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Lab4U’s 2023 Impact

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Lab4U 2023 Impact:
Fostering Future Leaders

At Lab4U, we’re always looking into the future: future innovations, future possibilities, and seizing future opportunities to solve the biggest problems of our time. 

That’s why we’re investing in students across Latin America to spark interest in STEM topics, and, in time, close the talent and gender gaps in our STEM-employment pipeline.

In 2023, we did just that by working with a dedicated, international community of educators and companies to transform how we teach, learn, and talk about STEM education. Thanks to this collaborative spirit, we touched the lives of over 7,000 young people, 100+ teachers across 30+ schools in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. 

But that’s not all, let us share what else has happened!

Introducing a brand-new product: Lab4U App!

This year, we debuted our brand new, powerhouse Lab4U App. As the new home to Physics, Chemistry, and Biology laboratories all in one place, the app provides students with endless opportunities to boost their STEM skills and broaden their minds—all from the palm of their hand. Let the scientific adventures begin!

Lab4U All in One

In our new Lab4U App, we have added these amazing Branded Labs with experiential content aligned to STEM industries. 

We are also, introducing three innovative tools—Quizzes, Teamwork, and Planning—enhanced with AI to optimize learning. These tools aim to provide a more interactive and personalized educational experience.

Plus over a dozen other groundbreaking partnership projects and educational programs, which you can read about in full in ‘Our Key Focus: Building a Global Tapestry’ section. 

Upon reading it, you’ll find that Lab4U’s commitment to encouraging young minds to embrace science and technology is not just a mission; it’s a call to action. The more people, businesses, and communities that invest in our young people, the brighter our future looks.

So thank you for your support of Lab4U in 2023. Here’s to looking to the future, and to seizing the opportunities 2024 will hold.

Branded Labs: Cool Experiences for STEM Industries

In 2023, we achieved a new milestone by creating educational content related to various industries, including Energy, Mining, and Pharma. This initiative aims to help students expand their vocational horizons in STEM careers and encourages companies to collaborate on developing solutions for a more sustainable industry incorporating new empowered talent. 

Lab4U Branded labs
Pablo Pisani
Pablo Pisani

Chief Community Officer for Nitrates Iodine and North Public Affairs, SQM

"We are very pleased with the 2023 results of the NortEduca Program executed by Lab4U, not only because of the commitment of their professionals and the quality of the pedagogical work they carry out in territories important to us, but also because through SQM Labs, they are bringing the industry closer to new generations and projecting the future of innovation and technological development, from the North of Chile to the world."

Elizableth Cameron
Escondida BHP Lab4U
Elizabeth Cameron

Corporate Affairs Specialist, Escondida | BHP

"Through the 'STEM+Gender' program, we aspire to have more students in Antofagasta broaden their vocational future and view science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as spaces for professional and personal development."

Montserrat Palomar
Camanchaca Lab4U
Montserrat Palomar

Sustainability and Community Relations at Enel Chile

“Collaborating with Lab4U has allowed us to use the power of education to benefit our community and promote the participation of women in the energy industry. It’s exciting to see that a cell phone can be used to inspire new generations to further their own interests and pursue future careers in STEM professions.”

Sergio Giacaman
Camanchaca Lab4U
Sergio Giacaman

Chief Sustainability Officer, Camanchaca

“We are very committed to education and are strongly investing in enhancing the talents of students in the communities where our production plants are located. Initiatives like Lab4Sea help us develop joint solutions for the externalities generated by the industry, improving our environmental performance and training future professionals in the field of science."

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Building a Global Tapestry

Lab4U’s commitment to knowledge and skills development, innovation, and global collaboration echoes in every corner of the world, weaving a rich and diverse tapestry of learning and discovery that transcends geographical boundaries. From Chile to the world!

PADF BOEING

Democratizing STEM Education in Mexico with Boeing and PADF 🇲🇽

Once again, Mexico became a canvas for our educational endeavors in 2023. Teaming up with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and Boeing, Lab4U ventured into Baja Californa and Querétaro as part of a new version of the STEM Americas Program.

BRILLAS COLOMBIA

Sparking Scientific Curiosity in Colombia 🇨🇴

Once again, Mexico became a canvas for our educational endeavors in 2023. Teaming up with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and Boeing, Lab4U ventured into Baja Californa and Querétaro as part of a new version of the STEM Americas Program.

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Achieving Impact Through Great Partnerships Across Chile

ESCONDIDA PHP

Lab4U and Escondida|BHP join forces to create a hands-on and immersive learning experience in science, technology, and mining 🇨🇱

Lab4U, along with Escondida | BHP, which has been committed to sustainability since 2020 by transitioning to a 100% renewable energy matrix, has created experiments aimed at bringing young students and teachers closer to the fascinating world of the mining industry and its respective stages.

SQM

Exploring the Future of Mining: Lab4U and SQM Transforming STEM Learning to Empower 21st Century Talent 🇨🇱

Lab4U and SQM developed the third version of the NorTEduca Program, which aims to provide an innovative educational experience by showcasing the production processes of SQM. This program opens the doors to the fascinating world of the mining industry, where science and technology converge.

Camanchaca

Revolutionizing Scientific Education and aquaculture industry with Camanchaca 🇨🇱

Lab4U and Camanchaca are revolutionizing science education for four schools in the south of Chile by offering exciting experiments that allow students to dive in and learn about various aspects of the fishing industry through the Lab4Sea program.

ENEL

Enel and Lab4U Collaborate on Program Bridging Students with Energy Industry Processes and Challenges 🇨🇱

The initiative developed by Lab4U and promoted by ENEL will include a series of activities and experiments specially designed to bring students and teachers closer to the processes and challenges of the energy industry and to motivate future leaders in the field of science.

Engie

Engie and Lab4U launched a pilot program to revolutionize teaching and scientific learning in Chiloé 🇨🇱

Students from the Bicentennial High School of Dalcahue will be able to achieve significant improvements in the scientific field by incorporating the use of smartphones and tablets as laboratory tools within the classrooms, with the support of the educational solution provided by Lab4U and ENGIE Chile.

CBB

Cementos Bío Bío (Cbb) and Lab4U launches an educational program in Talcahuano 🇨🇱

This program is part of Cbb's sustainability strategy and will allow, among other things, to promote the interest of more students in acquiring STEM skills through experimental activities, to increase their participation in these careers in the future.

Molymetnos

MolymetNos and Lab4U Transform Science into Fun 🇨🇱

MolymetNos and Lab4U are developing the program 'Lab in Your Pocket', an educational tool that enables students to explore the world of MolymetNos' industrial processes. This provides them with valuable knowledge and can broaden their employment opportunities in the metallurgical, chemical, and metal industries.

FEES

Lab4U and Educational Foundation El Salvador (FEES) Transform STEM Education in El Salvador Mining Camp 🇨🇱

This initiative plays a crucial role in motivating Chilean students to explore the wonders of science and mining in partnership with Educational Foundation El Salvador for more than 400 students.

LINTAC

Fostering Scientific Exploration and STEM Excellence: Lab4U's Dynamic Partnership with Lincoln International Academy 🇨🇱

Over the past three years, the fruitful collaboration with Lincoln School has not only revolutionized teaching methods but has also positioned the institution as a benchmark for STEM education in Chile.

ABG

Lab4U and Alberto Blest Gana School Elevate Scientific Learning 🇨🇱

A seven-year partnership, with over 800 students and five teachers, showcases how technological innovation and experimentation are paving the way for accessible STEM careers, bridging gaps, and setting the pace for the future of scientific education.

3M

Empowering Future Professionals: Lab4U and 3M Transform STEM Education in Quellón, Chiloé. 🇨🇱

The program not only benefits students and teachers, but also drives technological advancements and creative solutions to global problems, contributing to a more inclusive and dynamic job market locally and internationally for students in the south of Chile.

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Working together, we extend our reach: Echoes from the Education Leaders

Lab4U’s impactful reach is made possible by the unwavering commitment and tremendous support of our teachers. We extend heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed teaching community – the true heroes and heroines reshaping the landscape of science education!

Ofelia
Brillas
Ofelia Zaragoza

Director of the Meyally School Mexico

"The Lab4U activity proved to be a fantastic experience for my students. I hope it continues to draw my students closer to the realms of science, and that each activity leaves a lasting impact on their lifelong learning journey. "

Macarena
Brillas
Macarena León

Teacher - Liceo Yobilo - Lab4Sea Project - Camanchaca

The activities, while simple, are challenging, allowing us to cultivate our students' interest in scientific inquiry and experimental verification of theoretical aspects describing a phenomenon. "Hope to continue bringing my students even closer to the world of sciences."

Sebastian
Brillas
Sebastián Zunino

Teacher - Colegio Quellón - 3M Project

Colegio Quellón has been using Lab4U since 2022, learning about the natural sciences via experiments. This way, students acquire new skills while discovering for themselves the knowledge to be gleaned from using the scientific method. Without a doubt, Lab4U is a great resource.

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Mom! We’re on TV!

Are we blushing? Yes! In 2023, Lab4U made headlines over 100 times with coverage spanning from our CEO being recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Chile by the prestigious Forbes, to features on CNN and numerous other TV shows and press outlets. Dive in now!

Forbes Honors Lab4U CEO Komal Dadlani among Chile's 30 Most Powerful Women

Our CEO, Komal Dadlani, was named one of the 30 Most Powerful Women in Chile by prestigious Forbes magazine.

Our CEO attended the prestigious Davos conference organized by the World Economic Forum in Switzerland

Komal was featured on the cover of Diario Financiero (FT in Chile) as the only Chilean entrepreneur invited to attend the World Economic Forum. 

CNN: Lab4U, the Chilean startup bringing science closer to the youth

Our CEO, Komal Dadlani, had the honor of being interviewed by Pulitzer Prize winner Andrés Oppenheimer on CNN en Español, sharing Lab4U’s groundbreaking efforts in revolutionizing STEM education across Latin America.

The AI and its Impact on Education: A Reflection by Komal Dadlani & ChatGPT

Komal asked ChatGPT to co-write an opinion column on how Artificial Intelligence has completely changed the paradigm of how we educate ourselves and learn at any age. Here’s the result.

Ministries of AI, Metaverse, Sustainability, and Other Trends Addressed in the Future Council of the World Economic Forum

Should countries have a Minister of Artificial Intelligence? Komal answers this question, plus she reveals the potential challenges involved with this new position.

Our CEO co-authored a blog for the WEF talking about social impact and why we must ground the metaverse in the 'humanverse'

While the metaverse calls us to enter a technological infrastructure that is not accessible to all, the physical world needs our attention and investment.

What’s Next for Lab4U? A Collection of SurprAIses are Coming! Stay Tuned.

IA Lab4U

Last but Certainly Not Least
Please Meet Our Dream Team!

We’re a bunch of diverse, inclusive, multicultural, and all-around awesome individuals with one mission: to create a groundswell of critical thinkers and curious minds ready to take on the big challenges humanity throws our way. 

Of course, you, too, are an important part of our team—thank you for supporting us on this adventure!

Lab4U and Escondida | BHP Join Forces to Generate a Hands-On and In-Depth Learning Experience in Science, Technology, and Mining through Branded Experiments.

According to the UN, by 2050, 75% of jobs will be related to STEM topics, making it crucial for our students to develop practical skills and acquire scientific knowledge applicable to real life.

With this goal in mind, Lab4U, along with Escondida | BHP, which has stood out since 2021 for its commitment to sustainability by transitioning to a 100% renewable energy matrix, has created experiments aimed at bringing young students and teachers closer to the fascinating world of the mining industry and its respective stages. Through three exciting experiences, participants can explore different mining processes while learning by doing. This provides students with an immersive and deeply educational activity, discovering how science, technology, and sustainability come together to address the challenges of the mining sector.

Using the camera on their mobile devices with the “Crushing Time” experiment, students can investigate how energy is transferred during the crushing process in mining, understanding how gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy combine to form total mechanical energy.

Escondida | BHP has invested US$3.4 billion in the Escondida Water Supply (EWS) project, which consists of a desalination plant and a water transport system to supply the copper mine. The desalination plant ensures a sustainable water supply in the desert areas of Chile and reduces dependence on aquifers, allowing Escondida | BHP to produce copper sustainably and meet its environmental commitments.

To learn how Escondida | BHP has incorporated various water-saving strategies in its processes and thus reduce water consumption during copper extraction, the “Let’s Save Every Drop” experiment will allow students to analyze the different stages of the leaching process. Through leaching, Escondida | BHP manages to reduce water consumption by more than 80% by using spheres made of 100% recycled plastic, which float on the water’s surface, insulate heat, and prevent evaporation. One of the processes benefiting from this saving is leaching, which allows obtaining copper sulfate from rocks fragmented during crushing.

To understand the key role of electrowinning in the production of copper-derived products, students can build a homemade system for this technique, through which they will obtain pure metallic copper during their science classes. This experiment will allow participants to understand the fundamental role of this process, which Escondida | BHP has focused on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout its supply chain.

The mining industry plays a crucial role not only in the Chilean economy but also globally, so it is important that our students understand its operation and the challenges it faces to achieve an increasingly sustainable industry. Lab4U’s Branded Labs offer a great opportunity for our young people to learn firsthand, experiencing and exploring mining processes practically and getting to know new responsible practices in the extraction and processing of various minerals.

For the second year, Lab4U and Escondida | BHP are developing the STEM+Gender Program, aiming to enhance and bring talent closer to the mining industry to train and empower the workforce of the future. This will enable us to face the challenges and opportunities that the 21st century offers us towards equitable and sustainable development.

Get to know the experience of teachers and students participating in the STEM+Gender Program!

🚀 Exploring the Future of Mining: Lab4U and SQM Transforming STEM Learning to Empower 21st Century Talent 🏭

Lab4U and SQM are developing the third edition of the NorTEduca Program, aiming to offer an innovative educational experience by showcasing SQM’s production processes. This opens the doors to the fascinating world of the mining industry, where science and technology converge.

In the regions of Tarapacá and Antofagasta, students from 7 schools can dive into different mining themes and understand how science, technology, and sustainability come together to tackle the challenges of the sector.

These experiences have been specially designed to provide practical and in-depth learning through experimentation, allowing participants to explore firsthand the various processes and stages of mining. There are 5 branded experiments developed by Lab4U, revealing some of the production processes carried out by SQM to obtain its minerals:

Students can learn how solubility relates to the crystallization process used by SQM for mineral purification.

To analyze the flow rate of extracting a brine pulp using a hydraulic pump.

Allows studying the behavior of fluids at different temperatures, simulating the Solar Evaporation Pools of brines used by SQM to obtain lithium.

Did you know? To produce iodine at SQM, caliche is extracted from the desert, transported, and piled up. Then, these piles are sprayed with water in a process called cold leaching, to extract minerals from the caliche. With this experiment, students will analyze factors that can influence fluid mobility.

Nitrate (NO3-) is one of the main compounds in fertilizers and can be naturally produced by extracting it from caliche and brines in the Atacama Desert. This allows Chile, through the work of SQM, to be a world leader in the production of naturally sourced potassium nitrate with the lowest carbon footprint, chlorine-free, and 100% soluble. This enables a more rational use of water for irrigation, increasing the quality and yield of various crops.

We are proud to continue empowering the motivation and learning of over 3,000 students in northern Chile. STEM talent that will become the minds successfully facing the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly technologized and sustainable industry.

We invite you to discover the NorTEduca experience in the voices of our protagonists. How students and teachers are transforming the way of learning and teaching sciences, becoming young leaders… from Chile to the world!

Women in mining for sustainable and equitable development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 goals (Sustainable Development Goals, hereinafter SDGs) approved by the member countries of the United Nations in 2015 establish a close relationship between development, equality and growth. Gender equality is considered a key goal (SDG 5) in the 2030 Agenda and is included transversally in almost all the other goals. This presents an opportunity to address the main gender inequalities, especially in economic sectors such as mining, which have significant gaps in access to employment and working conditions for women.

In Chile, gender inequality and environmental deterioration are related in communities linked to the mining industry, where the appearance of environmental conflicts has promoted the role of women as community leaders in the face of proposed mining projects. Although women have a key role in the sustainable development of mining companies, female participation in this type of industry is barely 8.4%. To improve this number, intersectoral dialogues have occurred between the Ministry of Mining, the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality and public-private companies. Based on these dialogues, the main obstacles faced by women for their participation in the mining sector were identified. The biggest obstacles are cultural barriers that perpetuate a domestic role for women, mistaken beliefs, for example, believing that the presence of women in mining brings bad luck, and the lack of measures to reconcile work and family life that is often given to the woman.

Women in mining

The jobs that are mostly offered to women are administrative and service jobs, generally provided by contractor companies, with low pay and precarious conditions. Therefore, to achieve gender equality, not only the number of jobs offered to women must be increased, but also the quality and working conditions must be improved.

The alliance between governmental institutions and companies seeks to strengthen the inclusion of women into the mining sector. More and more mining companies seek to increase the number of women in the industry, as demonstrated by the Public-Private Mining Roundtable in Tarapacá, which includes gender, safety, and supplier subcommittees. However, operational conditions, labor regulations, education and maternity continue to be barriers to access.

Proposed solutions to address these difficulties include strengthening regulations and eliminating possible contradictions between laws and regulations that discourage the hiring of women, reviewing the application and regulations on work at height, promoting positive actions in the recruitment of women in mining, and requesting that the institutions in charge of training women respond to the demands of the sector.

In addition to women who live in nearby communities and face difficulties working in the mining industry, professional women also have trouble integrating because they are overqualified and motherhood is seen as interfering with their careers. An article that interviewed 12 women in senior positions in mining companies reported that most of them experienced fear, pain, nervousness, and anguish upon integrating “forcibly” into an environment that explicitly rejected them. However, these women have led daily revolutions on field, generating a new symbolic and cultural scenario within the teams. Despite the obstacles they experience on a daily basis, mining professionals see themselves as examples for others and feel a conscious responsibility to break down historical barriers in a masculinized industry.

Women in mining

It is important to highlight that the contribution of women in the mining industry is essential for its sustainable development and the formation of communities inside and outside the company. More and more companies are joining the search for women who want to make the change, through initiatives such as seminars that promote STEM careers related to the mining industry only for women, or through exclusive calls so that more women can work as operators. Although change is not easy, more women in STEM careers can achieve a better future for the mining industry and society in general.

Questions to ponder:

1. Why do you think that gender equality is a key objective in the 2030 Agenda and why is it included in a transversal way in almost all the other objectives?

2. What do you think are the main cultural barriers that prevent women’s participation in the mining industry and what solutions can be implemented to address these difficulties?

References:

Caro, P., Roman, H., & Armijo, L. (2021). Women in senior mining positions in Chile. Agency and gender tensions. Convergence Journal of Social Sciences, 28, 1-29.

Step, D. (2021). Women and mining. Resiliences and marginalization in mining territories. Norte Grande Geography Magazine, 80, 129-148.

Stefanovic, A., & Saavedra, M. (2016). Women in the Chilean mining sector. Santiago: ECLAC.

Lab4U’s 2022 Impact – Thank you! ❤

Lab4U’s 2022 Impact: empowering future leaders

Did you know that, by 2050, the UN estimates that 75% of jobs will be related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers? Unfortunately, only 16% of  students today decide to study a STEM-related career. 

Technological transformation, industry digitalization, and the constant challenges humans face require that we train our future workforce today. That’s why, at Lab4U, we encourage our young people to pursue science and technology. As a result, we hope to generate real change, impact the future of work, and increase equality, equity, and respect for our students.

We have a lot to tell you! During 2022, we reached more than 7,000 students across 25 different communities and 40+ schools in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. We, however, have not walked this path alone; 110+ teachers and management teams helped us transform science classes and deepen students’ learning using 15+ projects we developed this year.

From Chile to the World

STEM Americas Program | PADF and Boeing

🇲🇽 Beautiful and dear Mexico received us once again. Together with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and Boeing, we reached two educational communities in Querétaro with the STEM Americas Program, which hosted experiments, bootcamps, and scientific projects, all with an aerospace focus. The program’s overall aim was to have students solve environmental problems using STEM disciplines and Lab4U tools. They then presented their findings to more than 200 attendees at the November 2022 Science Fair.

Impact Report 2022 - Fundación Brillas

Experimenta en tu Colegio | Fundación Brillas

We further expanded our borders with Experimenta en tu Colegio, a project developed with Fundación Brillas. This time we went to Colombia 🇨🇴! More than 300 students in the towns of Villavicencio and Pachaquiaro developed skills, scientific research processes, and knowledge around the greatest ideas of science.

In schools across Chile 🇨🇱, from Antofagasta to Chiloé.

Impact Report 2022 - Escondida BHP

STEM+Género Escondida | BHP

We’re empowering and motivating more than 150 girls to study science and technology, with the STEM+Gender program supported by Escondida|BHP. In 2023, we will continue to encourage students’ STEM development and thus strengthen the future of Antofagasta’s workforce.

NorTEduca | SQM And Fundación VOA

The NorTEduca program, which, thanks to the sponsorship of SQM in partnership with Fundación VOA, allowed us to work with 3,000 students and 80 teachers while benefiting 1,000 families. The program brought science activities, training, innovative methodologies, and didactic strategies to Pozo Almonte, Alto Hospicio, Tocopilla, Quillagua, and beyond.

Scientific Education for Change | Fundación Ashoka and Fundación Olivo

We achieved an even broader territorial reach with the Scientific Education for Change program, developed collaboratively with the ASHOKA Foundation and with the support of the Olivo Foundation. In total, we contributed to the development of STEM skills in more than 1,700 students across seven educational communities. We motivated young people to become “Changemakers,” encouraging them to become leaders in Chile and worldwide, with science, experimentation, and technology as their fundamental engine.

ExperimEntel | Entel

With a new version of the ExperimEntel program, we promoted the development of scientific learning and social impact in two Santiago schools. More than 160 students and teachers benefited from Lab4U tools, pedagogical support, and experimental accompaniment to deepen the students’ understanding of physics.

This year, we also celebrated continued partnerships with schools that have trusted us from the beginning, in Chile, such as  Alberto Blest Gana School, Altamira School and Lincoln International Academy. In Mexico  Instituto Asunción and in USA, South Georgia College. These schools  are transforming their science classes together with Lab4U.

There’s still more!

In 2022, we reached an important milestone for our company: we created the Impact Department, which will be essential in helping us measure Lab4U’s social impact across different educational communities. It also positions us as a leader within the education, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Chile and in the rest of the countries where we work.

Finally, to crown a great year, Morgan Stanley recognized us as the first and only Chilean-American startup selected to be part of its 2022 Multicultural Innovation Laboratory 💪. Lab4U was one of eight international companies selected for its high growth and women- and/or multicultural-led entrepreneurs. As part of the program, Lab4U receives support in business consultancy, acceleration, and due diligence, all of which has been key to our financial operation as we look towards international expansion and upcoming capital raises.

2022 was a great year. Join us in 2023 to continue transforming STEM education and making it universal around the world!

With our partners, we go further.

Pablo Pisani
Pablo Pisani

Manager Communities Nitrates Iodine and North Public Affairs,
SQM

“At SQM, one of our work pillars is education and culture, where we support programs that provide tools to develop skills in students and teachers and bridge the gaps that schools far from large urban centers face.

NorTEduca is an outstanding program that we have promoted with Lab4U and that has achieved great success in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions. It positively impacts the lives of children and teens who, despite living in isolated areas, now have the opportunity, together with their teachers, to integrate technological tools into their studies and learn science using their phone and Lab4U applications.”

Elizabeth Cameron
Elizabeth Cameron

Corporate Affairs Specialist,
Escondida | BHP

“As a company, we promote the STEM+Gender Program, which in a playful way seeks to attract the attention of young women who are searching for their future profession. It is an invitation to break paradigms to advance gender equality and dare to discover careers that are a source of innovation, sustainability, and leadership in the world of work.”

Lina Sanchez
Lina Sanchez

Director of the Brillas Foundation

“For the Brillas Foundation, it has been very satisfying to work with the Lab4U team and launch an innovative commitment to secondary-ed science teaching in Colombia. We frequently see how students move away from the scientific field due to a lack of motivation, significant learning, or self-confidence. It is inspiring to see Lab4U provide a practical and scalable tool that not only awakens knowledge, but also the motivation and expectations of young people who are defining their lives and who can use STEM education as an opportunity to shine in society.”

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From the voice of our heroes and heroines

It is all thanks to the commitment, bond, and support of our teachers that Lab4U can impact science education and transform students into the workforce the 21st century requires.

To our teaching community, we are so grateful for your partnership. You are heroes and heroines changing the way science is taught and learned!

Camilo Rojas
Camilo Rojas

Biology Teacher. Quellón School, Chiloé, Chile.
Scientific Education for Change Project, Olivo Foundation.

Professor Camilo sees in Lab4U a great pedagogical tool to help his students. He also greatly values its ease of use, which helps him further develop his science curriculum and better the students’ laboratory experience. “With Lab4U I have the peace of mind that It’s going to work, so I just do it,” he explains.

Karen Lizama
Karen Lizama

Physics and Robotics Teacher, Liceo Marta Narea Díaz, Antofagasta, Chile.
STEM+Gender Project, Escondida|BHP.

Professor Lizama tells us that Lab4U has changed her way of working. “Before, I just taught the lessons, and at the end of the unit I took students to the lab, and they were super motivated with that activity. But today, I teach most of the lessons by experimenting, so that it’s more practical and the students can use tools–and that has changed even my teaching perspective”.

Evert Daza
Evert Daza

Physics Teacher, INEM Villavicencio, Colombia.
Project “Experiment in your School”

Professor Evert loves the support he gets from Lab4U, as he feels his requirements have always been responded to and the work tools are effective for experimenting. “Today, we use video for the analysis of physics, so apart from recording the movement, the analysis can be done immediately. [Lab4U] gives you the tables and the data with quite good precision, which is very interesting to me.”

Cesar Rodríguez
Cesar Rodríguez

Professor of Interpretation of physical phenomena of matter, CONALEP Querétaro, Mexico
Project “STEM Americas”

Professor Cesar appreciates that students have direct interaction with and immediate verification from different materials when using Lab4U. “When we have a new topic, students ask me if we can work with Lab4U,” he says. That makes us happy.

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The power of Science in your hands

This year, our Department of Education developed new material and content covering the three different subjects using various mobile tools and sensors, like the accelerometer in Physics “Planet in Motion,” the color inspector in Chemistry “Birthday Party,” and the analyscope in Biology “Coastal Resources.” We invite you to dig into each of the sciences and learn more about the range of resources Lab4U offers.

science, Biology

Lab4Biology

The evolution of learning is in Lab4U’s DNA. Release serotonin while you learn!

Lab4Biology added more pre-designed experiments meant to develop 21st-century science skills through inquiry and project-based learning.

science, Physics

Lab4Physics

We strongly support knowledge acceleration for mass learning.

Lab4Physics added experiments to its curriculum that allowed students to learn in real time about the Universe, Earth, and Optics.

science, Chemistry

Lab4Chemistry

The Chemistry between you and Lab4U is the core to generate a chain reaction towards the knowledge of sciences.

In Lab4Chemistry, we added thermodynamics, redox, structure of matter, and organic chemistry experiments to our catalog.

Mom, I was on TV! 📰

We’re excited to share some major milestones we reached in 2022. Lab4U appeared in the press more than 100 times, covering everything from our partnership with Morgan Stanley to the creation of our Impact Area and even the international recognition of our solution as one of the most promising EdTech in North America, and our co-founder and CEO as a standout female entrepreneur. We invite you to relive the best of our year and visit these articles 👇🏽🎬

science, stem

The North America EdTech 200 is HolonIQ’s annual list of the most promising EdTech startups from North America

The North America EdTech 200 is focused on identifying young, fast growing and innovative learning, teaching and up-skilling startups in Canada and the United States. This year’s list sees a greater focus on the learner experience, including engagement, communication & retention.

stem, science

This is how Komal Dadlani attracted investment from Morgan Stanley to her startup, Lab4U

Lab4U became the first Chilean startup to join the financial giant’s exclusive acceleration program. Over five months, Morgan Stanley partnered with Dadlani to strengthen Lab4U’s business plan, with the aim of reaching a future IPO or M&A operation.

Lab4U signs ProChile’s former Head of Innovation to grow and enhance social impact

The recently created Impact Area started measuring the platform’s social impact in the various communities where it operates. It also works to strengthen the relationship between Lab4U and its stakeholders and position Lab4U as an important actor in the national and international innovation ecosystem.

science

The great leap of a pioneer of Chilean startups

Lab4U, led by Chilean Komal Dadlani, shares encouraging news: in addition to obtaining investment from the U.S. firm Morgan Stanley (thanks to its Cultural Innovation Laboratory), it also attracted the attention of new investors while consolidating in Mexico and Colombia. “Only 2.3% of funding in the Venture Capital industry goes to startups with female founders,” she explains.

science

Komal Dadlani and science education in Chile | Última Mirada

The CEO and co-founder of Lab4U spoke with Última Mirada about the promotion of science education in Chile and its weaknesses in this area.

Our team

We’re pleased to introduce our dream team, which this year grew by more than 70%! It includes diverse, inclusive, multicultural, and multidisciplinary talent, all of whom are committed to supporting our students and teachers in order to create critical and curious citizens, who will solve the great challenges of humanity.

Boeing and The Pan American Development Fund Back Kids’ STEM Education with Lab4U Partnership

Lab4U could not be more excited to announce a new partnership with The Boeing Company and The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) in support of science teachers and students in Querétaro, Mexico. Together, the companies will be providing free lab technology, materials, and support across three schools for the 2021-2022 school year.

“STEM education is critical for equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century (…) However, in Latin America, up to 88% of schools don’t have science labs, and in those that do, much of the equipment is out of date. It puts those students at a disadvantage from an early age and leaves them uninspired.”

Komal Dadlani, CEO of Lab4U.

Dadlani co-founded Lab4U to help close that gap. The socially-conscious company increases access to quality science education by developing affordable new technologies and teaching methodologies that students can access from anywhere, thanks to their smartphones. Using Lab4U’s app and accessories, a cell phone becomes a pocket laboratory, allowing kids to complete a wide range of science labs in real time.

Lab4U and PADF teachers experimenting with Lab4Chemistry

The Boeing-Lab4U-PADF alliance will provide three Querétaro-based schools with unlimited access to Lab4U’s chemistry and physics applications, plus additional materials, training, and monitoring for science teachers and students in Upper Secondary Education. All tools will support CONALEP and COBAQ curricula; most importantly, they will promote meaningful learning and an increased interest in STEM subjects.

The effort comes at a particularly important time as schools navigate the ongoing shift between in-class and remote learning. Thanks to their portability, Lab4U’s phone-based products allow teachers to create an effective learning experience for their students both in school and at home. As a result, teachers can leverage real-world experiments to help their students to better understand their environment during this particularly challenging time.

Boeing chose Querétaro for the project’s launch, because the state is one of its largest producers of aircraft parts.

“STEM education prepares students to face the challenges of the future. At PADF Mexico, we are very happy to have the STEM Americas program in Querétaro, as it will help stimulate curiosity and an interest in scientific knowledge for the good of our country. Future graduates of the program will enjoy better work opportunities, and it’s an opportunity, also, for Mexico to promote workforce training that engages people with the economy and is rooted in human development and dignity.”

Valeria Uribe, Director of PADF Mexico.

To bolster these skills, Lab4U will be partnering with Boeing to design aerospace-related experiments to inspire students to pursue STEM-related careers. At Lab4U we are happy to join forces with an organization that cares about Education and has been working on it for a long time. For more information on other Education related topics from Boeing, check out the following link: Boeing Educational Resources. 

This year with PADF and Boeing, Lab4U is working in the Querétaro-area schools which are currently invited to apply for the STEM program; three teachers will be chosen to receive the program that includes Lab4U’s implementation and support. The project is also a part of the STEM Americas program, which encourages math and science education across Latin America through strategic partnerships between schools and the private sector. For more information on Boeing’s growth in Mexico, visit here. For more information on PADF, visit here. For more information on Lab4U’s novel approach to science education, visit lab4u.co.

Lab4U Scholarship: Bringing science closer to students in high-need communities in times of COVID-19

The impact of the pandemic on schools and learning communities around the world has been incredibly challenging and demanding.

lab4u-experiment
Experimentation

The COVID-19 health crisis has affected everyone, and educators are no exception. Indeed, the impact of the pandemic on schools and learning communities around the world has been incredibly challenging. Demanding that teachers, administrators, families, and students themselves radically change the way they’re teaching and learning in a short period of time.

While this transition hasn’t been easy for anyone. It’s been especially challenging for students in public schools in low-income communities, which may not have the infrastructure or the resources to adapt to this “new normal”.

Science, experimentation, and inquiry

Lab4U has always sought to bring science, experimentation, and inquiry closer to learning communities all over the world. At this time, we’re especially concerned with the experience of students and teachers in public schools. We’re looking for ways to support them with resources to ensure quality distance learning experiences.

  • How can we ensure that all students, have the resources and tools they need for a quality science education?
  • Who can we work with to multiply our impact in STEM education?

Beca Lab4U program: meaningful and lasting impact

lab4u-app
Lab on your pocket

In the spirit of generating meaningful and lasting impact in schools and communities in need of support, at the end of May we launched the “Beca Lab4U” (Lab4U Scholarship) program, supported by CEMEX and the US Embassy in Mexico.

During this program, we were able to offer Lab4Physics Premium for free to a group of teachers and their students in public schools all over Mexico, giving thousands of students access to a lab in their pocket and the chance to learn science through experimentation from their own homes.

After receiving close to 200 applications to the “Beca Lab4U” program and evaluating the interest and motivation of each applicant, we selected a group of 39 physics teachers to participate in this unique program.

The teachers, who come from 7 different states all over Mexico, represent a tremendous diversity of contexts and experiences. But they’re unified by their concern for developing significant STEM knowledge and skills among their students, and an interest in innovating in science education.

Stundents worked with Lab4Physics from home!

After online training, we created users for more than 1,500 students who were able to access Lab4Physics for the last month of the 2019-20 school year. Indeed, they worked with Lab4Physics from home, using only basic material most students can find at home.

Those that are able to have also been able to participate in synchronous classes with their classmates. And others who may not have internet or computer access have participted in WhatsApp and Messenger conversations with their classmates where they share their analysis and what they’ve discovered as they experiment from home.

lab4u-webinars
Online Training

We hope the learning that comes out of this project have a lasting benefit for participating students. And they also keep learning and being inspired by science throughout their lives.

Are you interested in supporting science education in a high-need school?

There are thousands more students and teachers across Mexico, who are looking to contribute to education initiatives like these. When students and teachers need it most!

Finally, contact us today to learn more!

[email protected]