The Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG) has announced a new initiative aimed at increasing the participation of women in the video game industry. The program, called “Mujeres creando videojuegos,” will select 30 young women from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to receive specialized training in video game development, creative leadership, and technological entrepreneurship.
According to data cited by UVG, while 45% of global gamers are women, only about 25% of the workforce in video game development consists of women. The program seeks to address this gap by offering opportunities for women aged 20 to 35 who have ongoing or completed university studies in related fields. No prior experience is required.
The initiative is part of Ellas+, a program supported by AECID, and aims to foster economic and social growth through increased female participation in technology sectors. Applications are open until December 10. The first phase will begin in 2026 with a diploma course that includes both virtual sessions and three on-site bootcamps. Participants will develop prototype games under the guidance of specialized mentors.
In the second phase, starting in 2027, five outstanding projects will receive technical support and business mentorship. These teams will also compete for seed funding of up to 20,000 euros to help turn their prototypes into real businesses.
UVG’s longstanding involvement in computer science education provides a foundation for this initiative. The university was the first in Guatemala to offer a degree in computer science and now features laboratories such as UX Lab and NeuroLab for student specialization.
Alhvi Balcárcel, an alumna of UVG and coordinator of the project, emphasized the goal: “We seek to open opportunities so that more women can innovate within Central America’s technology industry.” Balcárcel began her engineering studies at UVG in 2003 and has taught software development since 2018. She is also co-founder of a company where she develops games with other UVG graduates.
Registration is available at mujerescreandovideojuegos.com until December 10. The program starts January 2026.
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