About David
David Silva Ossa is a Colombian technologist, community organizer, and startup advisor currently based in New York
For over a decade, they have built and supported communities of founders, engineers, and creatives across multiple cities and countries, working at the intersection of technology, culture, and collaborative infrastructure
David studied International Multimedia Design at LaSalle College, spent time studying Jewish culture and philosophy in Jerusalem at Aish HaTorah, and later complemented their studies with Industrial Engineering in Bogotá. Their background blends technology, storytelling, and community development
Throughout their career, they have contributed to numerous startup ecosystems as a mentor, organizer, lead engineer, and technical advisor. They have organized Startup Weekends, hackathons, meetups, conferences, and hundreds of community gatherings that have brought together founders, artists, and technologists
Current Work
David is currently developing Club Calima, an incubator and community designed to help founders launch ambitious projects through collaboration, shared infrastructure, and operator networks
Alongside the incubator, they are also working on:
• Experimental art installations for Burning Man and other festivals
• Community events and renegade gatherings across the Capital Region
• Open-source software and startup infrastructure tools
• Collaborative projects with artists, founders, and engineers
Their work focuses on building environments where creative and technical communities can collaborate to launch new ideas
Services
David occasionally supports projects through:
• Fractional CTO and technical architecture guidance
• Startup mentoring and early-stage strategy
• Product development and engineering team structure
• Community building and ecosystem design
• Event and conference production
• Public speaking, panels and workshops
They are generally selective about engagements
Work Style
David works best with ambitious teams building experimental or meaningful projects
Their approach is collaborative and interdisciplinary, combining technology, storytelling, art, and community development
They have experience working across startups, open-source communities, cultural organizations, and creative production teams
Much of their work focuses on helping early-stage teams turn complex ideas into practical systems and collaborations
Motivation
David believes technology and culture can work together to create new forms of collaboration
A central theme of their work is interoperability; the idea that people, communities, and systems should be able to connect and work together more easily
Through Club Calima and related projects, they aim to build a network of networks where founders, artists, operators, and technologists can support each other and create opportunities that would not exist in isolation
Community & Leadership
David has been involved in numerous international communities including:
• Startup Weekend and global startup ecosystems
• Latinx technology networks
• Open-source software communities
• Cultural and festival production teams
They have mentored founders, organized conferences and meetups, and helped grow communities across North America and Latin America
Their work has included collaborations with organizations such as Techqueria and other international tech and cultural communities
Selected Highlights
• Speaker at international technology conferences
• Hackathon and competition winner
• Organizer of startup and technology events
• Mentor to early-stage founders and engineers
• Contributor to open-source projects
They have also appeared in interviews, podcasts, and media discussions about technology, startups, and Latin American communities in tech
Part of the Calima Parche
David is the founder of Club Calima, the community behind the Calima Parche directory
The goal of the network is to create an environment where talented operators, founders, and creators can find collaborators and build projects together
Collaborate
David is generally unavailable for standard consulting engagements, but they are open to:
• Aligned collaborations
• Experimental creative projects
• Conversations with investors interested in the Calima incubator
• Partnerships with founders building meaningful ventures
Links
Website: markket.place/dvidsilva
LinkedIn: David Silva Ossa