Some things about me:

  • Born in Lima, Peru.
  • Moved out of my house at 16.
  • Built Yaku, a Peruvian social enterprise.
  • Won a scholarship by Eric Schmidt (former CEO of Google) to attend any university of my choosing. I chose Stanford.
  • I'm a dancer, photographer, and runner (pic shows my dog's first 10K!)
maria fernanda velasquez

Some things I believe:

  • Enthusiasm matters.
    • You excel in what excites you.
    • Personal drive is needed for energy, and energy is needed for progress.
  • If it's not human-centered, it will not grow.
    • We build for people It is sometimes easy to forget that.
    • It's impossible to do something impactful without user feedback and iteration.
    • Growth is circular, not linear.
  • Done is better than perfect.
    • Perfectionism hinders development.
    • If you seek perfection, you might never achieve it.
    • Upload that draft. Publish that Tweet. Share that rough idea.
  • Building serendipity is your best teacher.
    • "An event characterized by an unexpected and pleasant discovery."
    • You learn what you actively look for.
  • People.
    • Be kind. Be open-minded. Be honest.
    • Treating others compassionately makes you grow.
  • Bias for action is your best bet.
    • Advancement is hindered by fear.
    • We know less than what we think. Embracing that you're starting is the first step.
    • It's better to get dopamine from improving your idea than getting it validated.
maria fernanda velasquez

My projects.

Mainly focused on the intersection of technology and healthcare/sustainability.

Milestones and Awards.

The recognitions closest to my heart.

🧬

iGEM Gold Medal

Won gold medal at the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris, France. Also got nominated for Best Presentation, Best Human Practices and Best Education amongst all iGEM teams globally.

💬

Stanford ASES Bootcamp Winner

Won pitching competition organized by Stanford ASES judged by renowned Silicon Valley VCs. Funded to develop MVP.

🧠

Rise Global Winner

Given by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust to 100 students around the world to cover full undergraduate studies.

🌍

ari global Pitch Competition Winner

Won pitching competition in ari global's climate tech research sprint with SaveHeat, judged by renowned San Francisco entrepreneurs.

🥈

ADECOPA Regional Mathematics Tournament

2nd place at one of the most prestigious regional interscholar mathematics tournament.

📚

Ministry of Education
"Yenuri Chihuala Cruz" National Finalist

National prize for best solidarity-driven projects amongst 18-35 year olds.

🗣

Head Prefect & Valedictorian

Chosen as the head of Villa Caritas' school council, representing +2000 young girls in school administrative settings.

🌱

Head of Sustainability Council

Led weekly meetings @ UWC Adriatic and negotiated sustainable policies with school administration.

🎙

Model United Nations Best Delegate

National: 5x Best Delegate, 4x Best Large Delegation.
International: 1x Best Delegate @ NHSMUN 2021.

💚

STEAM Club Founder

Started first engineering club in Villa Caritas School (Lima, Peru). Taught basics of robotics and Python, inspiring over 200 girls to pursue their passion for engineering.

🏆

New York Academy of Sciences Global Finalist

Finalist in Green Textiles Challenge, proposing a sustainable production mechanism for textiles.

🎶

Musical Audition Contest (CAM) Winner

2nd place at national musical audition competition, being able to recognize diverse classical music compositions in less than 0.5 seconds.

Let's chat.

Feel free to say hi at mafer@stanford.edu!