About us

She holds a Master’s degree in Design and Society from PUC-Rio and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Communication from the University of São Paulo (ECA-USP). She is a professor of Culture and Technology at Universidade Cândido Mendes (Rio de Janeiro) and teaches executive courses for companies across Brazil. She is also an Ashoka Fellow, part of the global network that supports social entrepreneurs leading systemic change. She serves on the boards of Instituto de Tecnologia e Sociedade do Rio (ITS Rio), Instituto de Tecnologia e Equidade (ITE), Coding Rights, and the Global Innovation Gathering (GIG), based in Berlin and active worldwide. For over ten years, she has curated events focused on innovation, technology, and society, presenting her work in more than 20 countries across five continents. She is co-organizer of the book De Baixo para Cima (Editora Aeroplano, 2014) and host of Conexão Maker, a reality TV show broadcast on Canal Futura about entrepreneurship, emerging technologies, and social impact.

She holds a Master’s degree in Culture and Territorialities from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) and is an associate researcher with the Art and Artificial Intelligence research group at the University of São Paulo (USP). She was recognized by The Future Laboratory (UK) as one of the 100 most innovative people in the world. In 2023, she received the Internet Governance Highlights Award from the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), and in 2021, she received the Protagonista Brasil Award for her work advancing Brazil’s inclusive digital transformation. She is a columnist for Fast Company Brasil, where she writes about technology and innovation. She serves on the advisory boards of several organizations, including Museu do Amanhã, InternetLab, Artigo 19, NUPEF, Instituto Toriba, Instituto Update, Gênero e Número, Mulheres Negras Decidem, Instituto Museu Itamar Assumpção, LAVITS, and Énois – Journalism Lab. She is the editor of Can a Robot Be Racist?, the first book in the Museu do Amanhã’s “Pensando Amanhãs” collection (2023). Her work includes international collaborations and the co-direction of the documentary Quadro Negro, which addresses the experiences of Black students in Brazilian universities. She also participated in the Lauttasaari Manor Residency in Finland, collaborating for three months with the Anti-Racism Media Activist Alliance (ARMA) project. In 2017, she received the Digital Culture Highlights Award: Social Innovation and Technology, granted by Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) and the Advanced Program in Contemporary Culture at UFRJ. She has been invited to speak at major technology and innovation events in Brazil and abroad.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from ESPM-RJ and a postgraduate degree in Production Engineering and Economics from UFRJ. She worked on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with CSM Live, at the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), in marketing and communications agencies, and in refugee-focused projects at the Cape Town Refugee Centre and the Agency for Refugee Education, Skills Training & Advocacy. At Olabi, she manages all projects, leading strategic planning and overseeing the production flow of each initiative, while coordinating project managers and their respective activities.

She holds a degree in Social Communication from ESPM-RJ and is currently pursuing a specialization in Social Responsibility and the Third Sector at UFRJ. She has 10 years of experience in advertising agencies and production companies, coordinating audiovisual and brand communication projects. She served as Science Communication Coordinator at Instituto Serrapilheira, contributing to the creation and implementation of the Camp Serrapilheira program.

An Advertising undergraduate student at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), he was part of the university extension project “Tubo de Insight.” He has experience in production, event supervision, and client services. At Olabi, he works as a Projects and Communication Assistant.

She holds a degree in Library Science from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and has over 10 years of experience in school libraries and institutional reading promotion projects at organizations such as SESI and SENAC. She currently works as a Project Manager at Olabi, supporting initiatives and training programs within the PretaLab Network.

She holds a degree in Advertising from PUC-RS and has over a decade of experience as a designer and art director at agencies and design studios in Rio Grande do Sul. She currently lives in Rio de Janeiro, where she is transitioning her career to data analysis while working as a Projects Assistant at PretaLab.

Gyssele Mendes is a journalist, activist, and researcher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies and a Master’s degree in Communication from Universidade Federal Fluminense. She is co-organizer of the book Who Controls the Media? and the publication series Right to Communication in Brazil Report and Silenced Voices. With 16 years of experience in communication across the private sector, agencies, government, and civil society, she is currently a PhD candidate in Communication and Culture at UFRJ and a member of MediaLab.UFRJ, where she researches topics related to algorithmic anxiety. At Olabi, she serves as Communication Manager.

She holds a degree in Accounting from Universidade Estácio de Sá and has more than 15 years of experience in finance, including 10 years working on social impact projects. She oversees financial management for international cooperation projects and accountability processes for public and private institutions. At Olabi, she coordinates the organization’s accounting, financial planning, and administrative areas.

Davi Santos holds a degree in Information Technology Management from Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul and a postgraduate degree in Data Engineering from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. He is a technology manager with over 10 years of experience, including the last six dedicated to social impact initiatives. He currently serves as Technology Manager at Olabi and Instituto Fogo Cruzado, leading projects that integrate data, innovation, and social transformation. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with Instituto Criar de TV, Cinema e Novas Mídias and worked for four years in the advertising industry at agencies such as New Vegas, Live, and F/Nazca. A specialist in data and in building technology departments within the third sector, his mission is to build bridges between technology and social justice.