America On Tech

Year Founded: 2014

AOT envisions a world where young people across the country have equitable access to compete fairly for opportunities in the technology sector.

America On Tech focuses on reaching the 16-24-year-old pipeline of students from public and charter high schools where 70% of the student population is eligible for free or reduced lunch. Their program model includes a range of initiatives to address the root causes of disparities in tech education and employment. America On Tech’s innovative approach includes tuition-free training in tracks such as Artificial Intelligence, Web Development, UX Design, Product Management, Digital Marketing, Data Science, and Cyber Security. Curriculum is culturally relevant, project based, and industry aligned and vetted. Outside of the technical skills, embedded within each program is access to financial stipends, professional development, mentorship, exposure to hiring managers, and internship/job placements.

America On Tech was founded in 2014 by Jessica Santana and Evin Floyd Robinson – both people of color (Afro-Latinx and Black, respectively), graduates of the NYC public schools and first-generation college grads. While employed at global tech companies, they quickly realized there was a systemic disconnect between Black/Latinx students and representation in tech careers. With this, AOT was born, and today, the co-founders now serve “the students they once were.”

Since inception, AOT has empowered over 5,000 students across the country, with 85% of America On Tech alumni reporting enrollment in a Computer Science college program and/or in a tech-related job, where the average salary of a software developer is $132,930 or 2x the average US annual salary).