CARTO began as a product called CartoDB, which we developed at Vizzuality. Since most of our projects had a big geospatial component, we created a tool based on open-source software (PostGIS and PostgreSQL, among others) to render maps on the web. The tool evolved with every project that we released, and at some point we decided to transform it into a project first and a startup later.
We went from being just seven people in a small office in Madrid to become a +100 people company with offices in London, Estonia, New York City, and Washington DC. In 2014 we raised $7 million from a consortium of investors, and a year later, we received $23 million in Series B financing.
At CARTO, I grew in my role as Front-end developer and fell in love with digital cartography. I learned a ton about data visualization, how to spell choropleth map without looking up the word, and released several personal projects (like Spotimap) using the same API I helped build.
I also had the opportunity to do design work for specific features like onboarding flows and micro-transitions, design of merch (stickers and t-shirts), and copywriting.
As the startup expanded, so did my interest in preserving the positive aspects of our original culture while addressing the unhealthy and toxic elements that began to emerge from rapid growth.
To that end, I co-organized a diversity committee to oversee and improve hiring practices and workplace culture. Along with my friend and colleague Ariana Escobar, I also ran a handful of initiatives aimed at enhancing the company’s culture and improving employees’ day-to-day experiences.