My name is Ricardo 21 years old. I'm a final-year Computer Engineering student from Portugal, and I believe students like me are exactly who Silicon Valley was built for.
Not because we have it all figured out. But because we're still at the stage where the right knowledge, the right mentors, and the right conversations can change everything not just for us, but for everyone we'll go on to build with, work with, and inspire.
What I've already done as a student
I'm not waiting until I graduate to make things happen. While studying I've:
- Built a production-ready cybersecurity SaaS tool from scratch — frontend, backend, database, payment system, and 24 automated security scanners
- Reached out to 100+ companies through cold email and calls, turning 30+ into real conversations with CEOs and founders including Portugal's largest fitness chain
- Visited a startup's office to present a live security analysis, estimating over €100,000 in GDPR exposure across multiple companies
- Contributed to an aerospace engineering project that put a sensor system on a high-altitude balloon
- Learned by doing: AI systems, agent pipelines, pentesting tools
I've done all of this as a student, with no funding, no team, and no shortcuts.
The Silicon Valley Fellowship accepted me out of 1,000+ applicants for one of just ~30 spots. Its alumni include 21+ YC founders and 12 Forbes 30 Under 30 honorees. This is the room where I can learn from the best and bring that back.
I'm not going to consume. I'm going to absorb, and then I'm going to build something worth sharing.
The total cost program fees, a return flight from Lisbon, accommodation in San Francisco for the week, and food is around €3,000. As a student, that's not something I can cover on my own.
This GoFundMe is me asking for a hand, not a handout. I've put in the work to earn the seat. I just need help getting there.
Students change the world. Help this one get to the room where it starts.
Even €10 makes a difference. Sharing this page makes an even bigger one.
Thank you.
Ricardo Domingues
Organizer
