Guatemalan startup BecaLab recognized by MIT in the Innovators Under 35 awards
Ana Aquino, from Guatemala, founded BecaLab, an educational platform that acts as a smart matcher between student profiles and the most suitable scholarship opportunities.
Choosing the right career path or educational course is not always easy. According to the Education Policy and Data Center (EPDC), a lack of academic guidance often leads to poorly chosen programs and, frequently, student dropout. In Guatemala, less than 30% of high school graduates advance to higher education, highlighting the need for structured support, as reported by The Global Economy.
To address this challenge, Ana Aquino, from Guatemala, founded BecaLab, an educational platform that acts as a smart matcher between student profiles and the most suitable scholarship opportunities. The project integrates artificial intelligence, gamification, and vocational guidance to democratize access to international scholarships and support students in building a clear academic plan.
An Ecosystem Beyond Scholarship Search
"A BecaLab is more than just a scholarship finder. We want young people to understand why higher education is key in their lives, chart a strategic path, and enjoy their educational journey without relying on luck or improvisation," explains Ana Aquino.
The platform offers several tools to optimize scholarship search and guidance:
- Beca Bot: an AI assistant that guides applicants through the entire process automatically.
- BecaSwipe: a Tinder-like system for education, where students swipe right on opportunities they are interested in.
- BecaMatch Test: a $4.99 test that identifies the scholarships that best fit each student’s profile.
- BecaLab+PLUS: a premium service offering downloadable resources, document review, and masterclasses.
Personal Motivation Driving Impact
Aquino’s motivation stems from her personal experience: "When I finished high school in Guatemala, my plan was simple: study a degree, get a good job, and earn enough to live. Five years later, after winning more than 13 scholarships, I realized that without a strategy, valuable years are lost."
Her guidance on social media quickly attracted thousands of students seeking advice.
"I realized there was a structural problem. We needed a space that showed opportunities and provided vocational guidance," she adds.
Results and Reach
BecaLab has already demonstrated measurable impact: in its first three months, the platform reached over 200 active paying users with a monthly retention rate exceeding 60%. More than 5,000 students have benefited from its methodology, securing 500 scholarships in programs like Chevening, Erasmus Mundus, Fulbright, Swedish Institute and Fundación Carolina,, as well as at prestigious universities including Harvard, Columbia, and Cambridge.
"Ana’s goal is to reach one million students across Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on rural communities, indigenous populations, and first-generation women," the founder explains.
Recognitions and Leadership
Ana Aquino holds a law degree from Universidad Rafael Landívar (Guatemala), a master’s in Governance and Human Rights from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) through a full Fundación Carolina scholarship, and is pursuing a Master’s in Development Management at Universidad Externado (Colombia) with an ICETEX scholarship.
Her leadership has been recognized by YLAI Fellow (USA), the Ignite program at University of Cambridge (UK), and Techstars Founder Catalyst Women by WeXChange and BID Lab. She was also listed among MIT Technology Review in Spanish’s 35 Innovators Under 35 Latin America 2025.
