La Paz, Aug 15 (EFE).- Women have gained ground in Bolivian technology startups since last year and now account for around four of every 10 positions in those firms, the La Paz-based Emprender Futuro Foundation said Tuesday.
In remarks to Efe coinciding with the presentation of her organization’s latest “Map of the Digital Technology Ecosystem in Bolivia” report, that foundation’s director, Allison Silva, said there is rising gender equality in these types of digital ventures.
She noted that the report, which is compiled by Emprender Futuro in collaboration with other organizations, found that women currently make up 39 percent of staff at tech startups, compared to 36 percent in 2022.
“This is good because it means the value a woman can provide with her talent and knowledge” in helping to make a startup more efficient is being taken into account, Silva said.
The digital technology report also said financial technology (fintech) firms make up 30 percent of all startups in 2023.
Fintech startups are followed by e-commerce firms and educational technology companies, which each represent 14 percent of the total.
By contrast, Silva said only 10 percent of startups in 2022 were in the fintech sector.
She added that the typical profile of a startup founder in Bolivia is a young professional between the ages of 25 and 45 with a solid financial and technology background.
The report states there are currently 147 startups in Bolivia, 44 percent of which are located in the eastern department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s economic engine.
Thirty-three percent of the total are in La Paz department and 15 percent in Cochabamba department.
Of those 147 startups, 21 have expanded into international markets such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, the United States and El Salvador. EFE
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