Colombia is increasingly making its mark on the global innovation map. In a global education system under pressure to adapt to rapid technological change, few initiatives have managed to bridge innovation, accessibility, and long-term vision as effectively as Arukay. The Arukay Colombian edtech platform was created by Colombians Ana Victoria Ricaurte and Marcelo Burbano. The educational technology platform has earned international recognition as one of the three most innovative initiatives in education worldwide.
While its early development took place in an academic lab at Harvard University, Arukay’s story is firmly rooted in Colombian talent, creativity, and a commitment to reshaping how children and young people are prepared for the digital era.
The recognition received by Arukay comes from the Global EdTech Prize, an international award that highlights the most impactful and innovative educational technology initiatives in the world.
The prize is granted to projects that demonstrate excellence in transforming learning through technology, with a strong emphasis on accessibility, scalability, and real educational impact. Being selected among the top recipients places Arukay alongside leading global solutions that are redefining how education responds to the challenges of the digital age. The award is a recognition not only for Colombia, but for Latin America as a whole.
As highlighted by the newspaper El Colombiano and stated publicly by its founders, Arukay was born from a shared concern about the widening disconnect between traditional education models and the skills students will need to succeed in an increasingly digital and automated world.
That concern evolved into a platform that today reaches classrooms across multiple countries, offering a new approach to learning that places technology at the center of pedagogy rather than treating it as an add-on.
How Arukay works and the educational goals behind the platform
Arukay is designed to introduce students to programming, computational thinking, and artificial intelligence from an early age, using methods that prioritize understanding over memorization. The platform structures learning in progressive stages, allowing students to develop digital skills gradually while strengthening logical reasoning, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Rather than focusing solely on coding languages, Arukay emphasizes how technology can be used to analyze problems, design solutions, and think systematically.
One of the platform’s defining features is its integration into the school curriculum. Arukay works alongside educational institutions to ensure that digital learning complements existing academic subjects instead of competing with them. Teachers play a central role in this process.
The platform offers training and support that empower educators to confidently teach technology-related topics, even if they do not come from a technical background. This dual focus on students and teachers has been key to its adoption in diverse educational contexts.
Arukay’s long-term objective is to prepare students for a future in which digital literacy will be as essential as reading and mathematics. With growing debate around the idea that many traditional jobs could disappear or be radically transformed by 2030 due to automation and artificial intelligence, the platform seeks to equip young learners with adaptable skills that will remain relevant regardless of how the job market evolves. Technology, for Arukay, is not an end in itself but a tool for building critical thinking and lifelong learning.
The founders: Ana Victoria Ricaurte and Marcelo Burbano’s shared journey
The creation of Arukay is also a story of collaboration between two professionals united by a common vision. Ana Victoria “Vicky” Ricaurte and Marcelo Burbano come from strong academic and professional backgrounds that intersect at the crossroads of education, technology, and innovation. Their paths converged in an academic environment that encouraged research and global perspectives, allowing them to question conventional approaches to teaching and learning.
Ricaurte has built her career around educational innovation, focusing on designing learning models that respond to social and technological change. Her work reflects a commitment to inclusion and to creating educational tools that are accessible to a wide range of students. Burbano, meanwhile, brings experience in technology, innovation strategy, and entrepreneurship, contributing a systemic view of how digital platforms can scale and generate long-term impact.
As they have explained in interviews cited by the newspaper El Colombiano, Arukay emerged from ongoing conversations about the limitations of traditional education systems. Their shared concern about the future of work and the skills gap facing younger generations became the driving force behind the platform. What began as an academic project evolved into a global initiative, shaped by the belief that technology should serve as a pedagogical ally rather than a barrier.
Global reach, Colombian talent, and the impact on digital education
Arukay’s international recognition has turned it into a source of pride for Colombia, highlighting the country’s capacity to generate world-class innovation. The platform is currently present in schools across Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and the United States, and continues to expand into new markets. This growth demonstrates that solutions developed with local challenges in mind can have global relevance.
Beyond its geographic reach, Arukay’s impact lies in its contribution to more equitable access to digital education. By offering scalable and adaptable tools, the platform helps reduce educational gaps in a region where access to quality technology education remains uneven. Students gain early exposure to skills that are increasingly in demand, while teachers receive the resources they need to guide this transformation in the classroom.
In an era defined by digital acceleration, Arukay stands as an example of how innovation, when paired with educational purpose, can create lasting change. For Colombia, the platform represents more than an award-winning startup. It is a reminder that investment in education, talent, and technology can position the country as a leader in shaping the future of learning worldwide.