Strictly Business #28: Catalina & Laura from SiDeUna

Catalina Sierra-Zamudio // Software engineer and product manager
Laura Gomez // Operations and customer support manager

Si DeUna enables to travel inter-city safely and eco-friendly in Latam by its verified community of carpoolers.

On our way as entrepreneurs, we have come across discouraging phrases such as “I recommend you find a male co-founder, it will make it easier for you”

We feel that many times we, as women entrepreneurs, are labeled as “having fun with a hobby” rather than building a company. It costs us much more to prove our value. In fact, less than 0.5% of venture capital goes to women of color founders.

Fortunately, we have found mentors and investors along our way whose words and advice come from other corners.

We have also heard phrases like “awesome to see a woman programming” or “how cool it is to see a woman of color starting a business”. Although they are intended to encourage us, these expressions are also a sample of the approach that the business world has today.

As co-founders of Si DeUna, a community of verified inter-city travelers in Latam, we feel like a refreshing face in the startup ecosystem. Our achievements have allowed us to generate interest in potential investors and allies.

We are in a traditionally male industry and this means that we help solve a mobility problem from another perspective and logic.

This is the type of non-traditional proposal that triggers creativity in a sector and disrupts the way of doing things.

We will continue making progress on our path and we are sure that we will meet the allies who will support us to achieve our goals.

Do you want know more about Laura’s (she/her) & Catalina’s (she/her) work? Go check out their account on Instagram!

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INTERSECTIONAL WORK & SOCIAL CLUB

BIWOC* Rising is the first intersectional co-working space & social club in Berlin and Germany. This safer space is exclusively for women, trans, inter and non-binary people who identify as Black, indigenous or of Colour! Through training programs, empowerment workshops, and a work-desk in the heart of Berlin-Kreuzberg, BIWOC* Rising is creating a new working culture – a working culture that transcends the white, homogenous, capitalist one that has been a core driver of gentrification and marginalization in Berlin.

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