NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth most populous in the world, but it provides only a minor fraction of the technological innovation that drives economic growth in other countries. A new social enterprise called Tunnel Lab is trying to change this dynamic by introducing a love for technology in many of the country’s poorest favelas. Tunnel Lab invites teens aged 14 to 18 years old to participate in a 12 week program which includes instruction in web and app development, business modeling, electronic prototyping and accounting.

Tunnel Lab recognizes that Brazil has an enormous resource in the poor youths that live in Rio de Janeiro and throughout the country. By tapping their creativity and intellectual curiosity, Brazil can accelerate the growth of its technological industries and economic development. By teaching young people about technology, Tunnel Lab is not only opening new doors to them, but they are also empowering them with the confidence that they can achieve great things.