Five years ago, on October 30, 2020, ULAP.org was founded by Marilag Svennevig and Michelle Tabirao in Copenhagen, Denmark. With no funding, team, and resources, they met one autumn afternoon to brainstorm some ideas and sketch ULAP mission, vision and the first initiatives they wanted to roll out. Now ULAP.org evolved into a thriving community celebrating its fifth anniversary. This community has become a creative space where learning and collaboration happens, enabling knowledge and resources to be shared between those who have them and those who need them.
ULAP.org celebrating the 5th founding anniversary.
A journey rooted in people and purpose
ULAP.org began with one vision: to create an inclusive tech community with equal opportunity for all.
In 2021-2022, the two-year Cloud Career Kickstarter Program started, opening doors for aspiring cloud professionals who wanted to start their careers in cloud, data, and technology. Each of our ten scholars was paired with a dedicated mentor who guided them through both career development and technical upskilling. Our scholars participated in various cloud training and certification opportunities, including AWS Educate -by Edukasyon.ph, Alibaba ACA Instructor-led training, Azure Training, and continuous learning through the Luna Academy platform. These programs strengthened their technical knowledge and helped them gain confidence and clarity about their career paths.
By 2024-2025, we dedicated a 2-year long program to our second cohort of scholars under the Cloud and Github Associate Scholarship Program. This time, we expanded our reach to include not only students but also career shifters who wanted to transition into technology. It was also the year we crossed borders, welcoming our first scholars from Indonesia.
Each of our 18 scholars was matched with an individual mentor (example mentorship) who supported them in their personal and professional growth. They joined group mentorship sessions and specialized technical training, including Group Mentorship Sessions ( For example: GitHub & Azure) and Azure Fundamentals Training led by Jonah Andersson and GitHub Administration Training by Mattias Fjellström, and Stefan Petrovic.
- Hosted 15+ public meet-up events virtually and in person in Philippines, Indonesia, Denmark and Sweden – a mix of collaborative initiatives and independently organized in multiple venues with the support of the sponsors and partners.
- Supported 30+ technology events across various platforms and communities.
- Conducted 10+ instructor-led training sessions on Alibaba ACA, AWS Cloud Practitioner, Azure Fundamentals, and GitHub Administration.
- Trained over 100 individuals through specialized learning and certification programs.
- Onboarded 28 scholars across Cohorts 1 and 2 — each cohort engaged in nearly two years of comprehensive training and mentorship.
- Organized 2 graduation ceremonies for ULAP.org scholars finishing the Cohort and mentorship sessions.
- Celebrated multiple certifications earned by scholars and interns in ACA Cloud Computing, AWS Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, and GitHub Administration.
- Organized 4 Philippine Tech Community in Nordics meetups gathering more than 80+ Filipino practitioners in Nordics held in Denmark and Sweden, hosted by global companies such as SAP, EY, and ISS.
ULAP.org is the founding organization behind the the Philippine Tech Community in the Nordics, partnering with various companies based in Scandinavia to create opportunities for Filipinos in Denmark and Sweden to connect. We have organized in-person meetings at several locations, including SAP Denmark, EY Denmark, ISS Denmark, Trifork Denmark (Dewise office), and Solidify in Sweden. The goal of these meetings is to establish a vibrant Filipino community in the Nordics that allows members to connect, share knowledge, network, guide newcomers, gain valuable experience, and thrive in a country where many of us Filipinos in Nordics did not grow up. This initiative is in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in Denmark, led by Ambassador Leo Herrera-Lim.
The hands and hearts that built ULAP.org
No journey is ever done alone. ULAP.org’s success is the result of the collective efforts of our volunteers, mentors, scholars, sponsors, and partners who have continuously supported our mission and contributed to its growth and impact.
Over the past few years, ULAP.org has grown into a thriving community supported by:
50+ Volunteers and Mentors across the world
28 Scholars from Philippines and Indonesia
6 Premium Sponsors: Dewise, Solidify, Alibaba Cloud, Luna Academy, CloudSwift and Studio Hero
2 Community Day Partners: Microsoft and AWS
Organization Partners: Zonta Club of Makati & Environs, AWS User Group Philippines, Azure User Group Manila, Philippine Embassy–Denmark, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 – Indonesia, Philippine Tech Community, Azure User Group Sweden, Mozilla Philippines, Two Cents, Edukasyon.ph, AWS Siklab, and Devcon Philippines, Jonah Andersson Tech.
4 Philippine Tech Community in Nordics meetup in Denmark and Sweden
Media features – our story has also been featured in Manila Bulletin, Bobreyes.com, Subselfie, and GMA News.
To everyone who dedicated their time, energy, and resources to this cause, thank you.
Your efforts made every milestone possible, from organizing community events and guiding scholars through certifications to providing vouchers and opportunities that helped them reach new heights. You have shown that real change happens when people come together and lift each other up.
The next chapter: looking ahead
As we celebrate five years of growth, we also look toward the future with renewed commitment.
From today until 2026, we are opening new doors through partnerships that share our belief in sustainable innovation and inclusive learning. We are proud to announce our collaboration with Become DevOps, Microsoft Azure Community Philippines, AWS User Group Philippines, and Jonah Andersson Tech and Parola Systems, Inc.
Together, we will continue creating spaces that inspire more underrepresented individuals to explore technology, gain confidence in their skills, and find belonging in a supportive community that grows with them.
Moving forward with gratitude and hope
Five years ago, we dared to dream of a better way to connect people through learning. Today, that dream lives on in every scholar who strived to grow, every mentor and trainer who guided, every volunteer who shared their time, every partner and sponsor who believed in our mission, and every story shared within our community.
Here is the video message from the founders, Marilag and Michelle, along with all the volunteers, scholars, and mentors who dedicated their time and effort to this passionate community.
To everyone who has been part of ULAP.org since the beginning, and to those who will join us in the years ahead, thank you for being part of this journey.
