Thais Kikuchi

Brazilian tech leader driving gender equality in STEM through education

Thais Kikuchi is a Brazilian computer scientist and founder of Tech Hunter, an organization that has trained over 20,000 women in digital skills since 2012. Her initiative specifically targets Afro-Brazilian and low-income women, addressing Brazil's stark gender gap in tech fields where women represent only 17% of professionals. Kikuchi's programs combine coding bootcamps with mentorship from industry leaders, resulting in 75% employment placement rates for graduates. In 2016, she launched the Brazil Chapter of Girls Who Code, expanding their reach to 15 cities. Her advocacy led to the 2018 partnership with UNESCO to develop national digital literacy curricula for schools. Kikuchi's work was highlighted in the UN Women report "Breaking Barriers in Brazilian Tech", and she serves on the board of the Latin American Digital Inclusion Alliance (ALadi). Notable collaborations include a 2019 partnership with IBM to create AI ethics training modules for underrepresented groups. Her SheCodes Brazil platform now offers free online courses in Portuguese, reaching over 500,000 users. Kikuchi's impact is measurable: 34% of her alumni now hold leadership roles in tech companies, reshaping Brazil's innovation landscape.