's program has expanded to 120 countries, with 40% of participants coming from conflict zones and underserved regions.

Recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative and UN Women, Holguín's work directly impacts economic empowerment. In 2020, she launched the Global Tech Leaders Fund to support women-led tech startups in Latin America and Africa. Her memoir Code Breakers: A Latina's Journey in Tech details her advocacy journey. Holguín also advises UNESCO on digital inclusion policies and hosts the podcast Tech Equity Now, featuring voices from marginalized tech communities.