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Key people at CODE2040.
Founded in 2012 by Laura Weidman Powers and Tristan, CODE2040 is a San Francisco, California-based nonprofit building career pathways for Black and Latinx computer science students and professionals entering the technology industry. Operating with an estimated 51 to 100 employees, the organization generates approximately $8,127,725 in annual revenue, holds an estimated valuation of $26,100,000, and has raised $5,600,000 in funding. CODE2040 partners with over 250 tech-driven enterprises to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented talent while advancing racial equity. The flagship Fellows Program, which began with five students in 2012, has successfully placed nearly 200 Black and Latinx early career professionals into the technology innovation economy. The nonprofit organization has been guided by notable executives including co-founder Laura Weidman Powers, former chief executive officer Karla Monterroso, and current chief executive officer Mimi Fox Melton.
Key people at CODE2040.
Code2040 is a Black-led national nonprofit organization, not a for-profit company or investment firm, dedicated to advancing racial equity in the tech industry. Founded in 2012, its mission is to activate, connect, and mobilize the largest racial equity community in tech to dismantle structural barriers preventing full participation of Black and Latinx people in the innovation economy[1][2][3]. It achieves this through direct service programs like the Fellows Program—a career accelerator for Black and Latinx computer science students—racial equity trainings for tech companies, and community resources for skill-building and systems change, partnering with over 250 tech organizations to support recruitment, retention, and advancement of underrepresented talent[1][3]. With a vision of equitable power distribution where Black and Latinx individuals contribute proportionally to their U.S. demographics, Code2040 has served as an entry point for hundreds of technologists while adapting to challenges like economic uncertainty and political backlash[2][4].
Code2040 was founded in 2012 by two Stanford MBA classmates, Laura Weidman-Powers and another partner, launching with the Fellows Program as an intensive career accelerator for Black and Latinx college and graduate-level computer science students[1][5]. This program quickly became a pathway for nearly 200 early-career professionals into the tech industry, building one of the largest communities of Black and Latinx technologists[1][3]. Early traction came from creating clear entry points for undergrads and partnerships with tech companies, but pivotal moments included a 2018-2020 strategic shift toward systems change and mobilizing communities against structural barriers, followed by a 2020-2023 focus on collective capacity-building amid the pandemic[1]. A key challenge arose post-2016 U.S. election, prompting founder CEO Weidman-Powers to navigate funding shifts and plan a leadership transition for sustainability[5].
Code2040 rides the wave of demands for racial equity and diversity in tech, addressing the industry's legacy of systemic racism and underrepresentation—where Black and Latinx talent remains disproportionately absent despite demographic realities[2][3][4]. Timing is critical amid economic uncertainty, post-pandemic shifts, and political backlash against DEI initiatives, positioning it to rebuild "pathways of economic mobility" and prevent a "lost generation" of technologists[4][5]. Market forces like tech companies' hiring needs and calls for inclusive innovation favor its work, influencing ecosystems through partnerships that reshape cultures, management practices, and founder pipelines—e.g., residencies fostering diverse entrepreneurs akin to influential networks like PayPal alumni[3][6]. By centering Black and Latinx expertise, it drives broader accountability and democratizes tech's future[4].
Code2040's next phase centers on job preparedness, economic mobility pathways, and community-led tech justice, targeting bridges to employment amid challenges. Over the next three years (2025+), it will expand support for early-career Black and Latinx technologists, leverage decade-long networks for global social justice tech solutions, and build worker power[4]. Trends like AI ethics, DEI scrutiny, and economic volatility will shape its path, amplifying its influence as a coalition-builder and narrative driver in an industry grappling with equity[2][4]. As the largest racial equity community in tech, its evolution from accelerator to movement leader promises sustained impact, ensuring Black and Latinx innovators dismantle barriers and redefine the innovation economy[1][3].
