Mobilizing Curaçao’s IT Community 4 a Brighter Future
About us
IT4Curaçao is a IT non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the Curaçao’s digital ecosystem through connection and collaboration.
We bring together the global Curaçaoan IT diaspora, local professionals, community organizations, companies and public institutions to create space for shared learning, dialogue and meaningful action.
Mobilizing Curaçao’s IT Community since
Our Mission
We connect people, facilitate knowledge exchange and activate partnerships to create digital opportunities, make challenges visible and accelerate inclusive growth on Curaçao.
Our Vision
A Curaçao where digital progress is driven by connected communities, strong diaspora ties and open collaboration between government, organizations and talent. A future where everyone has access to opportunity, innovation and sustainable development.
Together we’re building bridges through technology.
Our Values
Community-driven
We are built by and for the community.
Our initiatives are shaped by real needs, shared ideas and collective energy.
Inclusivity & accessibility
We believe everyone should have access to digital opportunities.
We create space for diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skill sets within IT.
Collaboration over competition
We believe progress happens when people work together.
We encourage partnerships, shared knowledge and collective growth.
Transparency & trust
We value openness in how we communicate, collaborate and make decisions.
Trust is the foundation of everything we build as a community.
Local impact with global perspective
We combine global knowledge from the diaspora with local needs on Curaçao.
Our goal is to create impact that is both relevant on the island and connected to the world.
The Team
Milangelo Maduro
Chairman
Ian van Eenennaam
Founder & Supervisory Board Member
Zahir Wanga
Treasurer
David Tjong-Ayong
Secretary
Rianne Cicilia
Program Contributor
Dayhana Herrera
Communication & Web Team
Sergio Kappel
Web Team
We build connections that lead to impact.
Our Role
Connect
We connect people, ideas and initiatives across the Curaçaoan diaspora and the island
Facilitate
We create space for collaboration, dialogue and knowledge exchange between community members, organizations and institutions
Activate
We mobilize our community around real digital and societal challenges that matter to Curaçao.
Strengthen
We build and nurture long-term relationships that support trust, collaboration and sustainable local impact.
Built by community, growing through collaboration.
Our Journey
founding & early years –
establishing IT4Curaçao
IT4Curaçao was founded by Ian van Eennenaam during the COVID-19 lockdown, a moment when the world slowed down, but reflection grew stronger.
For many Curaçaoan professionals abroad, it sparked something deeper: a renewed connection to the island and a shared question: How can we contribute from where we are?
That question became the starting point: using skills in IT and digital fields to help shape a more future-proof economy for Curaçao.
Our first project –
Exploring Impact Through Upskilling
In the early years, IT4Curaçao focused on building its foundation and exploring where it could create the most value. During this phase, we experimented with supporting career transitions into IT.
We coached a small group of individuals from non-technical backgrounds who wanted to reskill into front-end and back-end development. Out of this group, one participant successfully transitioned into a full stack developer.
This experience gave us valuable insight: while upskilling has impact, our greatest strength lies in connecting, facilitating and activating people and opportunities at a broader community level.
IT4Curaçao X Tech Meetups –
Inspiring young digital enthusiasts
In 2023 our community member David Tjong-Ayong contributed to a Programming Master Class hosted at BearingPoint Caribbean by Curaçai Tech Meetups, designed for young digital enthusiasts aged 13–18.
During this session, David facilitated the masterclass: helping youngsters explore the fundamentals of programming and gaining hands-on experience in building their own web applications.
This collaboration reflects our belief that inspiring the next generation and creating early exposure to digital opportunities is key to long-term impact on Curaçao.
IT4Curaçao X NGRANE –
Unite Engage Shape
Together with Ngrane, IT4Curaçao hosted the event “Unite, Engage, Shape”, bringing together members of the Curaçaoan diaspora to share their experiences and insights from working in the global tech industry.
During this session, five diaspora professionals presented on a range of topics, including:
1) Artificial Intelligence, ethics and its impact on the planet by Gabriela Obispa.
2) Remote working opportunities and what it takes to access them, By Ian v.Eenennaam & David Tjong-Ayong.
3) Emerging roles in tech, such as growth hacking by Chiara Liqui-Lung.
4) Personal journeys and lessons learned working in international IT environments by David van Delden.
The event created space for open conversation, inspiration and practical insight, helping participants better understand what working in IT can look like beyond the island. This initiative reflects our mission to make digital opportunities visible, accessible and real through lived experiences from the diaspora.
IT4Curaçao first solo event –
From Connection to Activation
Through the panel session “Beyond Code”, we explored the many roles and pathways within IT that go far beyond software development.
Participants were introduced to different areas such as: Project management, Data & analytics, Business and functional roles in tech.
The goal was to make IT more accessible by showing that there is a place in tech for different talents, backgrounds and perspectives.
This initiative reflects our commitment to making digital opportunities visible and inclusive for a wider community.
A new chairman & new mission
Stepping into our role as a connector for Curaçao’s digital future
In 2026, under the leadership of chairman Milangelo Maduro, IT4Curaçao redefined its role.
We shifted from a primary focus on upskilling and future-proof economy to a broader, community-driven mission: Creating a space where the Curaçaoan diaspora and the island reconnect through technology, collaboration and shared purpose.
We embraced our identity as a non-profit organization that connects, facilitates and activates:
the Curaçaoan IT diaspora, local IT communities, organizations and government IT Teams.
Our focus for this term is to increase the visibility of real current IT challenge and matching digital opportunities. At the same time, we continue to grow our IT community in the Netherlands, while laying the foundation for future international IT diaspora hubs.
Let’s Build Something Lasting Together
Whether you return, stay remote, or partner from abroad , you have a role in Curaçao’s digital future.
We help you find it.
Frequenty asked questions
Our community is built around the Curaçaoan IT diaspora and local ecosystem, so a connection to the island is what ties us together. That said, if you’re a partner, employer, or collaborator with genuine interest in Curaçao’s digital future, we’d love to hear from you.
All kinds. Software engineers, UX designers, IT managers, data analysts, Business Analyst, cyber security professionals, developers, entrepreneurs, at every career stage from junior to senior. The common thread isn’t a job title. It’s a shared background and a curiosity about what’s possible.
Yes. Community membership is completely free. We believe access to honest information and a strong network shouldn’t cost anything.
Reach out about a partner membership. We don’t operate as a traditional recruitment agency, but we do facilitate connections between organisations on the island and IT professionals in our network who are open to opportunities. The best partnerships start with being part of the community, not just advertising to it.
