TUMO inaugurates its first learning center for creative technologies in Uruguay

TUMO’s first educational center in Uruguay was inaugurated in the presence of the President of the Republic, Professor Yamandú Orsi, along with national and departmental authorities. This modern center, located at the entrance of Carrasco International Airport, in Uruguay arrives in the country through Aeropuertos Uruguay and Corporación América Airports, and features a strategic partnership with Ceibal to offer an innovative extracurricular learning program in creative technologies, free of charge, to Uruguayan youth.

“TUMO is a space where young people can discover what they are passionate about, because we know that when we give them the tools to achieve it, they become unstoppable. We are very excited to open our doors and to see the great reception this proposal has received, as well as the enthusiasm of young people and their families,” said TUMO Uruguay’s Executive Director, Carolina Gutiérrez.

The building where the TUMO center will operate, whose construction involved an investment of USD 10 million by Corporación América Airports, spans more than 2,500 square meters designed to foster creativity, learning, and collaboration. It includes the TUMO center, a multipurpose room, and office spaces.

The architectural design features open spaces and a large central staircase as a meeting point, encouraging interaction among students. It includes a spacious self-learning room, a robotics room, workshop areas, a music studio with a control room, rehearsal room, and recording studio.

It is equipped with the latest technologies and includes 250 state-of-the-art computers, musical instruments such as guitar, drums, piano, and bass, production equipment, digital equalizers, sound booths, among other equipment.

Aimed at teenagers aged 12 to 18, TUMO offers a different learning experience based on self-learning, hands-on workshops, and projects supported by tutors and experts.

At TUMO, young people build their own learning path by combining hands-on workshops and projects guided by tutors and experts. The disciplines available in Uruguay include robotics, animation, 3D modeling, music, film, generative artificial intelligence, video game development, and programming.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Corporación América Airports, Martín Eurnekian, highlighted the value of creating spaces that foster young talent. “Education is a tool for transformation and inclusion, and that is why we believe in initiatives like TUMO and want to help them take off in Uruguay. As the airport operator we are committed to giving wings to all these young people so they can bring their ideas to life and discover what they are passionate about,” he stated.

During the event, Ceibal’s President, Fiorella Haim, emphasized that “at Ceibal we have followed a path that began with democratizing access to technology and has now expanded toward developing key skills for the present and the future, helping to build greater equity and prepare new generations for a constantly changing world. Always with the same conviction: technology is a means, not an end. The arrival of TUMO naturally aligns with this journey, as it expands opportunities and offers teenagers a space to develop creative, technological, and collaborative skills.”

For his part, the Mayor of Canelones, Francisco Legnani, highlighted that the department has been promoting an innovation-focused policy for years, considering it a central pillar of its development, and that TUMO aligns with this vision. “When the project was presented to us so that the Canelones government could join, we said yes immediately, because it targets young people at a stage when they absorb a great deal, and in this case, they will be able to access learning in eight key disciplines that reflect where the world is heading,” he said.

Chris Shahinian, Director of TUMO International, who traveled to the country for the celebration, stated: “At TUMO, teenagers don’t just acquire skills. They learn how to learn. They explore technology and design, experiment, make mistakes, try again, and in that process discover what they are capable of and more. That is why this center is not just a building: it is a commitment to the youth of Uruguay. A space where curiosity is the starting point, where creativity meets technology, and where the next generation begins to chart its own path.”

The center will soon open its doors to the first 1,000 students per week, who will begin this new learning experience in April. To ensure a high-quality educational experience and personalized support, enrollment will be gradual. After receiving more than 4,500 applications in the last months, TUMO Uruguay plans to expand its capacity to reach 1,500 students per week by 2026. This progressive growth will allow more students to be incorporated in the coming months, in response to the strong interest generated by the program since its launch.

During the ceremony, Tamar Colodenco, Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager for Google in the Southern Cone, announced that Google will collaborate with TUMO Uruguay over the next two years “with the goal of ensuring that students have access to top-quality training in areas such as artificial intelligence. We are especially excited about the inclusive nature of this initiative, ensuring that the digital future is built by everyone. At Google, we are convinced that when Uruguayan talent has the right tools, its potential is limitless.”

The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies was created in Armenia and is currently present in more than ten countries, in cities such as Paris, Berlin, Lisbon, Los Angeles, and Buenos Aires. With more than 35,000 active students and over 80,000 graduates worldwide, the program has established itself as one of the most innovative educational models internationally.