CeLatam Bootcamp in Colombia

On Thursday, May 15th, 2025, we hosted our very first CeLatam Bootcamp, part of our 2025 initiatives, in Bogotá, Colombia, at Universidad EAN, with the amazing support of Celo Colombia and MiniPay. More than 40 Web3 and blockchain enthusiasts joined us for a morning filled with inspiration, learning, and deep connection.

We chose Colombia as the starting point for our Bootcamp series for a very intentional reason: Celo’s roots in this country run deep. Since as early as 2018–2019, the Celo ecosystem has been building strong community ties in Colombia, long before Web3 became a mainstream conversation.

During Devcon 2022 in Bogotá, Celo took that commitment even further by renting an entire house for a full year—creating a space where builders and founders from around the world could stay, collaborate, and connect with the Colombian Web3 community.

Beyond that, Colombia itself is a key innovation hub in Latin America, standing shoulder to shoulder with Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. Its blend of technical talent, entrepreneurial energy, and hunger for financial inclusion makes it one of the most promising environments for Web3 adoption and impact.

Thanks to the energy, curiosity, and openness of the attendees—and the presence of incredible guests like Ángela Ocando, 0xJ4an, David Carvajal, David Riascos, Franco Niebles, Junior Rojas, Santiago Viana, and yes, myself Cristóbal Pereira too 😄—we created a space of real value and impact.

Despite landing in Bogotá early that same morning with only 3 hours of sleep from the flight, the excitement of reconnecting with this amazing local community was more than enough to fill the room with good energy and possibilities.

The agenda included conversation panels, networking sessions, and hands-on workshops, each one sparking new ideas and connections. We explored how to scale an idea into a real Web3 project, uncovered financial inclusion opportunities in the region, and learned about innovative solutions like how TuCOP enables digital payments and how MiniPay is simplifying access to stable assets. Celo Colombia also contributed a creative touch by designing a special POAP for the event—attendees who claimed it were entered into a raffle with a prize pool of nearly $35 USD in cUSD.

It was a space to learn, build, and dream—side by side with some of the most committed leaders in the Colombian ecosystem.

What we saw in Bogotá was a clear signal: there is immense potential in the Colombian Web3 space. Powerful ideas and real use cases are already being developed, and with the right support—and the resilience and grit of their founders—these projects are sure to make waves soon.

Of course, even though we wrapped up a successful morning, there’s still work to do. One thing is clear: we need to bring more founders and builders into the Web3 movement. Latin America holds so many untapped opportunities, and I hope it’s Latino entrepreneurs who rise to meet them—not just projects coming in from abroad to capture the market.

That’s why we must keep pushing—educating, supporting, and connecting—so that every founder in the region knows: yes, it’s possible to build your Web3 startup here.

We’ve closed this chapter, but there's so much ahead. We'll soon announce our next bootcamp in Mexico, and we hope this journey continues to spark curiosity, unlock talent, and inspire builders across Latin America.

At CeLatam, our mission is clear: empower the next generation of Web3 founders in our region—and we’re just getting started. 💚